Finished my first SLAM... now what?

[pmaroun]

Here are my current results:
FC 10
CC .5
CH 50
CYA 70
TA 90
PH 7.5

With the amount of CYA I have, the pool calculator tells me my target FC is 5-10. My TF-100 test kits contains a Taylor ph/Chlorine tester that only shows Chlorine up to levels of 5.

What should my daily chlorine level be and should I be using a different kit than the Taylor included in my TF-100?

 

[pooldv]

You should use the fas/dpd test included in the TF100, more here, http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/10845-Water-Testing-Instructions-on-One-Page

Maintain FC according to your CYA level based on this Chlorine CYA Chart. Which is min 5, target 8.

 

[duraleigh]

The final step in a SLAM should be the OCLT to actually prove that you have no residual organics left in your pool.

1. Your pool water is sparkling
2. Your CC's are .5ppm or less
3. You can hold your FC overnight without losing more than 1ppm.

Have you done that?

 

[Richard320]

If you're really and truly done - passed all three tests, your next step is :splash:

Use both chlorine tests. The FAS-DPD test will give you an accurate reading and tell you how much bleach your pool consumes daily. The OTO yellow FC test will show some shade of blinding yellow or perhaps school bus yellow. Learn what your target and your minimum should look like. Once the swim season begins in earnest, you'll be able to glance at the color matching to ensure nothing's gone amiss and just dump in the usual amount, and you'll have the FAS-DPD test as a backup a couple times a week. Pools don't just go cloudy and green overnight. You'll still be able to spot it coming and nip it in the bud.

 

[pmaroun]

Yes, I passed all the tests.. The question was testing the lack of chlorine measurement capacity from the OTO test kit. Was hoping to not have to continue the FAS-DPD tests on a daily basis. It sounds like I need to do both tests until I get a better understanding of the color scale beyond the max reading of 5.. Do simple kits exist that read higher chlorine levels?

 

[JasonLion]

There is no real way to reliably distinguish FC levels from 3 to 10 with the OTO chlorine test. None of the other tests are especially good in the 5 to 10 range, though DPD can at least reliably tell 6 from 10.

Some people simply use the FAS-DPD test every day. Others use OTO six days a week and FAS-DPD on the seventh day. Once you get into a good routine, where FC is coming out at or above the minimum consistently, you can figure out how much chlorine you are adding daily, and simply repeat that amount for six days, and then on the seventh day use the FAS-DPD chlorine test to double check that your amount to add is still good, or how to adjust it. On the six days when you don't use FAS-DPD, you use the OTO test just to make sure that nothing completely unexpected has happened.