cthenrys said:

So maybe I am at the end of my SLAM. Tested at 20 after sunset. Still at 20 this morning were 0.0 - 0.5.

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Nice !!!

cthenrys said:

Just to be sure I am going to keep FC at SLAM through today and do one more OCLT tomorrow AM.

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I always vote for a way easier continuation verses possibly starting over in a few weeks.

cthenrys said:

One other question- I have three water features, all of which have dedicated pumps and returns. How often should I run these ? Since we have been here (~4 years) I have run all three about 10 min every Sunday. Is that enough ?

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Water goes stagnant pretty quickly. Flushing the lines for a few minutes daily is preferred, twice a day is best.

cthenrys said:

I have algae in the pump inlet housing. What's best way to remove ?

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Dilute bleach 10:1 like you were scrubbing inside the house and make believe you are scrubbing inside the house. Then rinse it well.

Pressure side vs robot - is that the real question? Obviously, the pressure side needs plumbing and a pump, so if for an existing pool that doesn’t have the plumbing, it’s a moot point.

I’ve never had a robot, but have a Polaris pressure side cleaner - don’t recall the model, a 380 maybe? It’s 18 years old and still works like new. I’ve never had to replace a single part on it. I have had to repair the hose and replace the valve thing that makes it float up every 5 minutes or so. I’ve also had to replace the pump once. I love the size of the large debris bag. I leave it in the pool 24x7 unless we’re having guests. It’s super easy to remove - just disconnect it from the side port and pull it out. While it picks up pretty fine debris, it doesn’t do so as well as a robot, based I what I’ve read here. But it cleans my pool quite well. I wish it would do a better job of covering every inch, but the path is pretty random.

From what I’ve read, robots clean extremely well, but longevity is an issue, especially for the price. Most say that they are to be removed and stored instead of leaving in the pool. That’s the probably the number 1 reason I’ve stuck with the side pressure. I want simplicity and having to lug the robot in and out of storage would be a pain, especially if stored in my garage. That would mean lugging it from the front of the house, around the side and to the back. Even if on a cart, it’s a non-starter for me. I have a shed in the back that would be a little more convenient, but it’s small and pretty full, so I’d need to make room. I like being able to press a button to start the cleaner or program a schedule - don’t even have to walk outside. Also, when I evaluated several years ago, the robot debris containers were pretty small. I have lots of trees and storms can knock enough leaves down to cover the bottom of my pool, so the small debris container was an issue, too. Capacity may be better now. The need to run an extension cord for power was also a bit of an annoyance.

I went through the decision process when replacing the cleaner pump. After researching, it was an easy decision for me - stick with the pressure side cleaner.

Holding slam for an insurance day or three is real easy, as you're seeing. (Great job getting here BTW)

Now think about how much fun it was when you started.

Wednesday morning I put in LC to bump my FC up from 13.5 to 20. I tested at 8:15 PM and it was at 20 FC. I'm guessing my pool isn't as big as the company told me because I'm fairly sure when I add what pool math tells me to it goes over my expected FC. Anyway, I tested at 5:40 AM this morning and my FC was 19.5 and my CC was 0.5. Once there's a little more sunlight I'll go out and see if there's any visible dirt in the pool as I vacuumed yesterday around 6 PM. If all looks good I think that's considered a finished SLAM.

Side question. I will be cleaning my stairs and ladders and putting them back in this weekend I hope. It's been raining for the past week or so, so there hasn't been a good time to do it. Should I keep my FC levels up to SLAM for a day or two post putting everything back in just to make sure there isn't anything left over after my stair/ladder cleaning?

ajd,

Two totally different types of cleaners... No cleaner will get your steps or tanning ledge, unless your ledge is very deep.

I like robot cleaners.. Many here like the more traditional suction or pressure side cleaners..

I like this one, as it is cheaper and does a great job..


Thanks,

Jim R.

Any pics to see what your elevation and grade looks like?

Welcome to the forum!

I suggest you read through Pool Care Basics - Trouble Free Pool and even look at a few of our videos TFP-TV - Trouble Free Pool

Rancho Cost-a-Lotta said:

Awesome! I'm sure it will work as well as the Betta. What a cool husband!

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Thanks, Mike! I think I'll keep him

So maybe I am at the end of my SLAM. Tested at 20 after sunset. Still at 20 this morning were 0.0 - 0.5. The color was very faint after adding the reagant for CC's (almost no perceptible color change) and it was 100% clear after one drop of R-0871. Just to be sure I am going to keep FC at SLAM through today and do one more OCLT tomorrow AM.

One other question- I have three water features, all of which have dedicated pumps and returns. How often should I run these ? Since we have been here (~4 years) I have run all three about 10 min every Sunday. Is that enough ? Also, I just repaired one of them - the hub to the pressure side was leaking so I fixed it last night. I have algae in the pump inlet housing. What's best way to remove ?

Tests this AM
FC 14.5
CC 0.5
PH 7.6
TA 150
Salt 2400

Technically I think I have completed the SLAM. Last night at 7 I tested FC 14.5 and CC 1.0 then added 41oz of LC targeting FC of 16
40 minutes later I was FC 15 and CC 0.5 and went to bed.

Do I have an OCLT of 0.5? Math says yes but I never reached my target of 16. Should I add 500 gallons to my pool volume in the app?

TinFoilHat said:

If you tested FC after dusk last night (30 mins after last adds), did not run your SWG overnight, left your filter on and tested FC this morning before sunrise then you have 1 CC which means SLAM. You are not supposed to lose any FC overnight because there is no UV or heat to affect it. Only organics can use FC at night. PS: you've been on here for a while now, it's time to fill out your signature so we can see what all the details of your pool and equipment are including test kit.

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I turned off the SWCG and tested an hour after it was turned off. Left it off all night, pump and filter run 24/7 always. How do I have 1 of CC if my test showed 0???? You can lose up to 1 of FC during the night as per the OCLT on here. And my signature is filled out. I use the Taylor K-2006 test kit and always have.

Clean your filter when your pressure rises by 25% over the clean pressure.

Welcome to the forum!

I suggest you read through Pool Care Basics - Trouble Free Pool and even look at a few of our videos TFP-TV - Trouble Free Pool

Well then it's probably dirt blowing in over your pool and settling in it. It might be too fine for your glass filter to catch it.

JJ_Tex said:

Patience + make sure you are following the SLAM process precisely. That includes rounding up your CYA. So CYA of ~45 = CYA of 50 which means your FC target is 20.

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Ah okay so lol do that, thanks.

Could the high TA cause the water to not get sparkling?

Donldson said:

Yes.

A pool that particular shade of green is going to take time. You can see considerable progress between picture 1 and 2, but it's still got a long way to go.

Are you sure the pressure gauge on your filter is good? It's odd for a DE filter to not need cleaned often with that kind of water, if it is working properly.

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Thanks for the reply. I’ll stick with it.
My filter is large and sometimes has lasted the entire year without backwashing & recharging. It’s now about 13psi above the starting point so I do expect to need to clean it in the next couple of days. That said, the gauge is old so I’ll replace it to be sure. Thanks again for the input.

sande005 said:

You didn't check CC - or at least log it. Is it .5 or less? That is one of the criteria, where all 3 need to be true.

The picture strongly suggests it is dead algae settling out. Your low level of FC last week bit you. A sand filter (even with glass media) can be less effective at getting the dead suspended stuff out, especially with a robot stirring some back into suspension. It will get it, but perhaps more slowly. If the amount does not greatly lessen over the next couple of days, you still have actively growing algae.

The criteria:
CC of .5 or less
FC overnight drop of 1 or less.
Crystal Clear and no sign of visible algae - alive or dead.

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CC was 0 as it always has been. No I didn't record it. FC overnight drop was 1. This has been in my pool since we set it up and hasn't gotten any better or worse. So if it is dead algae, how do you purpose I get rid of it? I will do whatever is recommended to eliminate it. When we have used our hand vacuum, what is caught in the filter socks of the vacuum is gritty like sand or fine dirt but it always reappears by the next day.

I recommend taking pictures daily, or even a couple of times a day - then you can compare them and see the difference which is not immediately obvious when you just look at the pool.

Trust in the process....it works

How old is the hose? With age, it can get cracks between the corrugations in the hose. Also, it can get small holes in the ribs as it is unrolled and rolled on the deck before putting it in the water. You could try having someone get in the pool and hold the hose below the surface of the water. If the air disappears, you will know you have a small crack or pin hole somewhere in the hose.