Need advice after "opening" pool

[mknauss]

With pump running the system will be mixed in 30 minutes. Baking soda was to raise TA. The pH will follow.

 

[tech_east]

@mknauss Started SLAM this am around 0930 or so. Added roughly 71 oz or 3/4 of a gallon of the LC Shock I bought yesterday. Just did my first FC test and I am right at 14 ppm. I know my range should be at 12 ppm due to the CYA that was added and hope that is ok to have a little too much versus to little?

Also my CC reading came back at right around 1 ppm instead of the usual 0.5 ppm reading. I am planning on checking the FC every few hours to make sure enough LC stays in the pool. Any other suggestions or recommendations at this point or am I doing the right thing?

Thanks!

 

[clambert1273]

Thats good to test & add every couple hours at first

 

[mknauss]

Did you retest pH and TA after adding the baking soda?

 

[tech_east]

Did you retest pH and TA after adding the baking soda?

Yes did that first along with starting FC level of 0.5

pH was right at 7.2 and TA at 80

 

[tech_east]

Ok well today I am starting my 2nd full day of the SLAM process. Yesterday I was adding 8 and 16 ounces at a time at least every 3-4 hours to maintain my SLAM level. So far from me checking it at 7am this morning i've only added about 3 ounces. I think during the day with the sun out it def eats more of the LC than at night. Because last night it held pretty good level from 5pm to midnight.

My only question is am I expecting too much to start seeing the water get clearer? It doesn't really look like it has gotten any clearer since I started yesterday with the SLAM process...I know it can be a lengthy process but just curious? Definitely less visable algae floating around but can't really see the bottom of the pool...still cloudy / murky. Water has turned a decent bluish tint versue the green when first started

 

[mknauss]

"Intex Krystal Clear Sand Filter Pump"

Sorry to say, but a sand filter is the slowest to clear a pool after an algae outbreak. Just is what it is. You can start to follow Add DE to a Sand Filter - Trouble Free Pool when you can babysit the filter.

With your size pool, if water is cheap, a healthy drain and refill many times will speed the process.

 

[tech_east]

"Intex Krystal Clear Sand Filter Pump"

Sorry to say, but a sand filter is the slowest to clear a pool after an algae outbreak. Just is what it is. You can start to follow Add DE to a Sand Filter - Trouble Free Pool when you can babysit the filter.

With your size pool, if water is cheap, a healthy drain and refill many times will speed the process.

@mknauss First let me preface my next comment by first saying...I really really appreciate your continual effort in attempting to "coach" me through the process of getting my pool from the green monster to sparkly blue oasis.

But-I must "whine" just a little about the SLAM process in regards to my specific situation (Sand Filter Pump, cheap setup, whatever...etc)....it's a PITA. How anyone who is not retired or who works from home has time to babysit the FC and add LC every two to three hours is beyond me. Maybe I have a lot going on in my life at the moment but wow, I didn't expect it to be quite this much work. I "assumed" wrong that I was going to be able to dump a few cups / half gallon of bleach or LC and let it marinate until my problems begin to lesson. This is like having a child in diapers at this point....

Ok rant over....I am continuing the process for now but I know next year this will be a totally different story. I will completely drain the pool (I don't care if I have to rent a sump pump) and fill it back up with my well water and start fresh like I did the last year (first year of having the pool). The crazy part about this entire process is I drained my pool well below half way and filled up with fresh well water and still are dealing with the "green monster". I can only imagine the frustration in people with bigger ABG pools and big inground pools that don't have the luxury of draining. BTW...I thought I upgraded my ability to filter smaller particles and a faster filtering process by putting glass media in my sand filter instead of sand but I guess not.

Again thx for all the assistance and I will keep going for a few more days until I throw in the towel

 

[Newdude]

Hey TE !!! My fav explaination for the time/effort, which is often quoted here, is that the pool didn’t go green in a day and it’s not going to be fixed in one either.

We all have life getting in the way, don’t fret. You don’t realize it yet but you’ve already had HUGE progress. Green is live algae. Milky blue is dead algae clouding up the water. You’ve gotten the upper hand already. Keep your foot on its throat and finish it. Keep your FC up to not lose any ground and be patient as the filter does it’s thing to clear you. This is the P-O-P stage (pool owner patience) and it’s no fun for any of us.

The more effort you can give with keeping the filter running and cleaning it when need be, the faster it goes. If you get sidetracked a bit, no worries, but don’t fault the process.

 

[clambert1273]

@mknauss First let me preface my next comment by first saying...I really really appreciate your continual effort in attempting to "coach" me through the process of getting my pool from the green monster to sparkly blue oasis.

But-I must "whine" just a little about the SLAM process in regards to my specific situation (Sand Filter Pump, cheap setup, whatever...etc)....it's a PITA. How anyone who is not retired or who works from home has time to babysit the FC and add LC every two to three hours is beyond me. Maybe I have a lot going on in my life at the moment but wow, I didn't expect it to be quite this much work. I "assumed" wrong that I was going to be able to dump a few cups / half gallon of bleach or LC and let it marinate until my problems begin to lesson. This is like having a child in diapers at this point....

Ok rant over....I am continuing the process for now but I know next year this will be a totally different story. I will completely drain the pool (I don't care if I have to rent a sump pump) and fill it back up with my well water and start fresh like I did the last year (first year of having the pool). The crazy part about this entire process is I drained my pool well below half way and filled up with fresh well water and still are dealing with the "green monster". I can only imagine the frustration in people with bigger ABG pools and big inground pools that don't have the luxury of draining. BTW...I thought I upgraded my ability to filter smaller particles and a faster filtering process by putting glass media in my sand filter instead of sand but I guess not.

Again thx for all the assistance and I will keep going for a few more days until I throw in the towel

In reply to ur rant, normally the advice on starting slam is to start on a weekend where you have 2 full days to babysit & dose, normally by Monday the dosing times can be much further apart equalling to before work, after work, and before bed

 

[tech_east]

I am a newbie into the pool arena so please excuse my ignorance. This is my first year of having to deal with a nasty, murky, green monster of a pool. So I decided to dive (no pun intended) into performing the SLAM process to get my pool that was just opened last week back into running order. Granted I've only been at this for a few days but the amount of babysitting that you have to endure in order to keep your FC up to SLAM levels is beyond frustrating IMHO. But putting that to the side for just a second....over the past week or so I've been watching a lot of YT videos on opening a pool for the year, maintaining your pool, yada yada yada...you get what I am saying. Most of these videos show people with pools (ABG and In-ground) who either are opening for the year or who have left for vacation for a week and did not have their pumps running, no upkeep in chemicals, etc and come back to a nasty green algae ridden cesspool. Ok cesspool might have exaggerating just a little

So to my question, how do these people get away with throwing in a few packets of "Clorox Pool Shock 6-1 or HTH Super Shock Treatment and / or floc and "magically" one or two days later their pool is crystal clear and ready for action? Humbly, what am I missing?

 

[DorsalSpine]

You are not missing anything. For a pool to clear that fast it wasn't that bad to start with or someone is blowing smoke up your backside. A well maintained pool doesn't go bad overnight even if the pump is off. I closed mine in early October last year and opened it in early may. It was still clear. Granted I have a solid winter cover but putting it to bed properly goes a long way.

 

[Newdude]

Humbly, what am I missing?

You are missing the 2-3 weeks later when the problem returns because it was never cleared in the first place. Newb after Newb after Newb comes here telling us how a month later it’s a ‘new problem’ and the pool store fixed it just fine the last time (and the dozen times before) with everything you mentioned. Sometimes they listen. Sometimes they need a few more laps on the Algae roller coaster before wanting to get off for good.

 

[tech_east]

You are not missing anything. For a pool to clear that fast it wasn't that bad to start with or someone is blowing smoke up your backside. A well maintained pool doesn't go bad overnight even if the pump is off. I closed mine in early October last year and opened it in early may. It was still clear. Granted I have a solid winter cover but putting it to bed properly goes a long way.

I definitely understand what you are saying and again please do not feel like I am being argumentative...because really I am not. I know that there may be some YT trickery or wizardly editing taking place on some of the videos but for all of them....hmmm I don't know. I've watched a few from a so called professional pool cleaner guy who added 10 gallons of shock and some other algae potions and the pool basically turned blue in a time lapse while he was there.

Again, I get what your saying and appreciate your comment.

 

[tech_east]

You are missing the 2-3 weeks later when the problem returns because it was never cleared in the first place. Newb after Newb after Newb comes here telling us how a month later it’s a ‘new problem’ and the pool store fixed it just fine the last time (and the dozen times before) with everything you mentioned. Sometimes they listen. Sometimes they need a few more laps on the Algae roller coaster before wanting to get off for good.

Not faulting "the process" and I can understand where SLAM'g seems to mitigate the problems for a longer period of time or permantently for the season possibility by killing off issues so they don't come back. Thank you for providing me that perspective!

 

[Newdude]

Tech ……. Check out our ‘exhibit A’. Please don’t get the point after a few pages. Scroll though it’s entirety and let it hammer itself home.

I’ll put any one of the regular Joe/Jane pools shown up against any brochures you can find.

How Clear is TFP Clear? Let's See (Pics Only Please).

How clear should my water be? A very common question. Here is mine on a calm morning where I could finally vacuum. Yes I know, I'm still manually vacuuming. It took me 7 years to finally get an SWG, I'm working on a robot. :) So now let's see your water clarity.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Newdude]

‘Exhibit B’ is *some* of the thousands of swamps cleared with a proper SLAM. With confused/new pool owners being helped, for free.

Recovering my old inspirational links

First Time Shocking with Bleach Pretty black pool A little encouragement for those with algae and new to BBB Frog Filled Green Swamp to Oasis---Work in Progress!!! Before and After Pool Pics Before and after! A final picture set of how well the BBB method works! Converting In Ga.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Newdude]

….. Also also…… Lol. Your questions are entirely fair and reasonable. We’ve answered them 1000 times in the past and will patiently do it another 1000 times. Ask away and with any luck we can clear up any misconceptions

 

[tech_east]

Just wanted to post back now that it's been over a week for the SLAM process. The water is nice and clear and the OCLT passed with flying colors. Also the CC was 0.5 so SLAM officially done.

So a few days ago I decided to move on and add salt to the pool so I can get SWG up and running to start our swimming season. Well so far it seems I've hit another road bump. Check my salt level after a few days and I am too high (4300 ppm) when I should be 2700 to 3400. Not sure WTH happened this year as I used a little less bags at 3.5 instead of the full 4 bags I used last year. I did use a different kind of salt this year (water softener salt instead of pool salt) but didnt think there would be a big variance between salt companies.

I guess I have to drain a little water out and add some fresh well water to dilute some of the salt content. And of course that is going to throw off the rest of my numbers (cya, pH, etc). Is what it is I guess....

 

[mknauss]

What did the salt test show before you added salt? Always test salinity before adding salt. Get a K1766 test kit.