From what i've seen, it isn't worth bothering with an OFCL till you have CC of .5 or less. With CC of 1.5, you won't pass and aren't done.
Newbie - Need Help with Green Water and Very High
- Thread starter JLynch16
- Start date
Ok. Another day it is! It's stopped raining. I'll test before I go to bed, and see what happens in the morning. Thanks guys!
After a rainy night and rainy morning, I managed to keep my FC from 41 at 7:48am to 33.5 at 6:16pm. I just added more bleach and I'll retest before I go to bed. My pH is holding steady at 7.5 and my CYA is still at 80 (I checked just to see if the rain did anything to my CYA level).
My water is looking clearer than ever with the scrubbing and vacuuming I'm doing once or twice a day.
Updated pictures as of 6:16pm today:
But my CC was at 1.5. What does this tell me? Is there a chance I'm putting too much of the DPD powder into the tube when I do the test? How am I not killing this stupid algae!? Maybe I have to clean my filter? I have to say... I never thought I'd yell "#*@! you CC" to a chemical test.
Also, I've just hit 94 hours since I've started adding bleach for the shock. Should I be concerned?
Thanks!
My water is looking clearer than ever with the scrubbing and vacuuming I'm doing once or twice a day.
Updated pictures as of 6:16pm today:
But my CC was at 1.5. What does this tell me? Is there a chance I'm putting too much of the DPD powder into the tube when I do the test? How am I not killing this stupid algae!? Maybe I have to clean my filter? I have to say... I never thought I'd yell "#*@! you CC" to a chemical test.
Also, I've just hit 94 hours since I've started adding bleach for the shock. Should I be concerned?
Thanks!
- May 22, 2013
- 2,796
- Pool Size
- 12000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
When you hit 500+ I'd be concerned. It isn't uncommon for a problem pool that's pretty green to take two or three weeks to SLAM and pass. Some people with light green or a visible patch or two of algae can clear it up in two or three days with hourly attention.
Yours seems to be coming along as it should but I have to agree looking at your water the CC does seem to be higher than it should be.
Yours seems to be coming along as it should but I have to agree looking at your water the CC does seem to be higher than it should be.
Oh wow. 500+ hours sounds pretty bad. I hope I can take care of this in a week.
Ok... I just cleaned the filter really well (which actually had a lot of brown sand like stuff in there.. which I'm assuming was the dead algae?) and emptied all the baskets. I also held open the vac-lock for like 30 seconds, which I never open, to replace the water in there with some water that just had some bleach added. I have no idea where this algae is, but hopefully it's dying a horrible death right now.
Will report back later.
Ok... I just cleaned the filter really well (which actually had a lot of brown sand like stuff in there.. which I'm assuming was the dead algae?) and emptied all the baskets. I also held open the vac-lock for like 30 seconds, which I never open, to replace the water in there with some water that just had some bleach added. I have no idea where this algae is, but hopefully it's dying a horrible death right now.
Will report back later.
- May 22, 2013
- 2,796
- Pool Size
- 12000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
I don't see a ladder and the light is out on the deck in the picture. Did you check the back of the skimmer doors for any green or sliminess ??
I'm pretty sure I was up there around or over 500 but this was a bad year when I opened and one week was almost all rain. It's so easy to "forget" to go stand in the rain and get a sample or adjust the chemistry when I know it needs it. You look to be close so it's shouldn't be much longer.
I see you have an in floor cleaning system but have you been brushing the pool ?? I wasn't sure if scrubbing meant turning on the cleaning system or physically brushing.
I'm pretty sure I was up there around or over 500 but this was a bad year when I opened and one week was almost all rain. It's so easy to "forget" to go stand in the rain and get a sample or adjust the chemistry when I know it needs it. You look to be close so it's shouldn't be much longer.
I see you have an in floor cleaning system but have you been brushing the pool ?? I wasn't sure if scrubbing meant turning on the cleaning system or physically brushing.
I did not! That will be the first thing I check in the morning. Thank you.
Yes. I have become an expert at physically vacuuming, brushing and raking the pool! It's actually never "looked" better. Just need these numbers to go down. I'm worried that the algae is somewhere I cannot physically get to. But, with the cleaning of the filter, and cleaning everything else really well, I'm hopeful.
I'll check that skimmer door and report back in the morning.
I couldn't wait. I had to check. The door looks great...but I'm glad I put my phone down there and took a very careful picture.
Check this out:
And... after I took a scrub brush to it:
Thanks kiss4afrog. I never would have stuck my camera down there otherwise!! Hopefully this helps me for tomorrow! :-D
Check this out:
And... after I took a scrub brush to it:
Thanks kiss4afrog. I never would have stuck my camera down there otherwise!! Hopefully this helps me for tomorrow! :-D
You found it! Is there any way you can go around the whole pool with something to scrub that area all around the pool?
I have an AGP and took damp paper towels and cleaned under the top rail. I was VERY surprised at how much stuff/dirt/yuck I found. I could not see it and had to do it by feel alone. This is something that will be added to my to do list in the spring of every year.
Kim
I have an AGP and took damp paper towels and cleaned under the top rail. I was VERY surprised at how much stuff/dirt/yuck I found. I could not see it and had to do it by feel alone. This is something that will be added to my to do list in the spring of every year.
Kim
Last night I had a FC drop of 1.5 and a CC of 1. I don't know if there's any correlations between the OCLT FC drop being close one night and succeeding in one eventually, but it looks like I'm almost there. Maybe. I guess another night is in order.
I'm at 130 hours into the SLAM and I've done the FAS-DPD test 20 times. I'm really glad I bought the "extra" FAS-DPD tests when I bought the TF-100 now. I wasn't even sure what they were at the time, but now I'm already on the 2nd bottle. **** CYA levels.
I'm at 130 hours into the SLAM and I've done the FAS-DPD test 20 times. I'm really glad I bought the "extra" FAS-DPD tests when I bought the TF-100 now. I wasn't even sure what they were at the time, but now I'm already on the 2nd bottle. **** CYA levels.
- May 22, 2013
- 2,796
- Pool Size
- 12000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
It's a process and you just need to keep the faith and have patience. Great job on finding the green slime in the skimmer and thanks for the photos. I love show and tell. 
It's a process and you just need to keep the faith and have patience. Great job on finding the green slime in the skimmer and thanks for the photos. I love show and tell.
Yeah... I've had a very rough month... so my patience is currently low. But.. I know I just need to keep my head down and keep at it.. so that's what I'll do. I really appreciate the support on the forum, I couldn't have gotten this far without you guys and your encouragement.
And to be honest, the pictures have been keeping me going. If I hadn't have been taking them, I don't think I would be as aware of the change from swamp to oasis. You forget what 5 days ago looked like, without an actual picture to look at.
Thanks again! Will update soon.
Ok... I'm sitting here at 6am where sunrise is at 5:50am and a little concerned and could use some advice. I had an FC of 38.5 last night at 9:25pm. I took my first reading at 6:00am and got FC 36.5 / CC .5. This disappointed me so I ran the test again. The next time I got FC 35 / CC .5. This concerned me because of the difference from the first time. So I ran it again, just to see what would happen. The third and last time I got an FC of 40 / CC 1.
Is there a chance the way I'm doing the test might swing it by that much? I don't know if I trust the accuracy of what I'm doing now. :-( I think I'm being very careful about the amount of water I have in the tube and the mixing of the water while I put the drops in... but how can it change so much.
Water is crystal clear.
Edit: When you get differing results, do you average them? Because if that was the case my FC 37.2 gives me a drop of 1.3 and CC .67. Just a thought.
Is there a chance the way I'm doing the test might swing it by that much? I don't know if I trust the accuracy of what I'm doing now. :-( I think I'm being very careful about the amount of water I have in the tube and the mixing of the water while I put the drops in... but how can it change so much.
Water is crystal clear.
Edit: When you get differing results, do you average them? Because if that was the case my FC 37.2 gives me a drop of 1.3 and CC .67. Just a thought.
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I just ordered more FAS-DPD chemicals as I eat through them quickly. I also ordered the mag stir with the idea that my tests will be more accurate. I also watched the videos on that site and noticed I was holding the bottle horizontally instead of vertically when I did the tests, so maybe that was where my error was coming from. I think I'm getting the hang of this, and hopefully in years to come this time will be looked back like it was boot camp for my pool.
I also found the valve for my pools aerator. I have only opened it once, and that was before the SLAM. I'm leaving it open for the next hour to ensure that the bleach reaches that pipe. I'm paranoid about where the bleached water isn't getting to right now.
I also found the valve for my pools aerator. I have only opened it once, and that was before the SLAM. I'm leaving it open for the next hour to ensure that the bleach reaches that pipe. I'm paranoid about where the bleached water isn't getting to right now.
I have my auto system turn my hot tub aerator(one minute) and spa jests (5 minutes) on once a day to flush new chlorine into the pipes. I also run the spa only mode for 15 minutes to flush out the spa main drains.
- May 22, 2013
- 2,796
- Pool Size
- 12000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
When it comes to finding an elusive CC contributor, paranoia is a very good thing. Keeping that treated water circulating through everything pool water touches is a very good thing and smart idea. Like Wjr75 doing short cycles of the aerator, jets and drains daily to make sure everything is bathed in chlorine and clean. It's a VERY GOOD THING !!
I found that my main drain was not open. Once I opened it and ran the pump on high for 24 hours that solved my problem.
See I close my main drain when I vacuum. I guess I forgot to open it back up when I was done. Lesson learned!
Kim
See I close my main drain when I vacuum. I guess I forgot to open it back up when I was done. Lesson learned!
Kim
Well.. I almost passed the OCLT. I had an FC drop of 0 from 10:00pm to 5:00am! (I tested twice!) The CC was.. .6. After one drop.. my heart stopped as it went to clear but with the slightest tinge of red.. but after another drop it was crystal clear. No way it was a 1.
Now, here's the tricky part. I don't think I have enough R-0871 to run another test. I have some ordered, but it won't be here for a few days (I messed up the math on this). I'm thinking about keeping the FC up for another day, just because I won't be able to test again. What do you think? Would you just add bleach using Pool Math, and then call it a win as of tomorrow morning?
Thanks for the advice all!
Now, here's the tricky part. I don't think I have enough R-0871 to run another test. I have some ordered, but it won't be here for a few days (I messed up the math on this). I'm thinking about keeping the FC up for another day, just because I won't be able to test again. What do you think? Would you just add bleach using Pool Math, and then call it a win as of tomorrow morning?
Thanks for the advice all!
Almost there! If it were me, I would keep it at SLAM level until I received the reagent. But I'm a numbers kind of gal.