Do I need to drain my pool?

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

I would start with three cases (12 gallons). I'm sure you'll need more, so don't be afraid to buy more. I assume it will also be your primary means of chlorination after your slam.

Read the slam article carefully. When you first start, you'll need to test frequently to make sure the chlorine is holding. As all of your CYA is depleted, it's possible you have ammonia. We'll know once you begin adding chlorine. You want to test and dose before bed and right when you wake up. Chlorine will be consumed quickly during the day. You'll need to test every couple hours at least until you get a feel for how much chlorine is being consumed. Use the search function and review a few slam threads.

 

[leofeld]

I would start with three cases (12 gallons). I'm sure you'll need more, so don't be afraid to buy more. I assume it will also be your primary means of chlorination after your slam.

Read the slam article carefully. When you first start, you'll need to test frequently to make sure the chlorine is holding. As all of your CYA is depleted, it's possible you have ammonia. We'll know once you begin adding chlorine. You want to test and dose before bed and right when you wake up. Chlorine will be consumed quickly during the day. You'll need to test every couple hours at least until you get a feel for how much chlorine is being consumed. Use the search function and review a few slam threads.

I work during the day, would I be better off starting slam on the weekend when I can be home all day?

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

I work during the day, would I be better off starting slam on the weekend when I can be home all day?

Definitely.

 

[Bperry]

Pool guy had been using trichlor, thats what I have available. I haven't really been using them since all this had been going on and I used cal hypo shock.

Trichlor has stabilizer, so you probably don’t have zero CYA. Be careful adding too much.

 

[leofeld]

I would start with three cases (12 gallons). I'm sure you'll need more, so don't be afraid to buy more. I assume it will also be your primary means of chlorination after your slam.

Read the slam article carefully. When you first start, you'll need to test frequently to make sure the chlorine is holding. As all of your CYA is depleted, it's possible you have ammonia. We'll know once you begin adding chlorine. You want to test and dose before bed and right when you wake up. Chlorine will be consumed quickly during the day. You'll need to test every couple hours at least until you get a feel for how much chlorine is being consumed. Use the search function and review a few slam threads.

So I'm a week into slam, been through 20+ gallons of chlorine. Pool looks like a really pretty blue but still very cloudy. I think it's just all of the dead algae. I got skimmer socks a few days ago which I think are helping a little, but still can't see much more than a foot deep.

 

[Bperry]

So I'm a week into slam, been through 20+ gallons of chlorine. Pool looks like a really pretty blue but still very cloudy. I think it's just all of the dead algae. I got skimmer socks a few days ago which I think are helping a little, but still can't see much more than a foot deep.

How much chlorine are you losing each day? You can do an OCLT if you think it’s all dead. It’ll tell you if that’s true.

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

Stay on course. Make sure you clean your cartridge when filter pressure increases 25% above clean pressure.

 

[leofeld]

How much chlorine are you losing each day? You can do an OCLT if you think it’s all dead. It’ll tell you if that’s true.

I think I dropped from 16fc last night to 10 this morning

 

[leofeld]

Stay on course. Make sure you clean your cartridge when filter pressure increases 25% above clean pressure.

I cleaned filter on Tuesday, but filter pressure hasn't really been effected throughout this process.

 

[leofeld]

Just about two weeks into SLAM and pool is still incredibly cloudy. Color has much improved from the initial green but can't seem to get it clear. Started using skimmer socks and they're catching this, is it dead algae or...?

 

[PoolStored]

Looks like it...

 

[leofeld]

Looks like it...

Is there any way to help get it out?
When I vacuum it just shoots right back into the pool

 

[PoolStored]

When I vacuum it just shoots right back into the pool

This should not happen with a clean and properly maintain cartridge filter. Have you inspected the cartridges and filter for any cracks?

 

[leofeld]

This should not happen with a clean and properly maintain cartridge filter. Have you inspected the cartridges and filter for any cracks?

What do you mean by cartridges and filter?
I cleaned them about a week ago and didn't notice anything like that. I noticed that one of the filters seemed to be missing some of those plastic bands, would that make any difference ?

 

[leofeld]

This should not happen with a clean and properly maintain cartridge filter. Have you inspected the cartridges and filter for any cracks?

A guy I hired to fix pool before I found tfp used phosphate remover. I know pool started looking pretty cloudy then. Would that stuff make filtering it out any more difficult?

 

[PoolStored]

What do you mean by cartridges and filter?
I cleaned them about a week ago and didn't notice anything like that. I noticed that one of the filters seemed to be missing some of those plastic bands, would that make any difference ?

The filter is the "unit," the cartridges go into the filter.
If there is damage to the cartridge, this would allow water to bypass the cartridge.

A guy I hired to fix pool before I found tfp used phosphate remover. I know pool started looking pretty cloudy then. Would that stuff make filtering it out any more difficult?

Upon dissolving in water, lanthanum chloride will react with the carbonate alkalinity in your water and form lanthanum carbonate which is an insoluble compound. This reaction occurs more quickly than the formation of lanthanum phosphate because the carbonate concentrations is, in some circumstances, 100X larger than the phosphate concentration. However, lanthanum carbonate is not stable in the presence of phosphates and it will convert (slowly) to lanthanum phosphate. This reaction happens slowly in your filter and takes time.

So, in order to optimize the removal of phosphates, you must add the remover and wait 48 hours. After that time, most of the inorganic phosphates will be removed and you can safely flush/clean your filter. It is always best to add PR when you have time to clean your filter properly as the built up lanthanum phosphate can irreversibly clog up cartridge and DE filters.

It may just be time to replace the cartridges.

 

[leofeld]

The filter is the "unit," the cartridges go into the filter.
If there is damage to the cartridge, this would allow water to bypass the cartridge.



Upon dissolving in water, lanthanum chloride will react with the carbonate alkalinity in your water and form lanthanum carbonate which is an insoluble compound. This reaction occurs more quickly than the formation of lanthanum phosphate because the carbonate concentrations is, in some circumstances, 100X larger than the phosphate concentration. However, lanthanum carbonate is not stable in the presence of phosphates and it will convert (slowly) to lanthanum phosphate. This reaction happens slowly in your filter and takes time.

So, in order to optimize the removal of phosphates, you must add the remover and wait 48 hours. After that time, most of the inorganic phosphates will be removed and you can safely flush/clean your filter. It is always best to add PR when you have time to clean your filter properly as the built up lanthanum phosphate can irreversibly clog up cartridge and DE filters.

It may just be time to replace the cartridges.

Thanks for taking the time to explain things.
So this was probably a month and a half ago when he added the PR. Probably about a week after that I put new filters in. Could they already be trashed?

 

[PoolStored]

So this was probably a month and a half ago when he added the PR. Probably about a week after that I put new filters in. Could they already be trashed?

It would be odd that new ones after a week would be trashed. The old ones likely. What it still cloudy when you changed them out.

When I vacuum it just shoots right back into the pool

Something is not adding up. If the cartridges are in good order and the filter is not damaged or cracked, you should not get dead algae "shooting" back into the pool.

Might be worth breaking down the filter and inspecting the cartridges and internal parts for cracks. Post some pictures of your equipment pad, and fill out your signature with Brand/Model of all your equipment.

Create Your Signature - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[leofeld]

It would be odd that new ones after a week would be trashed. The old ones likely. What it still cloudy when you changed them out.



Something is not adding up. If the cartridges are in good order and the filter is not damaged or cracked, you should not get dead algae "shooting" back into the pool.

Might be worth breaking down the filter and inspecting the cartridges and internal parts for cracks. Post some pictures of your equipment pad, and fill out your signature with Brand/Model of all your equipment.

Create Your Signature - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Don't see any cracks on the outside, will try and open it up today to take a look inside and at cartridges.

 

[leofeld]

It would be odd that new ones after a week would be trashed. The old ones likely. What it still cloudy when you changed them out.



Something is not adding up. If the cartridges are in good order and the filter is not damaged or cracked, you should not get dead algae "shooting" back into the pool.

Might be worth breaking down the filter and inspecting the cartridges and internal parts for cracks. Post some pictures of your equipment pad, and fill out your signature with Brand/Model of all your equipment.

Create Your Signature - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

There's a small and big cartridge in the filter case, does it make any difference which one goes on top or bottom?