Newbie Starting Third Week of Slam

Jump to latest Follow Reply
K

Kraypd

0
May 5, 2015
10
Wellington, FL
i've been fighting algae for a long time with the local pool store recipe to no avail. My pool got so bad I actually had a duck fly in and camp out for an hour two weeks ago.

That duck sent me a message to find another way and I was so happy to find this site. I started slamming before my Taylor K-2006 kit came and adjusted after being able to test. Pools never looked better but I still have some last remaining green areas on the walls that I'm looking forward to seeing go away. I actually thought the color of my plaster was stained a light green! I'm losing about 4ppm in the OFCT.

Here's my current water
FC: Slamming at 20
CYA: 50
TA: 80
CH: 290
PH: 7.4 (via an Electronic Meter)

I've been brushing once or twice a day, cleaning the filter every AM to wash out the gray matter, pulled the pool light and trying to keep my POP high. The volume of bleach I'm purchasing has been over the top but much cheaper than the weekly pool store chems which didn't get me anywhere.

Thanks to all who have posted such great advice here. Looking forward to seeing the OFCT finish in the next week or so and get this into maintenance mode.

One question: is it ok to increase the FC up to the 30 range in n the morning on work days? By the time I get home it seems to get down to about 13 and I'd like to keep it higher all day.

PS: I'll try to get the picture thing working when I'm done so I can post before and after photos (duck and all)
 
Welcome! :wave:

With 50 CYA, Shock level is 20 and Mustard Shock level is 29. Target maybe 25? And do that at night as well, so it can really attack the algae without having to battle the sunlight. You could also try leaving the SWG on to help make up for the sunlight losses. Not on boost, which will burn it out, but maybe 20 or 30%. Remember to shut it off when doing the overnight loss test at the end.
 
Thanks Richard. I'll bump up to 25 in the AM and at night. I forgot to mention that been leaving the SWG on around 40% throughout my SLAM. Once my OFCT passes with it running I'll start turning it off as I'll be getting closets the end.

My pool store had me hitting it with shock and algecide and told me running the pump for 9 hours would be fine.... I guess you all know how well that works.
 
Isaac-1 said:
How does the pool look now?
Click to expand...

A few weeks ago I would have said awesome. I think that many of us who are new to the site have lost touch with how the pool is supposed to look.

The water is very clear and enticing but I can now see steaks of green on the walls and just below the water line. The true pool color is coming out which highlights the areas where the algae is still hanging on. Each day the areas of algae are getting smaller and smaller so I think another week or so and I will be done with the SLAM.
 
Welcome to TFP Kraypad,

It just sounds like a tough SLAM, but with progression, so that's a good thing. I would shoot for that very high end of the range each morning if this were mine I promise you. Going 25 or so since you don't have vinyl to worry about. Sounds like you just need even more POP, but hang in there, you'll make it.
 
Well this am while brushing the pool I had a small snake come swimming out of the skimmer. I've gone from a duck to a snake so I guess I'm making progress.�� Hope to have humans in the pool next weekend. Lost 2ppm over night still with the SWG at 30%. Lowest drop I've seen yet so I hope to switch off the SWG and start my true OFCT by mid week.
 
Kraypd said:
Well this am while brushing the pool I had a small snake come swimming out of the skimmer. I've gone from a duck to a snake so I guess I'm making progress.�� Hope to have humans in the pool next weekend. Lost 2ppm over night still with the SWG at 30%. Lowest drop I've seen yet so I hope to switch off the SWG and start my true OFCT by mid week.
Click to expand...

LOL! Humans in the pool sounds like a good plan!
 
Duckies and snakes???????? Are you sure any humans are going to WANT to get in your pool?????????? LOL

I love the way you write!

When you are brushing what kind of brush are you using?

I would look at your skimmer door as well. Some people have found algae hiding on it as well.

Look at your ladder if you have one. They love to hide algae as well.

Thanks for the smile this morning!

Kim
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
I'm using a wire algae brush. I ordered a wall whale nylon which comes tomorrow but I think the wire brush is better until the algaes gone. Glad the duck and the snake could lighten up your day. It's been funny for me now that I can see I am on the right track.
 
Good job Kraypd! I know it can be a process, having just finished my SLAM over the weekend. It took me 2 weeks, but I didn't pull my lights out to clean them right away, and I think that slowed my progress. Glad you did yours Sounds like you and I got the same bad pool store advice, be nice to put that behind us!

Keep it up, seems like you're getting closer.

Jeff
 
Still going with OFCT reading about 3-4ppm loss. Walls are getting cleaner but still see green patches that lighten after brushing and bringing FC back up in the AM. Paying for years of pool store neglect, I wore out my steel brush and had to buy a new one yesterday. POP is hard but keeping at it. Here's the before picture with the duck swimming in the pond.

Water is clear but clouds up after AM brushing and readings are all in line. Will post them at the end of the slam.

image.jpg
 
Need to rename the thread as week four is underway.

I've been following the process closely and still seeing daily improvements in the stubborn green spots on the walls. I've increased brushing with the wire brush to twice a day (AM and PM) to try to accelerate things a little bit. I think that there is an area of mustard algae in the shaded part of the pool that I will have to address when the main SLAM is finished. There may also be some black algae which I used to think was dirt. It seems to be lightening but hanging in there. We'll keep an eye on it.

I pulled apart the light and scrubbed the metal ring down inside and out. There seemed to be a slimy buildup on the underside. Put a new gasket on the light and it's ready to go back in the pool after the SLAM.

Hanging in there for now but this is lasting longer than I first thought. I'm reminded of the quote about the pool not getting this way overnight so it won't come back overnight.

Paul
 
Thought I was getting close and then this am I noted that I had the heater bypass on. I changed to run through the heater pipes to get any algae that might be in there. When I got home my FC had dropped down to 10 from 24 this AM. My target SLAM is 18 based on CYA of 45 so I've been kicking it a little higher before work to keep it above 18 for most of the day.

Yesterday it was around 16 when I got home. When the heater was bypassed. Does this make sense that I would have had algae in the heater that would explain the drop?
 
Thanks Kim. Good to know I'm not going crazy. I FINALLY PASSED MY OFCT AM!

I still have an area of mustard algae in the shallow shady area and what I believe are the last remnants of green organic staining. Thought this was algae but wih the test results I'm guess it's organic staining. Brushing seems to have nearly completed this.

For the mustard algae I have to raise the FC to shock level for 24 hours so I think I'll continue at regular SLAM until the weekend when I can adjust FC and brush frequently. I plan to cycle my valves and run through all of my piping (skimmer, main drain, heater etc.) to make sure I nailed it all. I also plan to put the light back in before the mustard shock just to make sure nothing is on the housing.

Here are my full numbers from this AM:

FC: 20
CC: 0.5
OFCT: 0.5
PH: 7.5 (via Milwaukee electronic meter)
TA: 90
CH: 300
CYA: 45
SALT: 3800
BORATES: <50
 
Have you tried "sneaking" up on the stuff on the bottom with a manual vacuum? That may be the way to get it out.

I would have a sock in the skimmer AND wash the filter right after you do it to make sure it does not sneak back in.

Kim
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply