Before I SLAM....

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CelticsFanForever

0
Sep 17, 2014
21
Atoka, TN
Opened it up last weekend with the newly installed SWG and am thinking at this point I need to SLAM. I've been unable to get FC going. At first, I added a jug of bleach to raise FC (according to pool math) to help the SWG out, then realized CYA was at 0. Over the last 4-5 days I've fixed that and here are my current readings:

FC ~ 0
pH = 7.2
TA = 80-90
CH = 160
CYA = 65-70
Salt = 3800-4000 (according to the cell.....aqua check test strips never made it above 1400 while I was adding salt according to charts. Luckily I checked the cell after 11 bags.....)

Running the SWG and pump 24/7 after the last dose of stabalizer did get my FC up to .5 but no higher over a couple days. I disconnected the SWG today while I fully scrubbed and vacuumed the pool (finally warm enough to get in the water and it rained the last couple of days). Water appears crystal clear, but thinking I've got some lingering algae thats need killing. According to pool math, my pH is a little low too. Should I raise that or just move forward with the SLAM?

Or, should I just add the 2.5 jugs of Clorox I have on hand tonight, wait a bit (how long should it take to get a reading after adding straight bleach?) and then check it again in the morning to see the drop? Thanks.
 
I just dont see anything in your test numbers or your description in your post that indicates a SLAM is needed. Water is clear and chemistry looks fine except for chlorine.

Add the bleach required to get your chlorine level up or you will need to SLAM.

But maybe Im missing something?
 
Just tested and CC is 1.5.

My test kit is the k-2006 from Taylor, FAS-DPD.

Griswald: I was kind of thinking the same thing myself but am very new to this. Should I do anything tonight then? Maybe dump in required bleach and turn on SWG to see how it tests in the AM? Too late to make a Lowes clorox run.......Grizz game is on and I'm into some Ghost River golden......
 
The fact that the chlorine is being consumed so quickly is indicative of something organic in the water. Probably early stage algae. Algae grows in the water for a while , then the sidewalls get slimy, then the water gets cloudy and then it turns green. Letting the chlorine level in your pool fall below the minimum level for your CYA will allow algae to start growing. Chlorine CYA Chart

Definitely need to SLAM Your Pool
 

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If you hesitate on this, its going to get alot worse.
Combined Chlorine is "used up" chlorine. Chlorine can only get "used up" in one way : organics. Unless you have alot of leaves / cut grass / etc.. in your pool or alot of bather waste, the only other highly logical organic would be algae.
Start a SLAM now to take care of this before it gets too far gone.
 
Update:

SLAM'd today at 11 AM with 6 jugs of 8.25%. Waited around an hour and measured FC at 24. A little low based on CYA of 65-70, maybe because I waited to measure it (doesn't the bleach need time to circulate anyways)? Now it's 4:30 PM and FC is back at zero, CC is at .5. Since I'm new to this, seems crazy adding bottles and bottles of bleach but that's my only option I assume? Again, water is crystal clear and no debris on the bottom, very small amount of floating pollen/grass.

Should I be doing this at night maybe? Thanks everyone.
 
CelticsFanForever said:
Update:

SLAM'd today at 11 AM with 6 jugs of 8.25%. Waited around an hour and measured FC at 24. A little low based on CYA of 65-70, maybe because I waited to measure it (doesn't the bleach need time to circulate anyways)? Now it's 4:30 PM and FC is back at zero, CC is at .5. Since I'm new to this, seems crazy adding bottles and bottles of bleach but that's my only option I assume? Again, water is crystal clear and no debris on the bottom, very small amount of floating pollen/grass.

Should I be doing this at night maybe? Thanks everyone.
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You should be checking the FC and adding more every hour or two, not just once a day. If you kill half the algae with the bleach and let FC sit at zero, it just starts growing again. You want to knock it down and kick it again and again, never letting it get back on its feet. Yes, it uses a LOT of bleach, but by letting it rebound, you actually end up using more over a longer period of time.

The phrase SLAM means Shock Level And Maintain. Don't neglect the M.
 
i had no problem doing my SLAM with only 3 measurements per day. I did it when I woke up, when I got home from work and again before bed. after the first day I got a feel for how many ppm the chlorine would drop during the day. mine was around 9ppm. so what I did is in the morning I added enough chlorine to make sure I was above the shock level the ENTIRE day. I believe my shock level was 20ppm, so I bumped my chlorine up to 29ppm in the morning. when I got home it would be right at 20. then I would just bump it to 25ppm and then check before I went to bed and did the same thing.

its important for your FC to be at or above your shock level the entire time, that requires you to go a little bit over. the amount depends on when the next time you will be able to check is. if you are checking every 2 hours, then you can just go a couple ppm over. I didn't have that luxury.

just don't go TOO high.

I kept mine below the mustard algae level.
 
CelticsFanForever said:
Update:

SLAM'd today at 11 AM with 6 jugs of 8.25%. Waited around an hour and measured FC at 24. A little low based on CYA of 65-70, maybe because I waited to measure it (doesn't the bleach need time to circulate anyways)? Now it's 4:30 PM and FC is back at zero, CC is at .5. Since I'm new to this, seems crazy adding bottles and bottles of bleach but that's my only option I assume? Again, water is crystal clear and no debris on the bottom, very small amount of floating pollen/grass.

Should I be doing this at night maybe? Thanks everyone.
Click to expand...


sounds like you are in the same boat I am in, its going to take some time and headache, it took me a week to relize what is going on as it didn't make sense and it finally clicked, these guys are the bomb and just listen to their advice

my water was crystal clear and had no fc at all, and I ended up with over 80 gallons of various bleach before I finally could hold a fc for more then a few hours
 
Except for CYA everything else can be tested in 20-30 minutes with the pump running and you should have an accurate reading.

The only way to cut down on the amount of jugs would be to locate 12% bleach. It's a lot of bottles but it is the best way to do it and trust me, most of use have been there with cases and cases of bleach.
 

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Update: since Sunday night I decided to let the swg run on 100% to try and keep a little FC in the water until I could proper SLAM (vaca on thur-friday this week). I go out after work around 430 pm and here were my results:

FC: 3
pH: 7.4
TA: 80-90
CH: 160
CC: 0
CYA: 60
Salt: 3900-4000 per the swg

Needless to say, the neighbors got quite the happy dance show. Now I'm doing the OCLT test and just measured FC again at 4.5. Will see if it holds overnight. Going to get my CYA up to around 70 or so but otherwise it seems I'm in the clear. Thanks again everyone.
 

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