New Pool owner - going to need help. Starting Slam Process

[flip_me_over]

Here are pics of my pool.

https://goo.gl/photos/zu1jUcRJGpqKRPbB7

Before starting I measured CYA at 0 and Ph at 8.2 so I need to adjust before slamming.

My question is from the pictures should I vacuum to waste before starting. Or get chemicals situated and then vacuum to waste?


I know I need to skim all the stuff off the top.

What should I try to adjust first? CYA or PH? My thoughts are add PH minus till ph in appropriate range then adjust CYA and then come back and check ph again before starting SLAM process.

Thanks

 

[lefty51]

Well, first things first. Welcome to TFP.

Second, what are you testing with ? To do the Slam you need one of the recommended test kits to be able to accurately know WHAT to add and WHEN.

Shortly one of the pros will be along and point you to the links that will help you get started. I suggest checking out pool school to help you get a handle on where to start.
For them to help you they will need a good set of numbers.
I'll step aside and be here to help if I can.

 

[flip_me_over]

I am testing with the HTH 6 way test kit.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/HTH-6-Way-Test-Kit/17043668

If this is not an adequate test kit let me know.

 

[DaninFLA]

I am testing with the HTH 6 way test kit.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/HTH-6-Way-Test-Kit/17043668

If this is not an adequate test kit let me know.

no, you need either the TF-100 (better value) or the Taylor K-2006. In order to SLAM, you need a test that can determine free chlorine and accurately measure CYA. these are the two that do that.

your CYA level is critical before you start. without that, you don't know your proper SLAM level for chlorine. the chlorine level will be much higher than the range on your current test.

if your CYA is actually zero, I wouldn't trust your current results by the way, then you need add enough stabilizer to get to 30. and you also need to lower your pH to the lower 7s. stabilizer can be found at walmart as chlorox chlorine stabilizer. 5lbs is around $14 I believe. to lower pH you need to pick up muriatic acid, about $7 per gallon.

then you need lots and lots of bleach.

but don't do anything until you get that test kit, other than add 2 gallons of bleach per day to keep the algae from getting worse.

very nice pool by the way, its going to be gorgeous when its all done.

 

[DanielP]

Don't let algae get a head start. You can't measure FC with your test kit but you can still measure TC to ensure you're not putting too much chlorine in the pool. I would vac really dirty spots to waste, add enough stabilizer to raise cya 20ppm and enough acid to lower ph to 7.2. Order a recommended test kit, but while waiting for it to arrive, use the 6 way kit and every time TC drops to 5 or less, add enough chlorine to raise TC back to 12ppm, and vacuum / brush regularly. My advice differs from what you're typically going to get so if you want to follow the typical advice and do little to fight algae while waiting on a recommended test kit, I would cover the pool back up so algea doesn't get sunlight to help it grow.

 

[DanielP]

Before adding the CYA, I would try to target 10ppm TC and it not drop below 5ppm in an hour in case you have something converting your CYA to ammonia. Once you get a recommended test kit, TC becomes irrelevant and you'll only be concerned about FC and CC.

 

[flip_me_over]

I just ordered the K-2006 kit from Dave. Take a few days till it gets here. I think I am going to vacuum to waste and work on getting the PH down and CYA up.

 

[DaninFLA]

I just ordered the K-2006 kit from Dave. Take a few days till it gets here. I think I am going to vacuum to waste and work on getting the PH down and CYA up.

you are on the right track...what have you (or previous owner) been using to chlorinate the pool? if you/they were using powder shock or chlorine tab/pucks you very well might have CYA too high. will know once you get the test kit. do NOT add any stabilizer to your pool at this time! if you have high CYA, don't want to make it worse.
and welcome!

- - - Updated - - -

add enough stabilizer to raise cya 20ppm and enough acid to lower ph to 7.2. .

I would not add any stabilizer to the pool... with the test strips, there is zero confidence in any CYA number he may have. it could be zero, it could be 150. adding more CYA is a mistake at this point, as you know the only way to get rid of it is to drain the pool. He will have his test in a couple of days, so needs to hold put until that comes in.

totally agree with the pH though, get some muriatic acid in there to get pH down.

 

[DanielP]

I would not add any stabilizer to the pool... with the test strips, there is zero confidence in any CYA number he may have. it could be zero, it could be 150. adding more CYA is a mistake at this point, as you know the only way to get rid of it is to drain the pool. He will have his test in a couple of days, so needs to hold put until that comes in.

He's not using test strips. His test for CYA is within an acceptable margin of error to add 20ppm as recommended, it is more accurate than the subjective difference in the CYA test. That said, I stand by my recommendation of maintaining some chlorine in the pool, adding CYA, but making sure chlorine starts to hold before adding the CYA. It will take less time to pass the SLAM if he keeps chlorine in the pool until he can start the process, especially the cloudiness part of the test. And the more algae he prevents from adding chlorine now, the less cloudy it will get and the less times he will have to backwash his sand filter that gets clogged from dead algae.

 

[DaninFLA]

didn't disagree with adding chlorine, would do that as well.

his test kit will be in a day or two, no point in adding CYA in a hurry since its too hard to remove.

 

[DanielP]

The point of adding CYA is to reduce the chance of fading at the level of chlorine I suggested. You're still going with the assumption that his CYA test is so inaccurate that he might have 30 or more CYA while he perceives there is 0.

 

[DaninFLA]

OP has a plaster pool, so no worries about fading. yes, i'm assuming CYA is inaccurate at this point, and think waiting two days to add CYA until the test kit comes in is fine. wouldn't be the first time that CYA reading was way off. we don't know either way, so err on the side of caution and wait two days. definitely add bleach to keep FC up to keep algae in check as best you can.

 

[DanielP]

I overlooked the plaster part. Anyhow, the CYA test is accurate and I would add the CYA to slow the sun from destroying the FC so fast.

 

[flip_me_over]

Just for clarification the hth test kit, I mentioned earlier had where you could test for CYA. You fill a bottle half full of pool water then other half with solution. Mix and wait. Then put in a container until you could not see a black dot. I filled that container and could still see the black dot.

So I think my CYA is 0

 

[DanielP]

Was it starting to get hard to see as you filled the tube?

 

[flip_me_over]

It seemed consistent through out filling the tube. No change.

 

[DanielP]

If it didn't even begin to get cloudy then I'd agree it is somewhere very close to 0ppm.