It really looks like you are getting it! Nice job on the tests and doing all of the right things.
Kim:cat:
Kim:cat:
Confused with keeping Fc at the right levels
- Thread starter sersee
- Start date
7:45pm... I tested it and am at fc 19.. When I got to fc 15 earlier , I told my husband to add a cup. It's hard to tell so am sure he added a little more than a cup..which would be why I'm at Fc 19.
Think I am a little confused though. When I went from fc 19 to 15...was that due to organic stuff in the pool since it happened in two hours? Or just a normal loss?. Why am I holding fairly steady right now? I thought for sure I would have be using way more chlorine?
Am I just waiting for my pool to clear up? I have passed the Oclt test and have never had a high cc.
Does chlorine cloud the pool ? Basically how will I know when I'm done?
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
Think I am a little confused though. When I went from fc 19 to 15...was that due to organic stuff in the pool since it happened in two hours? Or just a normal loss?. Why am I holding fairly steady right now? I thought for sure I would have be using way more chlorine?
Am I just waiting for my pool to clear up? I have passed the Oclt test and have never had a high cc.
Does chlorine cloud the pool ? Basically how will I know when I'm done?
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
No chlorine doesn't cloud pools. There are a few things that do, algae, bacteria and calcium are the most common things. You know the SLAM is complete when the pool passes the three criteria listed here, SLAM Process. Are you brushing daily? That is a key step.
Normal FC usage is 2-4ppm per day. Two things use up chlorine, sunlight and organics in the pool.
Normal FC usage is 2-4ppm per day. Two things use up chlorine, sunlight and organics in the pool.
ok... just wanted to be sure.. my husband was told by the pool store. I thought it was false. We had to vacuum it two days in a row and I brushed it yesterday. I'm just confused as to how I have passed the oclt. I was also confused because the slam article said it could take a week for the pool to clear up . So i pass the oclt and cc... when do I know when to stop a slam?
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
You are done with your SLAM when all 3 of the following criteria are passed
1.) Pass the OCLT that is FC loss of no more than 1.0 FC
2.) Water is clear
3.) CC's no more than 0.5
Until then you keep up with all the things as in the SLAM article
1.) Pass the OCLT that is FC loss of no more than 1.0 FC
2.) Water is clear
3.) CC's no more than 0.5
Until then you keep up with all the things as in the SLAM article
When the water looks like all the sparkly pool pics you see on TFP. When you can read heads or tails on a dime. When you can see the screw heads on the drain cover. There are clear water pics in my build thread, link in sight.
ok.. I was confused because I read it as the water could take a week to clear up with a sand filter after after slam .. but then one of the requirements was clear water. .. thank you. Plus I think I don't get how I pass the other two criteria. Maybe that means is isn't too bad and will clear up quick.
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
Adding DE to a sand filter can help clear up the water faster at the end of a SLAM. Here's how, Pool School - Add DE to a Sand Filter
my pressure reader doesn't work. So that may be hard to do. Plus my husband is barely on board with this whole thing.... so that won't happen anytime soon. He thinks it looks worse than when we started the slam. He wants to throw dichlor in because it worked before. I've had to really Tell him to trust me on this.. not the pool store. When my pool clears is when he will believe in this system. I know others can relate because I have seen other posts. I had him on board when he saw how cheap the liquid chlorine was. I told him we need to brush.... but he is convinced vacuuming is better. He has been convinced by the pool store guy. But luckily he doesn't like the cost of the pool store guy.
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
- Jul 9, 2016
- 227
- Pool Size
- 24000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pureline Crystal Pure 60,000
Yep, I added 1 1/2 cup of DE to my sand filter through the skimmer to get my filter psi to rise 1 psi above the baseline. This was to help clear up my water at the end of my SLAM, after the other two criteria was met. A couple of hours later I looked out my window and my pool fountain looked like somebody had turned it off. The water was only rising about 8 inches from the fountainhead. I went and looked at my filter pressure gauge and it read 25 psi! Mine is usually 19 psi after backwash and 20 psi after 1 1/2 cups DE added. I backwashed again and recharged with DE and then kept an eye on my fountain. When the spray from the fountain was again down to the 8 inch level I backwashed again, this time without adding any DE. Those two DE charges REALLY cleared up my water A LOT.
Just don't charge with DE and then go to work, you need to watch the psi closely.
- Jul 9, 2016
- 227
- Pool Size
- 24000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pureline Crystal Pure 60,000
Yeah, I had to replace my pressure gauge too. It is real easy to change, just turn off the pump, unscrew the bad gauge, wrap Teflon tape around the thread of new gauge and screw it in, usually hand tight is fine. Here is the one I ordered on amazon.
http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00FBKZIRE
- Jan 4, 2016
- 5,297
- Pool Size
- 44000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
Yep, to operate a swimming pool successfully, you need a functioning pressure gauge (as shown above). Cheap as chips and a cinch to put in. As mentioned above. Get that done and pick up some swimming pool DE at the same time so you can up the efficiency of the filter.
Once the SLAM starts, all previous FC, OCLT and CC tests are no longer relevant. Keep on as you've been doing, including brushing at least daily, and preferably twice daily. Seek out anywhere algae may be hiding or any runoff or source of contamination coming in.
Use FC testing to keep FC maintained at 16 ppm. Keep letting us know the readings. The SLAM continues until the water is clear. Occasionally test and report CC. Do an OCLT any time through the SLAM that you like. OCLTs from before the SLAM no longer matter.
And yep, liquid chlorine does not cloud a pool.
Just wanted to follow up on those things and encourage you as best I can. Re-read the SLAM article, and if anything is unclear, let us know and we can clarify.
Once the SLAM starts, all previous FC, OCLT and CC tests are no longer relevant. Keep on as you've been doing, including brushing at least daily, and preferably twice daily. Seek out anywhere algae may be hiding or any runoff or source of contamination coming in.
Use FC testing to keep FC maintained at 16 ppm. Keep letting us know the readings. The SLAM continues until the water is clear. Occasionally test and report CC. Do an OCLT any time through the SLAM that you like. OCLTs from before the SLAM no longer matter.
And yep, liquid chlorine does not cloud a pool.
Just wanted to follow up on those things and encourage you as best I can. Re-read the SLAM article, and if anything is unclear, let us know and we can clarify.
How does your water look now? Can you take and share a picture of it looking down at the steps. That will show us what you are working with.
You are doing it the right way. It is just takes time, chlorine and filtering to clear.
When he sees it after you are done he will love it. We just got to get you there
Kim:cat:
You are doing it the right way. It is just takes time, chlorine and filtering to clear.
When he sees it after you are done he will love it. We just got to get you there
Kim:cat:
Morning! Thanks for the encouragement. I don't know where my husband heard that about the chlorine, but he sure is convinced. I tested this morning and have FC of 18 and CC of 0. It still looks cloudy . I did take some pictures. I took a deeper water one too. I had taken one a couple days ago to show the dirt and it was clearer then. Now its very cloudy. I don't know why the one pic got flipped during upload...sorry!
Attachments
- Jul 9, 2016
- 227
- Pool Size
- 24000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pureline Crystal Pure 60,000
That deep end picture is what mine looked like before I added the DE to my sand filter. You should go ahead and order a new pressure gauge or even run to the hardware store and get one. You can pull you old one off and take it with you to show them what you need.
Just checked FC and Im at 14. So adding more chlorine. Husband is vacuuming all the whatever it is that is in piles on the pool floor again. I am going to go brush.
ok so I feel like I got somewhere. . My husband was vacuuming and I went to town with the brush . I brushed every crevice I could find. My husband is slowly coming around but doesn't think it's algae. But he got in the pool to look around.. There is definitely dirt(?) that I can push around with the brush. It doesn't disappear. It just moves around in a cloud of brown. I was brushing around the steps and pushed some dirt in one of the crevices. My husband went under and really scrubbed it. Stuff came out and I am pretty sure a piece of green algae came out. So he scrubbed quite a bit. It wasn't alot which may be why I always passed the oclt test? Anyway it kind of made my husband feel better. He was frustrated with vacuuming everyday and the dirt reappearing. He doesn't have much patience and he keeps asking me when the water will clear up. So the fact that there was something there gave him a focus .. lol Anyway we added more chlorine and will test again later.
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
That reappearing dirt is dead algae. You are on the right track. Keep him focused, the end is near! 
really? even the piles? I guess I'm shocked because I have passed two overnight tests and never had a cc above . 5. Also the fact that it looks like dark brown dirt and we had that sprinkler incident. I thought dead algae was white! We were worried that the pipe had a leak and was pumping into the pool.
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
No, not dark brown that is dirt or something else. Whiteish or grayish is dead algae. It poofs up when you brush it and settles back later.