New to pool chemistry management
- Thread starter phoenixwtc
- Start date
I have read the SLAM article. I know that it says it take a lot of chlorine. I’m just wanting confirmation that I am doing this correctly.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,570
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Great. Test the FC every 3 hours or so. Raise the FC back to SLAM level each time using liquid chlorine.
The first addition to get up to max takes more than the rest to keep it there. Also the first addition(s) will get consumed faster by the algae you are fighting and then consumption will start to decrease as you start winning u til you pass the OCLT
Depending on the age and how its been stored, LC that says 10% may not really be 10%. So adding a gallon may not do as much as you think. I will aim a little high in the beginning.
Two to three weeks ago, our pool tech was at a loss as to what the problem was with our pool. The water was cloudy, and the chlorine kept going to zero over night. The first thought was the SWG was going bad. We had the pool company that built the pool come out and check it. It was a little over three years old. They said it was working fine but we had it set to 80% with ten hours of pump run time and still we couldn't keep up with the chlorine. All of the other chemistry was coming in well within their mid ranges of normal. Just to be on the safe side and to take the SWG out of the equation, I replaced it with a new one. In hindsight, that was probably a premature step, but at least I know I have a working one now.
I found the TFP site and started doing my own research. Not that I had lost confidence in our pool tech, but with her only able to come check the pool once a week, I felt it was time for me to step up and learn more about taking care of my own pool. Up until now, with three years under my belt with the pool and always counting on the pool techs to make sure everything was in order, I felt it was high time for me to put my engineering skills to work - retirement be Darn! I also took the advice of this group and purchased the Taylor K-1515 test kit since I had recently purchased the K-2005 test kit. I also purchased a digital salt tester, and the battery powered stir device from Taylor.
I learned a lot about the SLAM process and realized it made sense to try this process out. SO after our tech's weekly visit, I took the pool water over to our local pool store to have it tested. As I had already determined, the chlorine was near zero but everything else was within tolerances. I purchased four gallons of liquid chlorine and added it to the pool. Obviously, it brought the free chlorine level up. I started testing the water on my own multiple times each day. When I saw he chlorine levels drop more than it should, I went back to the store and purchased four more gallons of liquid chlorine. Over the next two days, I added three and a half more gallons to the pool bringing it up to 7 ½ total gallons added. I also vacuumed the pool each day and left the pump running 24 hours each day.
Long story short, within the week, the pool is crystal clear, the chlorine level is running a bit high still (6.2 this morning and 7.2 last night), but we are only seeing about 1.0 ppm chlorine drop each night. I have the pump running back to its summer norm of 10 hours. I am testing the water in the morning and again in the evening after the pump turns off. I've started to drop the SWG back from its high of 80% to 50% right now. We've had some crazy weather lately due to the hurricane, so I am waiting for a "normal" day to see how the chlorine behaves, but I am wanting to work the SWG back to its original level of 40% for summer usage.
This site has been very helpful for me to get the hang of managing the pool. I plan to keep our pool tech under contract because she does a great job of managing the pool under normal conditions, but she now knows that when there are problems, we will work together to solve them instead of putting everything on her.
I found the TFP site and started doing my own research. Not that I had lost confidence in our pool tech, but with her only able to come check the pool once a week, I felt it was time for me to step up and learn more about taking care of my own pool. Up until now, with three years under my belt with the pool and always counting on the pool techs to make sure everything was in order, I felt it was high time for me to put my engineering skills to work - retirement be Darn! I also took the advice of this group and purchased the Taylor K-1515 test kit since I had recently purchased the K-2005 test kit. I also purchased a digital salt tester, and the battery powered stir device from Taylor.
I learned a lot about the SLAM process and realized it made sense to try this process out. SO after our tech's weekly visit, I took the pool water over to our local pool store to have it tested. As I had already determined, the chlorine was near zero but everything else was within tolerances. I purchased four gallons of liquid chlorine and added it to the pool. Obviously, it brought the free chlorine level up. I started testing the water on my own multiple times each day. When I saw he chlorine levels drop more than it should, I went back to the store and purchased four more gallons of liquid chlorine. Over the next two days, I added three and a half more gallons to the pool bringing it up to 7 ½ total gallons added. I also vacuumed the pool each day and left the pump running 24 hours each day.
Long story short, within the week, the pool is crystal clear, the chlorine level is running a bit high still (6.2 this morning and 7.2 last night), but we are only seeing about 1.0 ppm chlorine drop each night. I have the pump running back to its summer norm of 10 hours. I am testing the water in the morning and again in the evening after the pump turns off. I've started to drop the SWG back from its high of 80% to 50% right now. We've had some crazy weather lately due to the hurricane, so I am waiting for a "normal" day to see how the chlorine behaves, but I am wanting to work the SWG back to its original level of 40% for summer usage.
This site has been very helpful for me to get the hang of managing the pool. I plan to keep our pool tech under contract because she does a great job of managing the pool under normal conditions, but she now knows that when there are problems, we will work together to solve them instead of putting everything on her.
- Feb 6, 2015
- 6,169
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Update your signature with equipment manufacturers and model numbers. Also include which test kits youare using.
Be sure to keep FC in line with your CYA level.
FC/CYA Levels
What is your CYA level?
Be sure to keep FC in line with your CYA level.
FC/CYA Levels
What is your CYA level?
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,808
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Be sure to not end the
SLAM Process & keep Maintaining slam level fc for your cya
FC/CYA Levels
until ALL 3 are true to be certain you have eradicated the algae
CC is 0.5 or lower;
You pass an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
AND
The water is clear.
(Crystal Clear w/no algae dead or alive)
Curious, what does the pool tech do seeing as how you have a swcg to feed your pool & are now testing your own water & you got an algae bloom on her watch.
SLAM Process & keep Maintaining slam level fc for your cya
FC/CYA Levels
until ALL 3 are true to be certain you have eradicated the algae
CC is 0.5 or lower; You pass an Overnight Chlorine Loss TestAND
The water is clear.(Crystal Clear w/no algae dead or alive)
Curious, what does the pool tech do seeing as how you have a swcg to feed your pool & are now testing your own water & you got an algae bloom on her watch.