1st test results help!

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Mcecere11 said:
When I read the pool school how to SLAM it says be careful when cya is 0. It also doesn't really give a FC level for 0 cya. I have a swg, do i just follow the lowest cya recommendation (60) which has a shock level of 24? assume that it will take a lot of bleach...also anyway to test for ammonia or is it just a given since i have no cya and cc is super high and FC is basically non-existent?
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Yes, you could purchase a separate ammonia test which is usually available at stores that sell aquariums. However, the tests you have run with the TF-100 confirm ammonia - without a doubt. You will do a SLAM, but the one modification I mentioned earlier, when dealing with ammonia, is to intentionally begin it with 0 CYA .

Mcecere11 said:
I have a swg, do i just follow the lowest cya recommendation (60) which has a shock level of 24?
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No. You go by the actual CYA currently in the pool to determine both the maintenance and shock FC levels. For the purpose of this particular SLAM and the current water status of your pool, it is irrelevant that your pool is SWG.

Here's the SLAM procedure that you need to follow:
  1. Dose pool to shock level of 10 ppm FC
  2. Do not add any CYA until chlorine begins to hold
  3. Test FC every 30 minutes until chlorine begins to hold. Add FC as needed to get back to shock level. We will define an FC of 3 ppm as "chlorine beginning to hold"
  4. When FC is at or above 3 ppm after a 30-minute test, add 30 ppm of CYA - use Pool Math for dosing amount.
  5. Increase the FC target to 12 ppm and continue the SLAM as directed in the SLAM article until the SLAM criteria of "Done" are all met. Test FC as directed in the SLAM article - no need to continue testing at 30-minute intervals at this point.

    BTW, leave your SWG off during the SLAM. Use bleach for chlorine until you are done SLAMming.
 
astrong said:
If your adding chlorine bleach your FC should rise and I don't think cc should. Correct me if I'm wrong experts.
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Normally chlorine will rise when you add bleach. However, in the case where ammonia is present, FC is consumed at a very prodigious rate. This is why I had OP test after only 30 minutes after dosing to shock level. Given the information that the OP provided, I fully expected that FC would drop to zero or very close to it. That is ammonia's calling card. Also it is not unusual for CC's to increase a bit - even after chlorine begins to hold - before heading back down again.

For the benefit of others reading this, I will briefly explain how this happened...
At some point during the winter, FC dropped to zero and bacteria got into the water and converted the CYA to ammonia - that's how CYA got to zero. The SLAM Process is the solution to this problem with one modification. That modification is to begin the SLAM without adding any CYA. By leaving CYA at zero, we are not adding any more "food" to the water for any remaining bacteria to consume and produce more ammonia. In addition, it will allow more of the FC to work at killing off the remaining bacteria more quickly. In the early stages of the SLAM for an ammonia-afflicted pool, you test FC every 30 minutes and dose back up to shock level (10 ppm) after each test. When chlorine begins to hold after a 30 minute FC test, that's a sign that sufficient levels of bacteria have been killed off and that much of the ammonia has been neutralized. At this point, CYA can be added back into the water up to 30 ppm. You would then increase the SLAM FC target to 12 ppm and finish the SLAM Process as directed in the article.
 
Yes, that is not unheard of. And this serves as a fine example of why clear water alone is not enough evidence to assume that the water is sanitary. However, clear water and test results performed with the proper kit will.
 
Slowly in front of the return is correct.

The 30 minute dosing is specific to the ammonia situation. As you saw last night, when you are dealing with that 30 minutes is plenty of time for all of your FC to go kaput. Once you are out of the initial phase and are able to hold a little bit of FC then you will start introducing CYA and switch to the traditional SLAM rules. At that point you will want to test and dose no more often than once an hour.
 
So far I have added 6 gallons 12.5%(2-every half hour) and it has not maintained at all. I did 3 tests and all have come back relatively the same. Pool math said 2 gallons of 12.5 to get to fc target of 10. Any estimate of how long this might take? Have to go back to store and get more bleach
.5-1 fc
6.5-cc
Update- last test the cc level went up to 11?!? Is that normal?
 

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This is all, unfortunately normal. No estimate, ammonia is a pretty nasty problem to have.

When you close this year make sure you keep your FC at SLAM level for a full 24 hours before closing. If you do that and don't add any algaecide then you should open to a clear and ammonia free pool next year. For now though, keep at it. There is only a limited amount of ammonia in your pool, you will get through it all.
 
Yep. You have to be careful with 0 CYA. Without anything to buffer the chlorine it is much harsher than when your pool has some CYA in it, so you really don't want to risk going over 10 ppm. I know it is tedious, but it's the safest way for your pool.

BTW, how does your pool smell? Pretty strong chlorine smell?
 
Ok seems to be holding a little bit now. Fc is at 5. The first test I did it was still 1.5 but I think I must have tested wrong. I added two more bottles and then tested again and I got 5.5. Hopefully I didn't screw it up but seems like I added too much now. Should I wait another half hour test again and if it's over 3 add cya to 30 ppm? And continue slam process as per normal procedures?

Smells like an indoor pool.


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Yep, that would be the CC you smell. That will go away after you get through the SLAM. Won't even smell like an outdoor pool that you might be used to.

If you have over 3 FC on your next test go ahead and add the CYA and move on per normal SLAM procedures. Since you already have clear water then you should have a fairly smooth SLAM going forward from here.
 
As you are noticing, when chlorine begins to hold, it happens suddenly and is very noticeable especially after those first several 30 minute tests coming back with ~0-1 ppm FC. The process is working as expected and I wouldn't sweat the high CC's - it's all part of the process in clearing an ammonia-afflicted pool.
 
so my last test i was expecting it to hold but it went back down to 1.5 FC. I also just realized i don't have enough CYA to bring it up to 30ppm. What happens if i have to resume in the morning am i going to have to start all over again? Is one type of cya better than another? i just realized the pool store sold me a 41$ gallon of cya that will only bring the pool up to a cya of 13.5. should i wait to get more cya or if i can get an fc over 3 just add what i have tonight and get more tomorrow?

one more ?- when i am testing fc and cc is it ok to use the speed stir or should i be doing it manually? sorry for all the questions!

Update- still not holding
Fc- 1.5-2
Cc-dropped back down to 2.5
Hopefully it's getting better will check again and continue in the morning
 
I assume that is liquid stabalizer. Keep it sealed if you havent opened it already and return it. Buy your CYA at walmart. I paid $14 for 4 lbs of granular. You might need 2 jugs.

I dont think you will have to start over again. Ammonia bacteria eats cya. Without cya in the water, I dont think it is effectively breeding. That is just my guess though.

- - - Updated - - -

Also I bet your pool was crystal clear because ammonia like bleach should kill algae!
 

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