Slamming without slamming need help.

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OG OOLS

OG OOLS

Active member
Jun 23, 2020
41
NB Canada
TL/DR:
1. Should/ Can I use chlorine to clear a slightly cloudy pool without Taylor kits?
2. Should I use solar Blanket during shock/slam, pool is 84F. Will loose 3-4* overnigh if not covered and dont want to ruin the cover with chlorine.

Disclaimer- I do not own taylor kits.
I am working diligently on finding one. Probably not in the cards this year. Amazon wants something like $300.... Im in Canada and open tk suggestions how to attain one for a reasonable price.

Long Story
950BD001-243C-4E5C-B6B6-B3074C20DEE5.jpegPool went in in June, sailed through July using trichlor pucks. Thought I was doing good by stopping at 47 cya and switching to liquid.

Well, we’ve now had some rains and heat and a few pool parties and yep theres a cloudy pool with some algae.

I’ve added a Gallon of chlorine last night, brought FC to 16 by pool math. Also lowered pH to 7.6. Pool store says there was 8.5 this afternoon at 1 oclock. My otho test Now at 8 oclock says yellow, +3 and its another scorcher of a day. Im presuming Im somewhere between 3-6 FC now. Ive added 3.5L to take it back to FC 16 or so.


Can my methods save the pool or am I doomed. It needs to clear soon with bleach or I’ll be forced into phosphate removers, adding calcium and algaecides as my better half thinks its a disaster the little bit of cloudiness. Or shes taking over maintenance and Im becoming a statistic.
24/7 sand filter.
Thanks for any help!!!!
 

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If you cover the pool, the CCs can't burn off and outgas. But it's UV that burns off the CCs. It wouldn't be the worst thing to cover at night only. Chlorine below SLAM shouldn't hurt your cover.

I grabbed an oto test, thinking I could use it cheaper than my Taylor. It consistently reads high for both chlorine and pH. I should just throw it away because I do not trust it at all.

Off the top of the scale, yellow is yellow. It's going to read the same whether your chlorine is 7 or 27. You're really flying blind here. If you dilute the pool water with distilled and do a little math, you can get a ballpark. You have to get the chlorine onto the scale.
 
CrystalRiver said:
If you cover the pool, the CCs can't burn off and outgas. But it's UV that burns off the CCs. It wouldn't be the worst thing to cover... You're really flying blind here. If you dilute the pool water with distilled and do a little math, you can get a ballpark. You have to get the chlorine onto the scale.
Click to expand...

There are no CCs, unless they are being created by killing the algae and other organics? I’ll go ahead and cover it, better half likes the water warm.
Im not flyjng totally blind, I know there was 8FC this afternoon and I just added another 8. Should I push it higher to clear it up assuming it dropped feom 8 with 3 kids in it for hours and hot sun all day.
Thanks for the dilution tip! This way I can at least keep it at 6 or so.
 
Your “slam” will likely take longer due to the fact u won’t be able to get the water accurately tested multiple times daily & will likely spend alot of time below slam level.

Here’s some info on getting proper testing supplies:

Pool Test Kits - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
Jump to part 5
 
OG OOLS said:
Can my methods save the pool or am I doomed. It needs to clear soon with bleach or I’ll be forced into phosphate removers, adding calcium and algaecides as my better half thinks its a disaster the little bit of cloudiness. Or shes taking over maintenance and Im becoming a statistic.
Click to expand...

Hello and Welcome to TFP!

you aren’t doomed and your pool isn’t too bad At this point. Fortunately you caught it early!!
If I had to pick from using a OTO chlorine test and TFP OR pool store potions and advice, I’d pick the estimated chlorine and TFP every time. If she takes over and goes to the pool store they may talk her into $300+ in chemicals and you wouldn’t be any better off.
Your pool does not need phosphate removers. Calcium is the least of your worries right now and definitely won’t help kill algae. Algicide’s are a preventative not a cure, they do little to actually kill algae during an outbreak.
So back to the task at hand. Since this is your thread and you’re in Canada and it looks like the Taylor kit or a TF-100 is not in the cards right now, just keep doing what you’re doing. I don’t anticipate the SLAM Process taking very long based on the pictures you provided. Keep chlorine levels elevated and brush daily and run the filter 24/7. Keep an eye on the prices of a test kit and grab one as soon as you can.

each day take a picture of your pool, stick your brush into the deep end when you take the picture so you can see if you’re progressing with your clean up. Sometimes it can be hard to see the day by day changes but if you take pictures you can easily see the progress.
 
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Thanks! Encouraging!!!!
No deep end so just that last stair to clear up. Could always see the bottom. Just had a haze because of brushing algae.

Im going to Solar cover it this morning, temp went to 81 overnight. Hoping the cover keeps more chlorine in. I’ll also add more chlorine, 2L. I can see algae on the bottom will vaccum it up later. Should I be vacuuming to waste?
 
Should I be adding pH down? 7.6 yesterday.
Should I backwash sand filter? Just vac algae, psi low, backwashed yesterday.
Can/should I turn on heater? 81 atm
Can the kids swim now?

Thank you all for the guidance! Its working :)
So, there was a good amount visible on the bottom of dirt or algae this morning. But I think were clearer!!
Now I’ve cleaned the filter traps, vaccumed, brushed, and added 2L liquid chlorine.
81*
Lunch breaks over so back to the pool 😆!

Summertime and the livings easy.
Thanks again
 

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OG OOLS said:
Should I be adding pH down? 7.6 yesterday.
Should I backwash sand filter? Just vac algae, psi low, backwashed yesterday.
Can/should I turn on heater? 81 atm
Can the kids swim now?

Thank you all for the guidance! Its working :)
So, there was a good amount visible on the bottom of dirt or algae this morning. But I think were clearer!!
Now I’ve cleaned the filter traps, vaccumed, brushed, and added 2L liquid chlorine.
81*
Lunch breaks over so back to the pool 😆!

Summertime and the livings easy.
Thanks again
Click to expand...

PH readings are not accurate during a SLAM, so don't worry about it for now.
 

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Under 10 FC they are accurate again. Swimming is safe up to SLAM level of FC for your CYA but you don’t have an accurate test kit so your perceived #s may not be correct. It’s a tough call based on a guess.
 
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I’m making my guess that it is safe based of the fact that there was FC of 8 yesterday afternoon, I added 3L and 2L of chlorine and 24 hrs have passed. Being that the amount I added would barely bring me to slam level, everything else the same, I should be ok?
Unless Im missing something else here? (besides the Hailed k2006 kit).

Also, my kids want to swim.
 

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Swimming is safe up to SLAM levels. Only you can determine how well you trust your testing results.

With the unavailability of good kits in Canada you are exempt from the normal hard line against guess testing. There is literally only so much you can do to fix that, hence the free pass. But a guess is still a guess.
 
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I was moderated for inquiring why someone stated slamming with bleach harms liners/ equipment. I still want to know, I think that was the purpose of the OP.

Ive read its safe to swim up to slam levels, at what level is it unsafe, and how unsafe is it and why?!
Thanks
 
“Higher FC levels will oxidize contaminates more quickly, but levels that are too high can cause damage to the pool or the pool equipment. Recommended shock levels are designed to break down contaminates reasonably quickly while posing minimal risk to the pool.”
Here’s some more info on the fc/cya relationship
 
OG OOLS said:
Is it really a guess? I know what I put in it....
Click to expand...
You completely know what you put in. Your baseline was the guess which in turn makes the answer questionable also. I'm not trying to be a jerk so please don't misinterpret the tone of my answers. Only trying to help so you can form an educated opinion :)
 
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