SLAM and working 9-5....Can I put chlorine above shock level? or do I not have to?

[crocop]

Hey,

So I plan to start a SLAM soon. Being that I am away from the house from like 8am-5pm, is it possible to SLAM successfully?

Lets say in the AM I vacuum and brush....and I put in Chlorine of FC 12 (my CYA is 30), would this work if I come home at 5pm, brush/vacuum again, and bring it back up to 12?

any harm in lets say at 8AM bringing the FC to 16 or so or is that not needed?

thanks,

 

[drharris]

It's possible, but realize the process will take longer. SLAM is only really working while FC is up at that level. When it dips below, at best it's only keeping things from growing. Also, you won't be able to filter by leaving it that long; probably the pressure would rise too quickly. You could run it in recirculate after your AM vacuum and then only filter while home.

If you go this route, do as much as you can in the evenings. Measure FC even hourly, keeping it at those SLAM levels as much as possible. When it holds firm every hour, start measuring every 2 hours. Then every 4, etc. If you only check it twice per day, then the SLAM is only actually functioning maybe 2-4 hours out of the day. Try to somehow maximize the amount of hours you're sure it is at the proper FC levels.

You can go slightly above SLAM levels, but it doesn't really work the way you think it should - it isn't killing stuff any faster, and you lose FC much faster - so even if you went to double the level, it doesn't mean you get double the time, maybe not much extra at all.

 

[crocop]

It's possible, but realize the process will take longer. SLAM is only really working while FC is up at that level. When it dips below, at best it's only keeping things from growing. Also, you won't be able to filter by leaving it that long; probably the pressure would rise too quickly. You could run it in recirculate after your AM vacuum and then only filter while home.

If you go this route, do as much as you can in the evenings. Measure FC even hourly, keeping it at those SLAM levels as much as possible. When it holds firm every hour, start measuring every 2 hours. Then every 4, etc. If you only check it twice per day, then the SLAM is only actually functioning maybe 2-4 hours out of the day. Try to somehow maximize the amount of hours you're sure it is at the proper FC levels.

You can go slightly above SLAM levels, but it doesn't really work the way you think it should - it isn't killing stuff any faster, and you lose FC much faster - so even if you went to double the level, it doesn't mean you get double the time, maybe not much extra at all.

ok thanks. Why cant I leave it in filter mode? Too much stuff will be in there?

 

[Rollercoastr]

That depends on the amount of debris/algae in your water and your filter. My filter could easily go a few days during the SLAM before needing to backwashed.

 

[spinPHD]

My thought is that you SLAM at the crack of dawn. Looks like that is around 5:30 in Toronto. Lets say you leave for work at 8, you can test and get your pool back to shock level around 6:45 a.m. and then again right before you leave at 8am. Then once you get home, do it every hour or so until Sunset which is around 8:50 your time. Assuming you get home around 6, you could do that about 3 times before it gets dark.

 

[drharris]

Seconding spinPHD's advice, if you have outdoor lighting or work lights, work on it even after sunset. Vacuuming with pool lights is super fun because you can see pretty much everything and it feels satisfying to see it leave your pool. If you can test twice in the morning and 4-5 times at night, it will work out fine.

And yes, filter pressure only a concern if it's getting out a ton of stuff. If it's just a little cloudy you might be ok. If it's a swamp, filtering only when home is a good idea. You'll get a feel for how bad it gets once you start. Some luck out and only have to backwash a few times total, others have to do it several times per day.

 

[crocop]

Seconding spinPHD's advice, if you have outdoor lighting or work lights, work on it even after sunset. Vacuuming with pool lights is super fun because you can see pretty much everything and it feels satisfying to see it leave your pool. If you can test twice in the morning and 4-5 times at night, it will work out fine.

And yes, filter pressure only a concern if it's getting out a ton of stuff. If it's just a little cloudy you might be ok. If it's a swamp, filtering only when home is a good idea. You'll get a feel for how bad it gets once you start. Some luck out and only have to backwash a few times total, others have to do it several times per day.

Thanks.

I will actually start the SLAM on Friday since I'm off, and keep a close eye on it all day Fri/Sat/Sun....hopefully by Monday its not so bad anymore.