Help - Need to Slam, want to make sure I understand everything

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Seems better! I think it's clearer (took another picture, have to get it off my phone later). Bottom step better, and the DE made the pressure go up a bit and I think it's cleaning faster. I'll give it a few more days (or backwash and add more again), but just keeping chlorine up as best i can (may drop a bit during the day but not horribly). I'll be testing CYA today or tomorrow I think to see how that'll measure out now.

Tonight I'm going to try and be good and get up after dark and my added chlorine mixes to measure the FC so I know what my exact overnight loss is....since I know it's been over slam overnight I wasn't always concerned about that measurement lol

I do think it's clearing up though, I think the DE will just make it faster...I could see my cleaner in the shallow end and I don't think I could see it that well there before.


Question on the return nozzles, i reached down but it didn't really seem to want to move easily to aim it down, is it something I'll have to force a bit?
 
So glad you are making progress!

I have a sand filter and love, LOVE being able to add DE. It's the best of both worlds! Be sure to replenish DE after back washing. Did you ever do the full test to determine how much DE to add to raise your filter pressure a full 1psi? Once you know that value, always add that amount after a backwash.
 
MarianParoo said:
So glad you are making progress!

I have a sand filter and love, LOVE being able to add DE. It's the best of both worlds! Be sure to replenish DE after back washing. Did you ever do the full test to determine how much DE to add to raise your filter pressure a full 1psi? Once you know that value, always add that amount after a backwash.
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I just did 1/4 a cup or so, might try a half next but was being cautious....don't think it went up a full 1 psi, but it went up a bit....it's not a ton though.

Last night we went to see my brother in law and niece (she plays hockey on a travel team) so I wasn't home a ton....Thankfully it's easier to manage. Next will be trying a overnight soon and seeing exactly what my daytime losses are, along with CYA testing, to see how to manage my daytime chlorine. I don't think I'm losing much at night.
 

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kimkats said:
You are on the right track! Soon YOUR pool will the a TFP!

Kim
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Thanks! I see how everyone here gets that pool pride...I really wanted the easy (puck) way for the past few years, but this won't be that hard once I can nail down how much to add each day...I can even probably test every other day or something once I hit a routine...Not that tough to add some chlorine each morning or evening.
 
Shhhhhhhhhh but I don't test everyday because I have kept meticulous notes since I had this pool. I found the patterns and now pour for the average. I check everything two times a week.

BUT after a big storm I do check if I have to drain water just be on the safe side.

Kim
 
Yup. Rained here last night and I threw in enough to cover my "high" daily loss, which is 2.5ppm. Had I tested, I might have needed only 1 to 1-1/2ppm (my "low" loss). No biggie. I didn't get too wet!

Now, don't do as we do for quite a while. Get to know your chemistry. Get to know the look of your water. I can look at my water and know I need to backwash without even looking at the filter psi.
 
Yeah, tonight I want to brush/vacuum more....my Baracuda G2 will randomly stop, need to see if there's leaks in the hoses or something, i dunno....but it'll start running if I shake it around, so not sure.

Need to try a OCLT soon, and do my CYA test, so I can get a feel of daily chlorine usage....we've been hitting record highs lately in Phoenix, so lots of sun, and I think my daily usage is a bit high, but we'll see. I do know that overall there's not much organics left, cause it does pretty well at night.
 
Should have time this weekend sometime to brush better and try and figure out my cleaner, but I think the water is crazy clear. I can see the drains perfectly, and bet I could call a quarter if it was down there, or very close.

I really need to do my CYA testing and try a OCLT to see if my SLAM is done now, and then I'll figure out my daily chlorine consumption due to sun and go from there....probably have to up my CYA again to help lower the amount of chlorine I'm using daily.

Since the pool's clear, but I'm still keeping FC higher, what's the safety for swimming? not until done with SLAM?
 
Question on skimmer and main drain. There are 2 holes in skimmer, one has a cover or something, other goes to pump.

Seems like covered one goes to main drain I would think. I don't have a line from drain to pump otherwise. I searched online and seems like I would want to get a diverter valve and uncover drain hole to make for better circulation, right?
 
You are correct about the wanting flow through the main drain. That would improve circulation and help keep that area clear. As to the slimmer question, I think we will really need a picture to be able to help with that one. I can tell you this. My skimmer has two holes in it also, one of them is plugged with a screw out plastic plug. I found out the hard way, that plug goes no where. Well really, it goes into the space next to my pool!! Boy, did I get that plug back in place in a hurry!! In your case though, the feeling I get is that you are on the right track. I've seen pictures of skimmer baskets with what I think is a diverter built in. At least that's how I remember it. If I can find those pics again I'll post them.

BTW, were you able to adjust your returns? I move mine around occasionally. Most of the time I have them pointing down, but once in a while I point them sideways to create a circular flow. Make the 'stuff' collect in the center area, so vacing is quicker. Plus the surface stuff ends up in the skimmer better.
 

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