Help with SLAM - water clarity after algae

[Dreynorgtz]

First time pool owner. I forgot to add chlorine to pool going away for a long weekend, and came back to a green pool. That Tuesday I followed the advice on the taylor kit booklet table in the back and added 4 gallons of chlorine to add 30 ppm. Killed the algae overnight since the pool was blue again but milky, then next day brushed pool and vacuumed it. Changed filter daily. FC went down over the next few days and it's been 1 week but pool still cloudy, so after searching for a while came across several threads on SLAM and cloudy water. So decided to try the SLAM.

Last night I tested levels:
FC 5
CC .5
PH 7.4
TA 100
CH 140
CYA 50

I lowered PH to 7.2, then added 2 gallons of 10% LC and got to 20 FC last night before bed.
This am before I went to work I had time to do a quick check:
FC 19
CC .2
So I added 17 oz 10% LC per the pool math calculator and didn't have a chance to test FC before I left.

During lunch break, I changed filter, took another quick test and had FC 15, CC 0, so I added 67 oz of 12.5% LC per pool math calc to get to 20 FC, but didn't test again headed back to work. Nice and sunny today.

Just now on break and ran full numbers:
FC 18
CC 0
PH 7.6
TA 100
CH 140
CYA 50

So far no change in the pool water clarity. This pm I plan to brush and vacuum pool again.
How long does it take to see results? Last night and today I left the solar cover off. Should I keep that on or off?
I'll post numbers again after work.

Thanks!

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
Great job on having a proper test kit. During your SLAM Process. there is no need to do any testing other than for FC. Do CC when you do your Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. That will be when the pool is crystal clear.
You are now in the patience part. I encourage you to read SLAM Process. It can days to over a week to clear the pool. Your filtering system is not very robust and thus it will take time to clear.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.

 

[Dreynorgtz]

Thank you. Today I saw improvement! Finally.

Last night FC was at 14 so brought it up to 20. This am FC on a 10 ml sample was 19 (38 drops) and CC it turned pink, so one drop = .5. I retested with a 25 ml sample and FC was 20 (100 drops) and CC 0 (didn't turn pink). So wondering which is better? Not considering the fact that 10 ml sample saves on chemicals.

I am still curious about the solar cover. I once again left the solar cover off. Should I keep that on or off during SLAM?

And, can you swim in the pool while you SLAM? I mean, after it is obvious algae is dead, but like in my current situation where it is blue and clearing up? I can't quite find an answer in the forums. I saw a couple of threads with comments that chlorine is safe up to shock level, is that the same as SLAM level?

Thanks!

 

[wireform]

Chlorine is safe up to shock level but it's only safe if you can clearly see the floor in the deep end.

 

[revitup]

So wondering which is better? Not considering the fact that 10 ml sample saves on chemicals.

Neither is better than the other.

 

[mknauss]

I am still curious about the solar cover. I once again left the solar cover off. Should I keep that on or off during SLAM?

It is best to remove the solar cover each day for a few hours to let the sun impact the surface of the water. That allows for any CC to be neutralized by the UV from the sun.

 

[Newdude]

I mean, after it is obvious algae is dead, but like in my current situation where it is blue and clearing up?

Algae is unsightly but harmless. People swim in ponds and lakes across the world with tons of it. The problem is it’s the canary in the coal mine. If it’s alive, so are the person to person transmittables that are the real concern. Dosing to slam killed all the bacteria/viruses/pathogens almost immediately.

In a lake/river etc there are a bazillion more gallons to help stay away from the nasties.

 

[Dreynorgtz]

It is best to remove the solar cover each day for a few hours to let the sun impact the surface of the water. That allows for any CC to be neutralized by the UV from the sun.

Thank you. That helps. I'm now thinking that it probably has algae, since it was on when it turned green and should probably clean it off before I put it back on!

 

[Dreynorgtz]

Chlorine is safe up to shock level but it's only safe if you can clearly see the floor in the deep end.

Thank you. It's just a tube/liner pool so not deep end. Today I can see the floor vs the milky look of the past week! So definitely improving, but not crystal clear yet.

 

[Dreynorgtz]

Algae is unsightly but harmless. People swim in ponds and lakes across the world with tons of it.

Ha! Funny. I don't blink twice when we go jump in the local creek that meanders through fields of corn/beans full of pesticide runoff and cattle pastures with cows in the water, and the water is brown and foaming. But really concerned about the backyard pool.

 

[Newdude]

But really concerned about the backyard pool.

Everybody is. The entire industry revolves around clearing the terrible terrible algae, many times by adding copper which is harmful to keep the not harmful stuffs at bay. But it’s all the other stuffs that is alive too. The stuffs that get washed downstream in the river and can’t really harm you, shy of the freak occurrence of brain eating bacteria somewhere.

All that stuff gets trapped in the small pool area and you’re much more likely to come in contact with it. With any luck it’s only swimmers rash and not something worse, but still.

 

[revitup]

Ha! Funny. I don't blink twice when we go jump in the local creek that meanders through fields of corn/beans full of pesticide runoff and cattle pastures with cows in the water, and the water is brown and foaming. But really concerned about the backyard pool.

I would never do that. I pretty much wouldn’t go in anyone else’s pool! Lol

 

[stricttime]

I would never do that. I pretty much wouldn’t go in anyone else’s pool! Lol

Now that I know so much about balancing my own pool water, I just can't make myself get in a different pool, especially a public pool! And the lake that's 1/2 mile from my house? NO WAY.

 

[Dreynorgtz]

I will probably get there... I really didn't know what a clear pool looks like until I now have my own. Would it be rude to bring the taylor kit along if we visit family/friends with a pool?