That is a great picture! Keep taking that picture and we should be able to really tell if/when there is any changes.
I hate that it is taking so long to clear up!
Kim
I hate that it is taking so long to clear up!
Kim
SLAMing but pool is getting greener and cloudier
- Thread starter francescl
- Start date
Kim,
I iive in Fort Wayne also! If there is anything I can do to help, I'd be glad too. I went through this too nearly 6 years ago. We started with an AG pool (swamp) just like yours. If I recall correctly, I held it at SLAM for over a MONTH! thats right, a MONTH of summer where I woke up before the crack of dawn to start brushing and went to bed after the sun went down and I had brought it back up to SLAM level. Fast forward 6 years and now we enjoy an inground pool we totally DIYed with the help from this site. Our water is always beautiful because of the people on this site. Sincerely, please let me know if I can help you in any way. I stay at home with my 6 kids and always have time to help.
Sidenote... my husband and I were just at Menards last night and picked up 20 bottles of the swim chlorine that was on sale. Great price!
I iive in Fort Wayne also! If there is anything I can do to help, I'd be glad too. I went through this too nearly 6 years ago. We started with an AG pool (swamp) just like yours. If I recall correctly, I held it at SLAM for over a MONTH! thats right, a MONTH of summer where I woke up before the crack of dawn to start brushing and went to bed after the sun went down and I had brought it back up to SLAM level. Fast forward 6 years and now we enjoy an inground pool we totally DIYed with the help from this site. Our water is always beautiful because of the people on this site. Sincerely, please let me know if I can help you in any way. I stay at home with my 6 kids and always have time to help.
Sidenote... my husband and I were just at Menards last night and picked up 20 bottles of the swim chlorine that was on sale. Great price!
2:00 pm FC down from 24 to 18.
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Cornflakes, I might be taking you up on your offer. I hope you didn't buy out Menards. I was just about to head out there and buy more. What side of town are you on?
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Cornflakes, I might be taking you up on your offer. I hope you didn't buy out Menards. I was just about to head out there and buy more. What side of town are you on?
we are on the NorthEast side. There was still at least that much after we bought ours. Plus I spotted some more in boxes back by the lawn furniture. Higher percentages of bleach degrade faster than the lower ones, but is sounds like you will be using it quickly.
I did want to mention that I kept my pool at mustard shock level for a month. Eventually we discovered (with TFP's help) that some kids were peeing in the pool. I'm not saying that is happening to you, I'm just telling you my experience as I was at least as frustrated as you are and was relieved to finally find the culprit. Everyone here stuck with me and we figured it out. Nearly EVERYDAY my husband says, "WOW, you do a good job with this pool". You'll get there!
I did want to mention that I kept my pool at mustard shock level for a month. Eventually we discovered (with TFP's help) that some kids were peeing in the pool. I'm not saying that is happening to you, I'm just telling you my experience as I was at least as frustrated as you are and was relieved to finally find the culprit. Everyone here stuck with me and we figured it out. Nearly EVERYDAY my husband says, "WOW, you do a good job with this pool". You'll get there!
You kept it at mustard shock level for a month???? Didn't Tim say that you should only do mustard shock level for 24 hours? I brought it up to mustard shock level last night but have let it come back down to 18 (16 is my shock level.) Should I take it to 24 (my mustard shock level) again? Leave it there for how long? Let it go back down to 16? I'm going CUCKOO!!! Like Donldson said earlier, "too many cooks". HELP!
nah, I would do what he suggests. We were at our wits end and grasping at straws at that point. That's why I kept it up so high for so long. In the end, we went on vacation for a week and no one swam. When I got back my pool was clear and held FC. That's how we concluded that the kids were peeing in it. I've never had a problem again. I think you are doing the right thing. After you hold it at mustard shock for 24 hours, then back it back down to regular shock and stay the course. I'm sure the experts here are just ruling things out. And I'm assuming you are back flushing the filter and everything else is working as it should?
Looking for some opinions. I think I'm turning the corner and it's marginally improving. I hope it's not wishful thinking again. I took some photos at different times today but because of differing weather conditions (dreary overcast, big white clouds, sun, etc.), the photos don't offer accurate comparisons.
Last night I added what I thought would take my FC up to 24. This morning at 8:00 am it was 25 (so I obviously put in more than I needed....and I did use TFP Pool Math) At 3:00 pm it was 22.5 and at 9:00 pm tonight it was 19. (All with 0 to >.5 CC). Should I take it back up to mustard shock level (24) tonight? Or let it come down to my shock level of 16. Another concern that I have is that with such a high FC, I can't get an accurate ph reading. It was 7.5 when I started SLAMing but that was 6 days ago. I used the test strips and it still seems to be in the 7.5 range but I'm not sure how accurate those are with that high of chlorine.
Also, for what it's worth, we had a HUGE rain this evening. Took the water level just about to the top of the skimmers.
Last night I added what I thought would take my FC up to 24. This morning at 8:00 am it was 25 (so I obviously put in more than I needed....and I did use TFP Pool Math) At 3:00 pm it was 22.5 and at 9:00 pm tonight it was 19. (All with 0 to >.5 CC). Should I take it back up to mustard shock level (24) tonight? Or let it come down to my shock level of 16. Another concern that I have is that with such a high FC, I can't get an accurate ph reading. It was 7.5 when I started SLAMing but that was 6 days ago. I used the test strips and it still seems to be in the 7.5 range but I'm not sure how accurate those are with that high of chlorine.
Also, for what it's worth, we had a HUGE rain this evening. Took the water level just about to the top of the skimmers.
Use normal SLAM as your target, so yes, let it drift down. IF you have mustard algae (which is over diagnosed, btw), you would raise it to mustard levels for 24 hours AFTER the SLAM is complete.
Photo on the left is this morning, on the right is yesterday morning.
FC came down from 19 at 9:00 pm last night to 16.5 (CC <.5) at 9:00 am this morning. I started to vacuum to waste since we had more rain last night and this morning but it started pouring on me.
- May 22, 2013
- 2,796
- Pool Size
- 12000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
I think I see the (blue) light at the end of the tunnel :sunny:
You won't be able to get an accurate pH reading until the FC comes down so it's best not to worry about it. If you had 7.5 before the SLAM you should be fine.
You won't be able to get an accurate pH reading until the FC comes down so it's best not to worry about it. If you had 7.5 before the SLAM you should be fine.
If you can or didn't do it already, make sure you clean your ladders or any lights in the pool. You will be surprised how much algae gets in them and how tuff it can be to clean them out sometimes. This is all algae needs to keep reproducing and giving you pool headaches.
I can't get the ladder or the lights out on my own. I called my pool guy yesterday and left a message but haven't heard back from him.
In a previous post the OP writes that the dot is visible at 45, but disappears at 40. That makes no sense so I am wondering if we've got the correct CYA level or a faulty test level?
After I read that I thought about it and it would be correct. 45 would be less solution in the view tube as it is "cloudier" so making the reading higher. I.E. at 100 CYA the dot disappears with very little solution in the bottom of the tube. So visible at 45 and gone at 40 makes perfect sense.
smforte
0
Day 7: 
Picture on the left was this morning, center is yesterday and right is Monday. Because of the clear blue skies this morning but cloudy conditions on the other 2 days, the whole photos were hard to compare because of the variance of light. So I zoomed in on the top left corner where each photo had the tree reflection. You can see that the change this morning was marginal at best. I was discouraged. I kept the FC close to 20 all day and brushed 3 times.
Couple of questions.... Keeping the chlorine this high for this long makes me nervous about damaging equipment. Should I be nervous? And can I put my automatic pool cleaner in with the chlorine at shock level or should I worry that it could damage it?
Picture on the left was this morning, center is yesterday and right is Monday. Because of the clear blue skies this morning but cloudy conditions on the other 2 days, the whole photos were hard to compare because of the variance of light. So I zoomed in on the top left corner where each photo had the tree reflection. You can see that the change this morning was marginal at best. I was discouraged. I kept the FC close to 20 all day and brushed 3 times.
Couple of questions.... Keeping the chlorine this high for this long makes me nervous about damaging equipment. Should I be nervous? And can I put my automatic pool cleaner in with the chlorine at shock level or should I worry that it could damage it?
CYA buffers how harsh the FC actually is.
Chlorine levels may seem high compared to what pool stores normally state, but the recommendations of 1-3ppm is from the old days before CYA was discovered.
As long as FC is appropriate for the CYA, you wouldn't see damage to equipment from the FC level.
Chlorine levels may seem high compared to what pool stores normally state, but the recommendations of 1-3ppm is from the old days before CYA was discovered.
As long as FC is appropriate for the CYA, you wouldn't see damage to equipment from the FC level.
You're gone for four days and the pool turns cloudy? This doesn't seem right to me. I can leave my pool untouched for four days, and I will begin to see algae growth on the walls but the water will still be clear, and cleanup is easy. I know this because I don't have anyone to watch the pool if we are gone for a long weekend. I don't even bother with a puck because I know it won't be that bad.
Is it possible that there is an issue with your pump or filter? There was one season where I could never get the pool clear, and it turned out to be a bad gasket in my multi-way valve. Once that was replaced the pool cleared up in no time.
If the SLAM isn't working then its time to start looking for other causes of your outbreak. This makes no sense, and to me the pics aren't showing any improvement.
Is it possible that there is an issue with your pump or filter? There was one season where I could never get the pool clear, and it turned out to be a bad gasket in my multi-way valve. Once that was replaced the pool cleared up in no time.
If the SLAM isn't working then its time to start looking for other causes of your outbreak. This makes no sense, and to me the pics aren't showing any improvement.
i was thinking the same thing about the equipment. Are you getting good flow in your returns? My gauge is broken, but I notice that when I need to backwash, or if something is not working properly, the water coming in at the returns is weak. Then I went back and looked at the date of your 1st post. It has only been 8 days. Doesn't seem unreasonable. Just remember that there is nothing that the pool store can do that can be better than what you are already doing. The folks here have stuck with us all and they will stick with you too.
Left is this morning, center is yesterday, right is Tuesday.
Day 8: Marginal improvement again. I have also been wondering about my equipment. Pump is OK... good flow out of returns. The filter doesn't go up unless I use DE... so I've been using DE and watching the pressure and backwashing. I called my pool guy on Monday asking him to come look at the filter (and was also going to ask him to take out lights and ladder). I haven't heard back from him but I ran into his son (his assistant) leaving Menard's yesterday. He said that they haven't forgotten about me but they are swamped. Shouldn't I be seeing more gray instead of green with this level of chlorine even if my filter isn't up to snuff?
Last night 12:00 a.m. FC 24 (CC <-.5)
This morning 8:00 FC 19.5 (CC <.5)