- Apr 16, 2019
- 2,010
- Pool Size
- 4024
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Liquid Chlorine
The Great Cleanup
- Thread starter Wobblerlorri
- Start date
and soon
- Apr 16, 2019
- 2,010
- Pool Size
- 4024
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Liquid Chlorine
It's 3/4 full, so I tested the water and ran the results through PoolMath to see what I need to add. Here's what I got:
FC 0.6
CC 0.2
pH. 6.8
TA. 20
CYA 0
No CH because it's a vinyl pool. PoolMath says to add:
1 gal 6% liquid chlorine to get FC to 16 for SLAM
14 oz borax to raise pH to 7.2
3 lb baking soda to raise TA to 70
1 lb 5 oz CYA to raise CYA to 40
So when it's full I'll add chlorine, let it circulate 15 min, then add the CYA and borax to adjust the pH. That should be this evening. I should have the leaf blaster battery operated thingy tomorrow so I can vacuum the leftover stuff out of the pool.
Just got back in from brushing the pool to loosen up crud and algae on the bottom. Just before it got hot, too! Nice breeze blowing out there.
I have about 12 gal of lc from last year, stored in an insulated garage. It was 10% last year, I'm figuring it's (hopefully) about 6% now. If not, we must brace ourselves for Wal-Mart or go to Villa Rica to the ACE Hardware there and get 12 gal lc.
And that's where we sit on the Great Cleanup!
FC 0.6
CC 0.2
pH. 6.8
TA. 20
CYA 0
No CH because it's a vinyl pool. PoolMath says to add:
1 gal 6% liquid chlorine to get FC to 16 for SLAM
14 oz borax to raise pH to 7.2
3 lb baking soda to raise TA to 70
1 lb 5 oz CYA to raise CYA to 40
So when it's full I'll add chlorine, let it circulate 15 min, then add the CYA and borax to adjust the pH. That should be this evening. I should have the leaf blaster battery operated thingy tomorrow so I can vacuum the leftover stuff out of the pool.
Just got back in from brushing the pool to loosen up crud and algae on the bottom. Just before it got hot, too! Nice breeze blowing out there.
I have about 12 gal of lc from last year, stored in an insulated garage. It was 10% last year, I'm figuring it's (hopefully) about 6% now. If not, we must brace ourselves for Wal-Mart or go to Villa Rica to the ACE Hardware there and get 12 gal lc.
And that's where we sit on the Great Cleanup!
Work on the TA at the same time. All of those can be adjusted at the same time. The pH and TA are the most important for a vinyl pool.
SO glad it is almost full! HAPPY times ahead!
Kim
SO glad it is almost full! HAPPY times ahead!
Kim
- Apr 16, 2019
- 2,010
- Pool Size
- 4024
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Liquid Chlorine
Now it's raining! FREE FILL WATER!!!! No chemicals added yet, we still need to take off the multiport valve and lube the O ring. Will do that tomorrow between thunderstorms.
Four inches away from full!
Four inches away from full!
- Apr 16, 2019
- 2,010
- Pool Size
- 4024
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Liquid Chlorine
Added all the chemicals, poured in a gallon of what used to be 10% lc; I estimated it at 6% now. When we opened it, it was still yellow and smelled like chlorine.
Turned on the pump and let it run for a couple of hours. Went out to check the chlorine and saw that the CYA in the filter bag was all wet, so squeezed it a few times. It was pure mush in the bag, so I stood there for about 5 min squeezing all the CYA out into the pool. I highly recommend an old filter bag (the kind that come on the leaf vaccums) for doing CYA! Much faster than panty hose or tube socks, plus it's easier to get the powder into the filter bag!
Tested the chlorine, it was 17 ppm. I was pretty good at guessing the percentage of the lc, which pleased me no end. Did some reverse calculating in PoolMath, the chlorine I added today was some of the oldest, and it figured out to 6.5% lc.
I'll test again about 3 or 4 pm, then have hubby test before he goes to bed. Vacuuming will take place when the new vac gets here, supposedly today.
It's actually coming together! And just a reminder, here's what we started with:
Yes, that's me looking less than amused.
Turned on the pump and let it run for a couple of hours. Went out to check the chlorine and saw that the CYA in the filter bag was all wet, so squeezed it a few times. It was pure mush in the bag, so I stood there for about 5 min squeezing all the CYA out into the pool. I highly recommend an old filter bag (the kind that come on the leaf vaccums) for doing CYA! Much faster than panty hose or tube socks, plus it's easier to get the powder into the filter bag!
Tested the chlorine, it was 17 ppm. I was pretty good at guessing the percentage of the lc, which pleased me no end. Did some reverse calculating in PoolMath, the chlorine I added today was some of the oldest, and it figured out to 6.5% lc.
I'll test again about 3 or 4 pm, then have hubby test before he goes to bed. Vacuuming will take place when the new vac gets here, supposedly today.
It's actually coming together! And just a reminder, here's what we started with:
Yes, that's me looking less than amused.
- Apr 16, 2019
- 2,010
- Pool Size
- 4024
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Liquid Chlorine
About 3 pm I tested everything except pH, which isn't reliable during a SLAM.
FC. 13.5
TA. 70
CYA 40
Borates (test strip) none (after adding 14 oz borax)
Then I went and messed up by miscalculating how much lc to add to bring it back up to 16. Instead of 2 cups 5 oz lc, I added 2 QUARTS lc. Oh well, so it had a day of mustard slam.
? Can't hurt!
And the Leaf Blaster came! I'll be vac'ing tomorrow!
FC. 13.5
TA. 70
CYA 40
Borates (test strip) none (after adding 14 oz borax)
Then I went and messed up by miscalculating how much lc to add to bring it back up to 16. Instead of 2 cups 5 oz lc, I added 2 QUARTS lc. Oh well, so it had a day of mustard slam.
? Can't hurt!And the Leaf Blaster came! I'll be vac'ing tomorrow!
Last edited:
That's a good point. Borax can be used to add borates but you need acid to counter the pH rise, so if using borax to increase borates it should not be done during a SLAM while the pH cannot be tested.
- Apr 16, 2019
- 2,010
- Pool Size
- 4024
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Liquid Chlorine
I added borax to raise the pH to 7.2 from 6.8 before starting the SLAM.
- Apr 16, 2019
- 2,010
- Pool Size
- 4024
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Liquid Chlorine
You can read my review of the Water Tech Pool Blaster battery operated vacuum head at Water Tech Pool Blaster battery powered
Spoiler alert: I LOVE IT!!!
Spoiler alert: I LOVE IT!!!
- Apr 16, 2019
- 2,010
- Pool Size
- 4024
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Liquid Chlorine
Dreary and cloudy today, supposed to start raining around noon. Water temp is 68. Air temp is 59. In the middle of May, in the Southern US. Riiiiiight.
FC/CC this morning was 14/0.5. Just tested for the afternoon, 14.5/0.0. Trending the right way! We'll see what the evening test says. Can't brush or vac today because A. My old brush sheds too many bristles and the new head isn't here yet, and B. My hip is giving me all kinds of grief and won't stand for two trips around the pool. TOMORROW!!!!
Gosh I love messing around with my pool!
FC/CC this morning was 14/0.5. Just tested for the afternoon, 14.5/0.0. Trending the right way! We'll see what the evening test says. Can't brush or vac today because A. My old brush sheds too many bristles and the new head isn't here yet, and B. My hip is giving me all kinds of grief and won't stand for two trips around the pool. TOMORROW!!!!
Gosh I love messing around with my pool!
- Apr 16, 2019
- 2,010
- Pool Size
- 4024
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Liquid Chlorine
WOOT!! FC this morning was 16, CC was 0, and the pool is crystal clear! So unofficially SLAM IS DONE!! But being OCD like I tend to be, I'll wait another day before I call it official.
Just need to brush and vac today with my new brush head, and the pool will be ready for its pretty picture!
Just need to brush and vac today with my new brush head, and the pool will be ready for its pretty picture!
OH YEAH!! LORRI is a swimming again!!!! It is a good day in GA!!! 
Kim
Kim
- Apr 16, 2019
- 2,010
- Pool Size
- 4024
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Liquid Chlorine
Well, not so much "swimming" -- the air temp right now is 58 and the pool is 68... Just a bit chilly for me!OH YEAH!! LORRI is a swimming again!!!! It is a good day in GA!!!
Kim
- Apr 16, 2019
- 2,010
- Pool Size
- 4024
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Liquid Chlorine
Pretty pictures time!!
this is what we started with
Here's where we are today
Ignore the random leaves on the surface -- I guess they wanted a nice swim. See? Following TFP instructions to the letter WORKS!! FC was 15 at noon, CC 0. I still have a few places to scrub, but if the weather holds I might be able to get in there this weekend and scrub those places with a hand brush.
I can't thank this site enough for the easy way to care for a pool!
this is what we started with
Here's where we are today
Ignore the random leaves on the surface -- I guess they wanted a nice swim. See? Following TFP instructions to the letter WORKS!! FC was 15 at noon, CC 0. I still have a few places to scrub, but if the weather holds I might be able to get in there this weekend and scrub those places with a hand brush.
I can't thank this site enough for the easy way to care for a pool!
