SLAM/Floccing and a Potential Blind Vaccum. Ingenius ideas needed from the TFP brains trust.

[Reubzy]

Thank you all for the links and positive encouragement, will report back after a few more days at it.

One quick query hopefully you guys can answer. I’ve not done many CYA tests with my kit and it’s one of the disappearing black spot ones in the base. Does this still work reliably with such murky water?

 

[HermanTX]

I’ve not done many CYA tests with my kit and it’s one of the disappearing black spot ones in the base. Does this still work reliably with such murky water?

there is no reason to test CYA unless you have exchanged water during the SLAM. Did you test CYA prior to this?

Also, one way is to pour just the pool water into the CYA vial. If you can see the Black Dot (no R-0013 reagent added) then it should be OK to test CYA with the current pool water and use the R-0013 reagent to make the solution.

 

[Reubzy]

Hi Team!

I thought I’d provide an update on the progress. I’ve been SLAMing non stop since our posts and it’s still ongoing. After 6-8 blind vacuum sessions I made the call to switch it back to filter.

I’ve been filtering for around a week now with the free chlorine at SLAM level and the pool has cleared right up.

It seems there are sludge stains that I may need to continue to brush to lift or use a pressure cleaner? Anyhow things seem to be getting much more positive and just wanted to provide an update to say thank you for all your help TFP!

Still a bit to go but well progressed now!

 

[Reubzy]

Oh and on that note I never posted a before photo because I didn’t have one. I did take this photo when I was sorting out the drainage around the pool though and you can see the water as it was previously for those that are interested.

 

[mgtfp]

Hi Team!

I thought I’d provide an update on the progress. I’ve been SLAMing non stop since our posts and it’s still ongoing. After 6-8 blind vacuum sessions I made the call to switch it back to filter.

I’ve been filtering for around a week now with the free chlorine at SLAM level and the pool has cleared right up.

It seems there are sludge stains that I may need to continue to brush to lift or use a pressure cleaner? Anyhow things seem to be getting much more positive and just wanted to provide an update to say thank you for all your help TFP!

Still a bit to go but well progressed now!

View attachment 467712

Good progress, well done!

Did you vacuum a lot to waste? Might be a good time to confirm your CYA level to make sure you are not wasting heaps of chlorine by going way above SLAM for your CYA.

Oh and on that note I never posted a before photo because I didn’t have one. I did take this photo when I was sorting out the drainage around the pool though and you can see the water as it was previously for those that are interested.

Wow. You could ask a Pool Service for a quote to clear that up. From the money you saved by DIY, you might have already saved up for a nice holiday

 

[Reubzy]

Good progress, well done!

Did you vacuum a lot to waste? Might be a good time to confirm your CYA level to make sure you are not wasting heaps of chlorine by going way above SLAM for your CYA.




Wow. You could ask a Pool Service for a quote to clear that up. From the money you saved by DIY, you might have already saved up for a nice holiday

Thanks! I’ve certainly paid in time and effort though!

CYA is at 30 according to my reagent test kit and I verified with the pool shop who have some kind of disk spinner

 

[Reubzy]

Good progress, well done!

Did you vacuum a lot to waste? Might be a good time to confirm your CYA level to make sure you are not wasting heaps of chlorine by going way above SLAM for your CYA.




Wow. You could ask a Pool Service for a quote to clear that up. From the money you saved by DIY, you might have already saved up for a nice holiday

Yep and did 6-8 sessions vacuum to waste

 

[HermanTX]

I’ve been filtering for around a week now with the free chlorine at SLAM level and the pool has cleared right up.

Great work. It has been a lot of effort on your part but you have made great progress.
Continue with your current program. Those stains may lift with continued brushing with the SLAM chlorine level.

See article on Stains below. Hopefully those are organic stains and may continue to lighten as you proceed.

Stains in Your Pool

The stained pool is beyond embarrassing. Our in-depth Guide to remove stains in your pool will help you to remove the stains and prevent them in the future.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[kimkats]

Well, well, well.....................you HAVE been busy!!! Well done!! I am hoping if you keep the FC towards the upper end for your CYA and keep brushing it those stains might just lightly up over time!!!

 

[Reubzy]

Thanks All!

Any advice for when I can bring the chlorine to swim level?

Once I pass the SLAM tests?

 

[Reubzy]

Great work. It has been a lot of effort on your part but you have made great progress.
Continue with your current program. Those stains may lift with continued brushing with the SLAM chlorine level.

See article on Stains below. Hopefully those are organic stains and may continue to lighten as you proceed.

Stains in Your Pool

The stained pool is beyond embarrassing. Our in-depth Guide to remove stains in your pool will help you to remove the stains and prevent them in the future.

www.troublefreepool.com

Thanks for the link Herman

 

[Newdude]

Any advice for when I can bring the chlorine to swim level?

Once I pass the SLAM tests

Yup. Maintain SLAM until

Clear water / no algae / dead or alive
CC's .5 or less
Pass OCLT

*my personal preference is to hold SLAM a day or two longer just for insurance. When the FC holds at the end, it's far easier to keep.going than it is to start over if you quit too early.

 

[mgtfp]

Thanks All!

Any advice for when I can bring the chlorine to swim level?

Once I pass the SLAM tests?

You are at swim level.

A pool is safe to swim in up to SLAM-FC (for the current CYA level), as long as the water is clear enough to see the bottom of the pool.

 

[Reubzy]

You are at swim level.

A pool is safe to swim in up to SLAM-FC (for the current CYA level), as long as the water is clear enough to see the bottom of the pool.

What really? With the chlorine this high at SLAM it’s still okay to swim? Won’t give me any issues?

 

[Newdude]

What really? With the chlorine this high at SLAM it’s still okay to swim?

Bloody oath mate.

 

[Reubzy]

Bloody oath mate.

Don’t get me so excited big boy, it’s 34 up here at the moment

 

[Newdude]

Swimming is safe from minimum FC, up to and including SLAM FC. You also need to see bottom for safety purposes, in case of swimmer rescue.

Have a go.

 

[Reubzy]

One more issue I’d love some guidance on, is it seems I have residual (hard to spot with the eye) floc on the floor of the pool.

As when I do a scrubbing it stirs up a thin layer of dirt/silt that must have settled with flocculant and makes the pool cloudy again.

My current strategy is ignore that it makes it cloudy and continue to scrub stains and sides/floor of pool. Then hope the sand filter can handle it.

I also note that I’ve added a small amount of DE Powder after my last backwash to try and help the filter catch the residual floc

 

[mgtfp]

What really? With the chlorine this high at SLAM it’s still okay to swim? Won’t give me any issues?

TFP chlorine levels take into account that most of the chlorine is in a bond with CYA where it is protected from UV, but not available as a sanitiser / oxidiser anymore.

Unfortunately, chlorine bonded to CYA still shows up in the FC test. That's why TFP FC levels are higher than standard recommendations, to ensure sufficient, but also not too much, "active" chlorine, or HOCl.

Going properly through the chemistry and its maths shows that same ratios of FC/CYA yield the same amounts of HOCl (at least at typical TFP-levels, at higher FC levels the relationship between HOCl and FC/CYA gets more complex).

Turns out that TFP's SLAM-FC (for example 12ppm at CYA 30, or 24ppm at CYA 60) is in terms of HOCl concentration equivalent to FC 0.64ppm with no CYA in the water.

That's why the water in a public indoor pool (usually without CYA) feels like it could melt your skin away, even though their FC might "only" be 3ppm - but these 3ppm without CYA are equivalent to 24ppm in your pool with CYA 30, or 45 ppm at CYA 60).

That's also the reason why TFP recommends a little CYA even in indoor pools - not as a stabiliser against UV, but as a conditioner to take the harshness out of chlorine.

Just enjoy your pool, you have earned it.

 

[mgtfp]

One more issue I’d love some guidance on, is it seems I have residual (hard to spot with the eye) floc on the floor of the pool.

As when I do a scrubbing it stirs up a thin layer of dirt/silt that must have settled with flocculant and makes the pool cloudy again.

My current strategy is ignore that it makes it cloudy and continue to scrub stains and sides/floor of pool. Then hope the sand filter can handle it.

I also note that I’ve added a small amount of DE Powder after my last backwash to try and help the filter catch the residual floc

Floc is something that you really want to keep out of a filter. It can clogg up the sand to the level where you have to replace the sand.

Best would be to get as much as possible straight to waste. I'd let it settle and then vacuum slowly to waste, maybe even on a relatively slow pump speed to minimise the water waste.

Eventually, you'll have to vacuum through the filter. Hopefully, the sand will not get too clogged up. Once you are sure that no more floc is in the pool (also check hidden spots like behind the lights), I'd recommend a filter deep clean as described here:

Sand Filter Use and Care - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com