Ready to start TFP with a SLAM

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FormFreak

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Sep 12, 2019
15
Tucson, AZ
Hi all. Long story short, above ground pool, got an algae issue, pool store shock + anti-phosphate + clarifier has left my pool with a stubborn and cloudy algae issue. I understand the common suggestions given here, as I've read multiple posts like mine already. I was ready to drain my pool and start over, but I'm going to give the proper SLAM a chance first.

I am ordering the TF-100 test kit so that I can begin SLAMming. That will take a couple days to get here, and as my previous powdered shock wears off, I was considering filling up my chlorine tab floater with tabs and opening it all the way...just to prevent things from getting worse again in the next couple days. Does this sound advisable?
 
Yes liquid chlorine with no additives that are common in laundry bleach like Chlorox. Check hardware stores, Home Depot sells 10% liquid Chlorine and pool stores often sell 12% liquid, sodium hypochlorate.
Realize you may be required to drain much of your water anyway after a proper test for CYA, Cyanuric Acid. What have you been using to sanitize your pool this summer?
 
Oly said:
Yes liquid chlorine with no additives that are common in laundry bleach like Chlorox. Check hardware stores, Home Depot sells 10% liquid Chlorine and pool stores often sell 12% liquid, sodium hypochlorate.
Realize you may be required to drain much of your water anyway after a proper test for CYA, Cyanuric Acid. What have you been using to sanitize your pool this summer?
Click to expand...

Chlorine tablets, the ones from Chlorox brand that are sold at Costco.
 
Oly said:
Have you seen this yet?

Click to expand...
I have. I'm waiting on my TF-100 kit to get here still. Took them 3 days just to start shipping it.

Local pool store did not carry the DAS-FPD or the CYA tests (except the strips, which I've read are Crud). So, still waiting to assess that. They also didnt carry borate strips.

Been doing a half gallon of 6% bleach to the pool daily, and brushing entire pool daily. It seems to make progress a bit in clarity, and then slide back. The very light tan tinge to the water when I brush it up seems to be nearly gone though.

I am doing my best with the info I have, still flying blind without the test kit though.
.
 
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Be very careful draining much water from a vinyl liner pool. Leave at least 12 - 18" of water in the shallow end.

The Costco tablets you had been using have copper in them I suspect. If 'Blue' was in the name, they do. Hopefully this drain / fill will reduce your copper level so you do not get stains.
 
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mknauss said:
Be very careful draining much water from a vinyl liner pool. Leave at least 12 - 18" of water in the shallow end.

The Costco tablets you had been using have copper in them I suspect. If 'Blue' was in the name, they do. Hopefully this drain / fill will reduce your copper level so you do not get stains.
Click to expand...
Got it. Yes, the tablets are the "Xtra Blue" kind, as you mention. I will definitely not over-drain the pool, thank you for the warning. I will put up full test results this weekend after refilling and continuing the SLAM process as indicated.
 
So...I drained the pool by about 40%. Refilled. Here are my test numbers.
CYA = 90 (at least it is in the measurable ranges now!)
FC = 40-something (yes, I went way overboard on the 10% liquid chlorine, my impatience got the best of me).
CC = 0
pH = 7.8
Clarity: Still cloudy, but less than before. After brushing, can see that the stuff stirred up has a light tan tinge to it, and I see the same in my cartridge filter.

I don't have all the tests done yet. Partly because I feel it's a bit of a waste when draining and refilling at this point, partly because I don't need to overwhelm myself (learning this stuff piece by piece sounds better to me).

My plan now is to drain about half-ish of the pool again to get the CYA in a more manageable range, refill, then assess again.

Looks like the one thing I didn't buy yet, muriatic acid, is on the shopping list for today.
 
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Did about a 1/3 draining of the pool and refilled.

New numbers:
pH = 7.4 (yay!)
CYA = 70 (closer, but not 30-50 yet, but I didnt drain it enough, that's obvious now)
FC = 23.5 (added 37 oz of 10% liquid chlorine like PoolMath said for SLAM level of 28 FC).
Clarity: I can see the squares on the bottom of the pool again. Less cloudy for sure, but not there yet.

My plan is to brush, skim, clean filter before dark, then tomorrow morning do another 1/3 drain (more than I did today), then refill and test again. Let me know if I'm on the right track! :)
 
Ok. Making progress!

Still in the SLAM.
New numbers:
pH = 8.0 (not sure if this is what pH bounce is, or if it is from the new water?)
CYA = 45 (between 30-50...not sure if I should go lower)
FC = 14 (goal is 18 at my CYA).
CC = between 0 - 0.5
TA = 110 (needs to be lower?)
Clarity: Clearer still. Little "piles" of whatever (algae, clarifier, No Phos?) are still collecting on the bottom, and the stirred-up cloudiness goes away a lot faster than before. I finally figured out to purposely brush toward my filter...that greatly improved the filter haul of crud.

I watched the SLAM video again. Saw the part about 7.2 pH. My 8.0 seems too high. Added 27 oz of 14.5% muriatic acid.

Then I added 33 oz of 10% liquid chlorine to hit the SLAM target of 18.

I can see the goal in sight.
 

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