Need some help getting my pool going for the 3rd summer.

[MattE82]

This is more just to start the diary of my adventures getting my pool cleaned out. To start I have read through the how to guides, and my TF-100 kit arrives today. So I can start giving some precise numbers and have a better idea of whats really going on.

But to tell the back story. It's a Bestway above ground 20'x52" pool. First year was great with no problems. I used chlorine tablets and 7-way test strips and kept everything in line.

However the first winter I didn't cover the pool fast enough and got some leaves and stuff in it over winter. However I was able to clean it out and get it going, probably mostly by luck, and with shock and algaecide. Still using chlorine tablets (you probably know where this is going). Kept it mostly in line all summer, but towards the end of the summer I started having trouble with algae. I had noticed my cya levels were getting high. So I started to read about how to fix that. Somewhere in my internet searching, I found this place. Loved the idea of keeping it simple and using readily available chemicals. I probably should have got a better hold in the pool last year, but didn't. Before I put the pool away it had turned green, and again I didn't cover it. At all this winter. (I know, super bad idea, especially as it's surrounded by trees, and then we had the worst winter in a long time).

So I started this year with a mess. Plus my cartridge filter had developed a leak over the winter. So with me being tired of buying filters I "upgraded" to a sand filter. I refound this site and read up again on the SLAM method. But before I started, knowing that my CYA levels were high, I drained most of the pool. Like down to 6" or less. And this was probably my first mistake, as I didn't get in there and really try to clean out all the leaves and debris. I mean I didn't have to last time.....

So I refilled the pool, checked out the pH levels, which were good, and started hitting it with chlorine. I also added about 1/2 the amount of CYA recommended for my pool size. As I don't want to get it too high right off the bat. But so far I've only used liquid bleach, and out of frustration 2-3 treatments of shock. But going forward I only intend to use liquid bleach unless recommended otherwise.

I've still been using test strips until my tf-100 test kit gets here. Hopefully today. But I've tried to keep the free chlorine levels at 10ppm+. But honestly can't say I've been the best at it, and definitely haven't ever checked it every hour. I vacuum or brush it every day. I even bought one of those leaf eater things. I just recently realized I should be using "waste" when vacuuming. I was having to backwash my filter every 1/4 or so of the pool. I had the return hooked up to a hose above the water level, and when I saw it start to spit out dirty water, I would quickly stop and backwash it. But the last couple of times have used waste. It works well with the leaf eater adding water. I have also added the treatment dose of some algaecide probably 3-4 times. Just trying to gain some kind of ground. I've ran the leaf eater 2-3 times now. I keep thinking I've got to have gotten most of it, but as I can't see the bottom I really don't know. But then the next time I vacuum or leaf eat, I get more. It has lessened. But I really don't know how much is still down there.

Anyway I've been doing that for a week or two and last week decided I needed more help. So came back here, reread through everything and ordered the TF-100 kit. I've still been trying to keep the chlorine up above 10 ppm. Other than when we lost electricity, the pump runs 24/7. It's a Bestway 2000 gph sand filter. I bought the sand at Leslie Pools. I've also bought some DE aid as I've read about adding some of it to help the filter get the algae. I haven't added any yet.

Pool is still greenish. I think it may be getting a little lighter, but I can't see anywhere near the bottom yet.

So after all of that, let me have it. Any ideas, suggestions, opinions? I'm all ears. And I'll start taking measurements as often as I can. The problem there is I work 2 jobs, and monday is my closest to a day off. I'm normally free from 10 am til around 6. Maybe later if my boys don't have a baseball game. So that will be the next time I can do the part about checking the Chlorine levels every hour. But at least according to the strips, the FC has not been getting below 3-5 ppm at any point of tested. And the only times it's gotten that low is either the time the electricity when out (fluke thing I don't expect to happen again) or the one time I was out of town and didn't get to check it for 12 hours.

Fwiw I normally check it aroud 4 am on my way to work. Around 9 am after the first job. Around 2pm on my lunch break, and sometime between 7-9pm depending on baseball games.

Thanks in advance.

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
You need to follow the SLAM Process.
While you are waiting on your test kit, add 5 ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine / plain bleach to your pool each evening with the pump running. This will replenish the FC lost each day to the sun and also inhibit any algae in the water from growing further.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.

 

[MattE82]

Welcome to the forum!
You need to follow the SLAM Process.
While you are waiting on your test kit, add 5 ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine / plain bleach to your pool each evening with the pump running. This will replenish the FC lost each day to the sun and also inhibit any algae in the water from growing further.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.

Hello and thanks. Yeah I’ve been adding that amount or even a bit more. With the bleach I bought it adds around 4ppm per 1/2 gallon. And I’ve been adding 1 to 1-1/2 gallons a day.
And even better news, is the test kit showed up. So I’m headed home for lunch and to see what it shows.

 

[MattE82]

Okay so things aren’t way out of whack.

FC = 12.5
CC = 1.0
TA = 180 (so this needs to come down)
CYA = 0-10. I was at the top of the beaker and the dot was fuzzy but I could make it out. I figured this was low.
pH = 7.5
CH = 150 it did turn red when I added the r-0011l. But it wasn’t mixing in. Like stringy or something. Not sure what that means.

Anyway I’ll stay on top of the FC and get the Alkalinity in line. I’ve had to do this before with adding acid and aerating the pool to get the pH back up. And I’ll keep brushing and vacuuming.

Anything else someone sees I need to work on?

 

[mknauss]

TA is not a big deal. Add acid when your pH reaches 8. Remember, pH test is invalid when FC is above 10 ppm.

Add some CYA. In your climate you need to get to 50 ppm once the pool pass the SLAM criteria. Right now you need 30 ppm CYA in the water to follow the SLAM Process

CH test may be being interfered with by metals. See Calcium Hardness - Trouble Free Pool
CH is normally not a concern with vinyl liner pools.

 

[MattE82]

TA is not a big deal. Add acid when your pH reaches 8. Remember, pH test is invalid when FC is above 10 ppm.

Add some CYA. In your climate you need to get to 50 ppm once the pool pass the SLAM criteria. Right now you need 30 ppm CYA in the water to follow the SLAM Process

CH test may be being interfered with by metals. See Calcium Hardness - Trouble Free Pool
CH is normally not a concern with vinyl liner pools.

Thanks. I will do so. I just bought a new hose for my skimmer. I noticed yesterday it had cracks in it. So I'll get that fixed and add some CYA to get it up to 30ppm. And I'll read up on the CH.

 

[MattE82]

Okay so the chlorine levels are doing pretty well. I think 8.5 ppm FC is the lowest I’ve measured. CC has been 1.5-3.0. But I just did my evening test and the FC was 12.5 and the CC is 0.5. It just barely turned pink after adding the second drops. But I still can’t see anywhere near the bottom of the pool. It definitely has a light green hue. I used a leaf eater on it this evening. The water level was a bit low and since it adds water I did that. Now that the level is back up I’ll vacuum to waste tomorrow.

Is it possible I have killed most of the algae, but my filter just isn’t cleaning it? I back wash and rinse it at least once a day. I’m definitely getting dirty water when I start the backwash. I let it run for at least 3 mins before rinsing, and then back to filtering. The clean pressure is around 7-7.5 psi. And it’s normally around 8-9 psi before I backwash it.

This is the first summer with the sand pump. So I’m still learning. I did buy some DE Filter Aid. Is that what you can use to improve the filtration, or does it need to say DE media or something? I ask because I did try to add some. I put 1/4 cup in at least a gallon of water and slowly poured it in the skimmer. And watched the pressure. It normally runs 7-7.5 psi. It quickly jumped to 10 and within 5-10 mins was up to 12-13 psi and the return flow was very low. So I shut it off and backwashed it. Everything has been back to normal since then. I haven’t tried to add anymore.

Let me know what you think about what’s going on and what I need to do next? Or if I need to wait and just let the filter do it’s thing. Admittedly I’ve been tempted to buy another cartridge filter just to get it clear if that would help.

 

[mknauss]

Sounds like things are going well. This is the end of your first full day doing the SLAM process. For a pool in your shape, 7-14 days is not unheard of.
If adding the filter aid did as you say, fantastic. That what happens with lots of solids in your water. When you can repeatedly do that, do it. might use less of the material so you get an hour or so until you have to backwash.

 

[jseyfert3]

Welcome! As stated the SLAM process takes a while. Keep at it, as you can between two jobs, and don’t let off until you meet the three criteria for stopping. It will clear, but it requires patience.

But before I started, knowing that my CYA levels were high, I drained most of the pool. Like down to 6" or less. And this was probably my first mistake, as I didn't get in there and really try to clean out all the leaves and debris. I mean I didn't have to last time.....

Rats…if for some reason you ever have to do this again, a complete drain, cleaning, and refill would have avoided the entire SLAM process. The good news is that if you follow TFP advice, close late enough and open early enough you will never have to SLAM again.

 

[MattE82]

Welcome! As stated the SLAM process takes a while. Keep at it, as you can between two jobs, and don’t let off until you meet the three criteria for stopping. It will clear, but it requires patience.


Rats…if for some reason you ever have to do this again, a complete drain, cleaning, and refill would have avoided the entire SLAM process. The good news is that if you follow TFP advice, close late enough and open early enough you will never have to SLAM again.

Yeah I got lazy. I def won’t make that mistake again. But hopefully it never gets bad enough that I have to consider it. But I’m def thankful for the help and will def heed the advice I get here.

 

[MattE82]

Sounds like things are going well. This is the end of your first full day doing the SLAM process. For a pool in your shape, 7-14 days is not unheard of.
If adding the filter aid did as you say, fantastic. That what happens with lots of solids in your water. When you can repeatedly do that, do it. might use less of the material so you get an hour or so until you have to backwash.

Monday is the next day I might have time to try the filter aid again. And that’s not for certain. But at least I know I wasn’t doing anything completely wrong haha.

And while I’ve just recently been able to accurately measure the chlorine levels, I’m pretty sure the FC hasn’t dropped below 6 ppm in two weeks or so. But that was just using the test strips. So definitely just a guess. But with going with the measurements I’m getting now, I may have had the FC upwards of 20 ppm. Because since getting the kit I’m adding around 1 gallon a day. Before was adding at least 1-1/2 gallons and some times 2-3 gallons.

But the pool was in bad shape. So I know it won’t be an overnight thing. I was just hoping it at least seemed to be getting a little better. I’ll keep at it, keep posting and getting advice and with your help I’ll get there. Thanks.

 

[mknauss]

If water is cheap, a large drain and refill may speed the process. Your choice.

 

[MattE82]

Just mostly for record keeping.

Last night before bed FC 12.5 CC 0.5 (didn't add bleach). This morning FC 11.5 CC 0.5 (Didn't add bleach). Today at lunch FC 9.0 CC 1.0 (added 48 oz 7.5% bleach). I have ball games tonight so probably won't get to vacuum like I intended, but will definitely brush it down. And should be free tomorrow evening for good vacuum.

Back washed the pump at lunch. Pressure was 8.0 - 8.5 psi, clean pressure is 7.0-7.5 psi. Still can't see my hand when getting a test sample.

 

[MattE82]

Had some rain last night. Didn’t get to check the chlorine last night before it came in. Got up this morning and FC was 7.5, and the CC was 0-0.5. It might have turned slightly pink. But one drop definitely made it clear. Added the recommended dose of bleach. So thinking I should still be alright. I also went and stocked up on chlorine. So I have plenty. Not that I was really ever low. But have more than enough to hopefully get through the slam process.

But there is no change in the clarity. Like at all. And when I backwash my filter there isn’t much dirty water so I’m beginning to get worried about my filter. Like maybe I have the wrong sand or something isn’t right inside the filter. Hopefully Monday I have several hours I can spend adding the DE filter aid and see what it does. I bought the sand from a Leslies pool. It said something like sand filter media for all types of sand filters. But I don’t have the bag to provide any more info. Other than going by and asking for another bag or something. I’ve seen people talk about zeolite sand and other options. Am I just getting too hasty?

I got the filter a little over 2 weeks ago on March 26, and hooked it up that day. Although I had been trying to run the previous cartridge filter for a week or so and had already been adding chlorine to get the levels up. I just didn’t have the test kit to know exactly what the chlorine levels were.

 

[mknauss]

Am I just getting too hasty?

You are in day 4. Are you testing and adding liquid chlorine as needed at least 4+ times per day? At the start, the more often the better.

 

[MattE82]

You are in day 4. Are you testing and adding liquid chlorine as needed at least 4+ times per day? At the start, the more often the better.

Yes. As best I can anyways. I go to my first job around 4:30 am. I do cheat and check with a test strip. But I haven’t needed to add at this time in a couple of weeks. I come home between jobs around 9 am. Add as needed. And usually it’s still 10-12 ppm. Which is why I think I’m okay with the 4am check. Come home at lunch around 2pm check and add as needed. And do the same around 7pm when I get gone for the evening. I can’t do much more than that with my schedule. But I’m trying. I’ve yet to see the levels drop below around 7-8 ppm. And that’s usually the lunch check. Should I try to add a little more chlorine during the morning so it doesn’t dip so low?

However I’ve had the chlorine levels elevated for this whole 2+ weeks. I didn’t have the test kit when I started to know exactly what the chlorine levels were. But before I got the kit, I was keeping the free chlorine at the highest level the test strip showed. The pool math app showed that 1/2 gal of chlorine increased FC by about 4 ppm. So I started by adding 2 gallons right off the bat. And added at least half a gallon each time I tested it. Even if it was at the highest level on the test strip. The highest level was supposed to be around 10 ppm. So adding another 4ppm should keep it high enough. Except the 4am check. I didn’t always add then. So I was adding at least 1-1/2 gallons a day. Some days 2-3 gallons, if the test strip wasn’t at the highest level during a check. If it showed anything lower than 10ppm I added a full gallon. I think the lowest I saw during that time was 6. So I added a full gallon to get it put to 14 or so. And I always erred on the side of too much chlorine. I figured more was better than not enough. And since I couldn’t test it accurately I might as well shoot high. And since getting the test kit I’m adding considerably less chlorine. Admittedly I have gotten out a bunch of leaves and gunk. So that helps too. But I just feel like nothing has changed. Since before I even got the test kit.

Tomorrow I’m off from my main job, and when I get home from my part time job, I plan on checking the levels every hour starting around 9. I’m also going to try using the DE filter aid again. Hopefully that helps. And just feel like my wheels are spinning. I’m getting very little debris out using either the leaf sucker or regular vacuum. And without being able to see what I’m doing, I’m not sure I can get any more. But I haven’t stopped trying. And I won’t. I’ll keep spinning these wheels. But I just feel like something isn’t right. Im not even getting much dirty water when backwashing the filter.

Anyways thanks again. I do appreciate the help.

 

[mknauss]

Do a real OCLT. With your kit. Toss the strips, they are not accurate and just lead you in poor directions.

If the pool will pass two OCLT in a row, and water is cloudy, another path is possible. The DE in your filter is a good idea to start.

 

[MattE82]

Do a real OCLT. With your kit. Toss the strips, they are not accurate and just lead you in poor directions.

If the pool will pass two OCLT in a row, and water is cloudy, another path is possible. The DE in your filter is a good idea to start.

Oh yeah I only do the test strip for the 4am test. And I basically do it on my way out the door to work. If it ever showed less than max FC, and it hasn’t, I’d add 1/2 to 1 gallon and go to work. The rest of the tests are the real “pink” test. If my 9am test ever showed any real drop in FC I’d try and get up in time to do the full test.

I’ll def do a OCLT the next two days and see what happens. Fwiw my CC levels have been below 1.5 for a week or so and 0 to 0.5 for three days in a row. All 12 or so tests. I just haven’t done the OCLT as the pool isn’t clear. I knew that was the first step for coming out of a SLAM. So that’s what I’m wanting to see. And I will.

 

[MattE82]

Quick question. I was rereading the OCLT page, and it says I need to do the morning test before sunlight. And the evening test after sundown. That’s going to be pushing it for me. I usually go to bed an hour or more before sunset. And tomorrow I’m getting up at 3am. Is that too early to test? If I somehow make it to sunset for the evening test. Because I won’t get off work until 8-9am and the sun will have been up for a little while by then. There are trees around the pool. So it won’t be in direct sunlight for a little after sunrise and before sunset.

I guess my main question is how dark does it have to be for the test to be accurate? And is there a minimum timeframe between tests? Sunset is going to be just before 9. So if I wait until then and test at 3:30ish, that’s only 6-1/2 hours. Is that enough?

 

[mknauss]

No sun on the pool surface. Better if dark, but you are looking for minimal impact from UV.

We like to see 8 yours time between the tests. 6 hours is minimum.