Is my SWG bad?

[njech]

27000 gallon SWG pool is 4 years old. I primarily have winged it on pool care using my local Lselies to help me get right. Looking to do a better job and take better care of my pool. Got my tf-100 kit yesterday with the aqua check strips and went to work.

I had not added CYA so I’m getting on top of that. My FC was basically .5 and my salt according to the strip was 2630 but my pool equipment said 3000 but I added 80 pounds of salt last night and put the booster on for my swg.

This morning my FC is still .5 and my CC is 2.0 so I know that is an issue. My salt is 3320 by the strip and 3600 by the equipment.

But is my SWG dead because I did not get any FC overnight? It’s a Autopilot RC35/22. Plates seemingly look good to me. No warning lights on pool pilot.
Al

many assistance would be appreciated. Hayward equipment

 

[njech]

Oh, CYA measured 45 this morning and I’m still treating to raise it.

 

[Richard320]

If your CC was lower last night than it is this morning, you're generating FC but it's reacting with something in the water and creating CC.

And 2 CC is a huge red flag no matter what is going on with the SWG.

I hope you didn't add the CYA directly to the skimmer, because you just made a bad situation worse if you did. You need the SLAM Process and it's easier at lower CYA levels. If the CYA is in a sock, pull it out now and set it in a bucket.

 

[njech]

Well, I did make the process worse with the cya. Not sure how you add a lot of cya via a sock. So that ship has sailed.
I can slam the pool but if my swg is not working I’ll be in a constant state of slamming so do need to figure that out

 

[Richard320]

Well, I did make the process worse with the cya. Not sure how you add a lot of cya via a sock. So that ship has sailed.
I can slam the pool but if my swg is not working I’ll be in a constant state of slamming so do need to figure that out

Go look at the SWG. Are there any warning lights? Is it on and bubbling? It may very well generating chlorine but algae is eating it as fast as it is made.

Your first priority is to deal with the algae. A dead SWG is not going to be any deader in a few days, but an untreated algae bloom with turn a hazy but clear pool into a green sludge pit in that same period of time.

 

[njech]

Got it. My pool has always looked very clear so feels like nothing is wrong. My CYA is at 70 right now. For SLAM, I want to confirm what I’m trying to get my FC #. To get to 6 FC from .5, pool Math says over 2 gallons of 6% bleach. How much bleach should I be buying for this process?

 

[Richard320]

Got it. My pool has always looked very clear so feels like nothing is wrong. My CYA is at 70 right now. For SLAM, I want to confirm what I’m trying to get my FC #. To get to 6 FC from .5, pool Math says over 2 gallons of 6% bleach. How much bleach should I be buying for this process?

No way of predicting. It could be more than you could imagine.

If that worries you, just get the FC up to the target and leave the SWG run all day and see what it looks like this evening. SWGs are good at maintaining FC levels, but very very slow at raising them up. If it's able to hold and the CC has disappeared, maybe you just dodged a bullet.

 

[njech]

I’m not worried, just trying to limit store runs. I’ll do one more chlorine measure and then get at it. Thanks Richard, appreciate it

 

[mknauss]

For SLAM, I want to confirm what I’m trying to get my FC #.

With a CYA of 70, your SLAM level FC will be 28 ppm. You will raise your FC to that level all at once and then test every few hours and add more chlorine to get back to 28 ppm.

 

[njech]

That’s a lot of bleach.... ???

 

[mknauss]

Yup, to start. The top up amounts should not be that great unless you have a real swamp.

 

[njech]

My water is crystal clear so there is some of my hesitation

 

[njech]

Is HDX chlorinating liquid good to use?

 

[mknauss]

Is HDX chlorinating liquid good to use?

Yes.

 

[mknauss]

My water is crystal clear so there is some of my hesitation

Should go quick then.

 

[DeanP66]

HDX is also 10% so you won't need as much as with 6% bleach.

 

[kplaster]

That’s a lot of bleach.... ???

And you will have fun trying to fine and if you do there is a limit on it.Be better off now just buying liquid chlorine.Walmart has 10% at $3.50 gal.Good Luck

 

[njech]

So I add 7.5 gallons of the liquid chlorine and an hour later I did the measurements and my FC is 1.0 and CC is 2.0. CYA still 70. Is it really possible to basically have no change?
I put my SWG to 0 before adding the chlorine.

 

[DeanP66]

You might possibly have ammonia in the pool, and adding the cya only made it worse. To check, add enough liquid chlorine to bring your FC to 10 ppm and check it in 15 minutes. If it's less than 5, there's probably ammonia in the pool. You will need to repeat this procedure until the FC starts to hold, then continue with your SLAM.

 

[njech]

Sun setting here on the east coast, is this better to do it at night since I won't have to worry about the sun effects on the chlorine or is that negligible due to the potential ammonia?