want to SLAM this weekend = HELP

[texashick]

7:00 am day 2
FC = 8
CC = 0
calcium = 230
TYA = 140
CYA = 70
PH = 7.8-8 -> did not seem to go down after adding 1/2 gallon MA last night before bed

We have company coming today (for Labor Day weekend), and I will not be able to test again until either very late tonight or tomorrow.
Looks like I lost 1 ppm on the FC for an OCLT, calcium went down a bit, and most everything else remained the same.
Is it normal to lose 1 ppm when just starting this method until you get it right?
Oh - and I will check side walls more closely today with goggles to check for the black algae. I have not noticed as before, and now am thinking my eyes may be on hyper-sensitive mode and EVERY piece of something black drives me crazy!! But have come to understand some of those black-ish looking pieces are just part of the plaster (gunite- btw, what is the better word to use?) are part of the actual plaster in and around corners, almost like tiny tiny pcs of dirt or rock. If that makes sense

Company not coming until mid to late afternoon, do I need to do anything before they get here? Or just pick back up tonight? Test tonight, then treat maybe - then test again tomorrow?
Many thanks - may y'all have a safe and family/fun/food filled weekend!

 

[Divin Dave]

Thats good news on your OCLT!

pH of 8 is at the top of the scale. It may well have been way over that yesterday and 1/2 of MA gallon wasnt enough to get it below it.
Use pool math and determine how much more MA is needed to get you down to about 7.5 and add it this morning if you can.

Everything else is OK.

Pics of the black spots would help.

 

[kimkats]

vit C is ascorbic acid and is wonderful for cleaning up some stains. Neat huh? Don't get any orange colored ones though. We had one member use it and it left an orange stain for a few hours. Thankfully the orange stain went away.

Kim

 

[kimkats]

I would push your FC up to just under SLAM level right before they get there.

Of course push the PH down like Dave said above this morning. That will make the water feel good on eyes and bodies.

Kim

 

[Argosy]

You forgot one thing that TFP teaches you:

Check and adjust the PH to between 7.2 and 7.5. The PH test isn't reliable during SLAMing so make sure to take care of this before you start.


So keep in mind that your readings are off. Do not add too too much Muriatic Acid

 

[ozdiver]

And since you were asking;
Gunite or Shotcrete is the form of concrete that makes up the pool shell.
The plaster is then coated onto this rough surface to give it a smooth decorative finish.
Older gunite pools typically had white plaster.
Nowdays there are a lot of pebble/plaster blend options that make for a more interesting and resilient finish.

 

[texashick]

OK - had tons of people and splashing in the pool over the weekend.....added 2 gallons of bleach that night after everyone left.
It has been three days, and I have done nothing else. Then RAIN MONSOON poured down last night, and rained most of today, looks like we may have gotten at least a good inch of rain = we needed it, drought conditions were starting to set in DFW area!
tested water tonight 8:00 pm

FC = 5
CC = 0
calcium = 350
TA = 170
CYA = 60
PH = 8.2

Pool math shows I need 85 oz of MA to drop Ph closer to 7.4, will be adding that tonight and letting pump run.

Used goggles and snorkel mask and checked ENTIRE gunite surface for mold and aglae -> tee-tiny itty-bitty spot of black algae (scrubbed with fingernail and it turned green against the white plaster surface)..... and I mean tiny, like tip of sharp pencil.
And there was some green algae in the little holes that hold the rope for volleyball net - scrubbed what I could with toothbrush, other than that it was clear everywhere else!!

Will update tomorrow afternoon and see if Ph drops.
Thank you all!!!!

 

[kimkats]

Look at you! Testing and KNOWING what to do with the results! NICE! You have come a long way!

Kim

 

[texashick]

7:00 am next morning:
FC = 4
CC = 0
did not test calcium
TA = 150
Ph = 7.5

Yay! Outside of a 1 ppm drop in the FC, think we are on the road to better understanding this pool chemistry thing! btw, the kids LOVE watching me test the water, pretty soon it may become their job LOL!

1) Should I be concerned over the 1 ppm loss of FC? It's been four days and a monsoon (leaves/etc in pool) since I added any chlorine, my assumption is that is probably normal loss under those conditions - but still need some reassurance
2) Do I need to bring Ph down a little bit more? I have about 1/4 gallon of MA left
3) Do I need to worry about bringing down the TA or CYA at all yet?

After I feel more comfortable on all these steps - I really would like to try the Vit C to remove those ugly brown spots... will take some more and hopefully better pictures of those.
Also have lots of gaps between decking and where the blue mosaics start, will get pics of that too - but one thing at a time!!

 

[ozdiver]

1) 1ppm is overnight is good.
2) & 3) Use the MA to bring down your pH & TA then let aeration bring pH back up to normal levels.
This will leave your TA lower.
As for the CYA that will take some water exchange to get down if you want it lower.
In Texas we bleachers keep our CYA on the higher end of the scale because of the intense sun levels we have.
60 is a bit higher than I keep mine but as long as you keep your FC @ or above 5ppm you are fine.
If I were you I would bring FC up to 9ppm whenever I dosed pool to ensure, by the time I next test, it was not below 5ppm.
The CYA will be offering a greater protection at 60, so your FC would not be dropping as fast on sunny days.

I keep my pool @ 45 CYA. I dose up to 7ppm and only after a really sunny day does my FC get down to 4ppm.
It does mean I can't skip a day dosing during that time of year.

If you can't test daily you would have to plan to dose up higher to ensure you never get below your minimum FC 5 @ CYA 60.