So do you think I should let FC drift down (if so how low?) so I can more accurately measure pH (like I should have done at the start)? Then once pH actually MEASURES properly, start a SLAM again? Otherwise I guess I'm just "guessing" at pH if my FC is too high.
Start-up time (again) - help me out!
- Thread starter Hawkeye83
- Start date
So do you think I should let FC drift down (if so how low?) so I can more accurately measure pH (like I should have done at the start)? Then once pH actually MEASURES properly, start a SLAM again? Otherwise I guess I'm just "guessing" at pH if my FC is too high.
FC under 10 should not effect the PH reagent. It is your choice if want to verify the PH level.
So I reread the thread, I feel like your PH is likely fine, if you verified anything between PH/ 7.2 & 7.5, you're fine (and preferred) to continue SLAM Process
If the sand filter is not raising in pressure with elevated FC, you can try adding a small amount of Pool Filter DE, to increase the filtering ability.
Okay thanks. Maybe I will need to deep clean the sand filter, I dunno.
The sand is only a year old but I did put it to "work" this spring...
I have already added 2 cups of DE to the filter, but it's yet to make any sort of difference. Maybe I'll keep adding every day...
I never see very high pressures on my filter...it always runs 6-10 psi, never increases much at all, ever. Even if I never backflush...has me wondering if it's doing any filtering.
I also have the "slimebag" on my return, which is supposedly a 1 micron filter.
I figured the cloudiness was due to incorrect pH or excessive TA...so I was going to keep adding acid to try to get that down. Usually it takes me all year to get TA down near 100...
So when you backwash it's 6 and climbs to 10? It's recommended to backwash when pressure increases 25% over clean (this happens more often when the water is being cleared
Your cloudiness should be dead/dying algae
Just keep the FC up for SLAM ProcessHave you seen this thread? Featured - Opening my pond (pool) again, but this year will be different . . . right? (links to final post, scroll up for final post) SLAM works, but you have to hang in there, including increasing FC as often as reasonably possible.
So when you backwash it's 6 and climbs to 10? It's recommended to backwash when pressure increases 25% over clean (this happens more often when the water is being cleared
Your cloudiness should be dead/dying algae
Have you seen this thread? Featured - Opening my pond (pool) again, but this year will be different . . . right? (links to final post, scroll up for final post) SLAM works, but you have to hang in there, including increasing FC as often as reasonably possible.
Well for the past week or so it's been hanging out at 6 psi... A couple weeks ago it was at 8:00 PSI... And when I added DE it went up to 10 PSI... It just never moves much.
I'll take a look at that thread you linked to.
I just thought it was weird how 2 days ago the pool had been cloudy for 18 days... But two days ago I added a little bit of acid and I could immediately see the bottom... So I thought I was on to something with the pH or alkalinity... But it's back to being really a cloudy again so... I guess I'll keep slamming. I think I'm on day 20 now I just didn't think it would take quite so long.
So I've been testing pH and keep finding it at 7.5. I add 3 oz acid to lower to 7.0...and this seems to be what gets results. Hopefully this is not a bad thing. Of course I am also still SLAMMING with bleach. The FC is lasting much longer than it was...I haven't added any bleach in nearly 24 hours and I've only dropped down from 12 FC to 9.5 FC. We are considering getting in the pool since we can see the bottom, but it is still cloudy...also I don't know my CYA so I don't think I can truly know the safe FC swim level...so we may hold off...but results are happening! Ofcourse, right in time for me to leave on a 10 day vacation! Hopefully my wife can keep things going in the right direction or at least keep things from turning to Crud.
Please don't test & adjust PH while FC is elevated above 10. This is because a chemical reaction causes as false elevated PH reading.
Okay, thank you for "hanging in there" with me on this. I will only take/adjust pH if FC is below 10.
So today the pool looked pretty darn good! Slightly cloudy yet but we could see the entire bottom. pH tested at 7.4. FC was around 5-6 so we took a dip. CC was only at 0.5.
Water really clouded up after swimming so will re-test before we get in again.
Awesome! We "over"-TFP here and add our full dose of target FC after swimming, just because we know things are introduced (grass, dirt, sweat, etc). We've never had to do a full-on SLAM Process, since we keep our FC/CYA balance using this FC/CYA Levels
Things were looking good again last night...FC holding reasonably long enough, CC at 0.5 or less, pH in range...can see the bottom again this morning...we're going swimming again this afternoon.
But then we leave on vacation for 10 days and hopefully my wife can keep it under control.
Thank you @splashpad ! I think I have finally seen a SLAM all the way from GREEN PEA SOUP to "BEAUTIFUL BLUE"...it just takes longer than what I remembered/thought it would. Now hopefully my liner stays up until the end of the swim season! After that, I'm okay with trying to stretch it back out (it's only a year old) or even replacing it next year but if I replace it again next year, I'm putting on new track or trying a different type of liner or having it professionally installed or SOMETHING. I can't keep doing the new liner thing every year.