Is that Algae?

[Mdragger88]

Ok, might need to go get some.

By the way, here is my latest test from about 10 minutes ago.

------------------------------------------
Test Results 04-19-2023 @ 09:51 AM
------------------------------------------
Free Chlorine: 6.5
Combined Chlorine: 0.0
pH: 7.9
Total Alkalinity: 100
Calcium Hardness: 80
CYA: 70

If you don’t have any acid already- get muriatic acid its in the pool area at Home Depot/lowes/ace hardware etc.
Pick up some liquid chlorine while you’re there!
Walmart only sells dry acid (here anyway) but if that’s all you have access to it will work.

 

[Clem116]

So in my latest test, CYA is 70 as I tested outside with better lighting conditions than when I did it inside a few days ago which gave me a result of 90. Could it be possible that I had the wrong CYA and my true number is 70? If it is really 70, would it make sense as to why my chlorine level is not holding high since it's not supposed to be as high since I have a lower CYA?

 

[Mdragger88]

So in my latest test, CYA is 70 as I tested outside with better lighting conditions than when I did it inside a few days ago which gave me a result of 90. Could it be possible that I had the wrong CYA and my true number is 70? If it is really 70, would it make sense as to why my chlorine level is not holding high since it's not supposed to be as high since I have a lower CYA?

The algae is why its not holding fc. Even if you don’t see visible algae it’s there. When fc dips below minimum for your cya algae proliferates. This occurred multiple times over the last month even if your cya was 70 all this time.
A swg (even an oversized one) can’t overcome an algae problem- it simply makes fc too slow & can’t out pace algae growth. It’s obviously helping keep it from exploding but that won’t last. Swg’s are maintainers for normal fc losses in an algae free pool. Hopefully your slam will be quick & not use a ton of liquid chlorine since your pool is clear. If you had visible algae the recommendation would be to drain, scrub, & start over instead of using tons of liquid chlorine & lots of time to clear it up since the pool is so small.
The sooner you start the slam the sooner you will be finished and transition back to the swg actually maintaining your fc for you.

 

[Clem116]

The algae is why its not holding fc. Even if you don’t see visible algae it’s there. When fc dips below minimum for your cya algae proliferates. This occurred multiple times over the last month even if your cya was 70 all this time.
A swg (even an oversized one) can’t overcome an algae problem- it simply makes fc too slow & can’t out pace algae growth. It’s obviously helping keep it from exploding but that won’t last. Swg’s are maintainers for normal fc losses in an algae free pool. Hopefully your slam will be quick & not use a ton of liquid chlorine since your pool is clear. If you had visible algae the recommendation would be to drain, scrub, & start over instead of using tons of liquid chlorine & lots of time to clear it up since the pool is so small.
The sooner you start the slam the sooner you will be finished and transition back to the swg actually maintaining your fc for you.

Got it, I'll go my the store asap to reduce the PH and then I'll start.

How long will it take for muriatic acid to reduce my PH to 7.2?

 

[Mdragger88]

Got it, I'll go my the store asap to reduce the PH and then I'll start.

How long will it take for muriatic acid to reduce my PH to 7.2?

15-30 minutes.
You may want to do it in 2 doses so you don’t overshoot since #small pool & its a large jump- aim for 7.6 the first time wait 15 minutes then retest & aim for 7.2

 

[Clem116]

15-30 minutes.
You may want to do it in 2 doses so you don’t overshoot since #small pool & its a large jump- aim for 7.6 the first time wait 15 minutes then retest & aim for 7.2

Thanks! And no swimming during SLAM, correct?

 

[Mdragger88]

Thanks! And no swimming during SLAM, correct?

It is safe to swim with fc between minimum & slam level for your cya so long as you can see the bottom of the pool for swimmer safety. You may not wanna wear your best suit though & rinse it out after.

 

[Clem116]

It is safe to swim with fc between minimum & slam level for your cya so long as you can see the bottom of the pool for swimmer safety. You may not wanna wear your best suit though & rinse it out after.

Hahahah thanks! I hope when I do the OCLT tonight/tomorrow morning it passes. When it does, I will let FC of 31 fall to my range, right?

 

[Mdragger88]

Hahahah thanks! I hope when I do the OCLT tonight/tomorrow morning it passes. When it does, I will let FC of 31 fall to my range, right?

Slam level for cya of 70 is 28ppm
Yes- if you pass oclt you can let fc fall back to target range of 5-10ppm.
Be sure to only use the 10ml sample (each drop counts as .5) so you don’t run out of reagents- that’s 56 drops for each test!
May wanna get a refill on order.

 

[Clem116]

Update: haven't been able to go to get chlorine and PH minus....Question though..

My FC seems to be holding well around 4ppm....Why would it hold lower then always holding at an 8ppm for example? If I had some algae or bacteria, wouldn't it bring it down to zero or maybe 1ppm as my SWG wouldn't be able to keep up anyways.

 

[Mdragger88]

The higher the fc level the faster it burns off so that factors in a little .
Also on a higher uv day you will lose more fc than on an overcast day.
& The higher the bather load the more fc loss.
It’s not really maintaining- you’ve been running the swg & still lost 2.5ppm correct?
You’ll probably be below minimum by midnight unless you add some liquid chlorine.

 

[Clem116]

The higher the fc level the faster it burns off so that factors in a little .
Also on a higher uv day you will lose more fc than on an overcast day.
& The higher the bather load the more fc loss.
It’s not really maintaining- you’ve been running the swg & still lost 2.5ppm correct?
You’ll probably be below minimum by midnight unless you add some liquid chlorine.

In 24 hrs, both tests at the same time of the morning, 9:30am, I only lost 1ppm.

 

[Mdragger88]

I was referring to these


Also - cya 60 now? This makes slam a little easier but may not be quite high enough for maintenance in sunny florida. If its anywhere between 60 & 70 it counts as 70.
Look - raising to slam level to see if you can knock out whatever might be brewing is the way to go if you want to quit tinkering with it & feel confident that you’ve removed all variables & just be able to dial in the swg.
How long are you running the swg yet still lost 1ppm? Your swg is capable of producing 4.3ppm a day in your pool if run at the max setting of 11hrs.
The oclt you did previously showed you lost a bit of fc which means you have organics in the pool consuming your fc. If you want that to stop - the slam process is the answer. It will cost you roughly a gallon of 10% bleach to reach slam level - maybe a couple more over the next couple days to Maintain. Well worth it for peace of mind.
Kicking the can down the road is not advised algae will eventually overcome. Maintaining only minimum for your cya is also not advised- that’s leaving an open invitation for algae to thrive.

 

[Clem116]

I was referring to these
View attachment 484680

Also - cya 60 now? This makes slam a little easier but may not be quite high enough for maintenance in sunny florida. If its anywhere between 60 & 70 it counts as 70.
Look - raising to slam level to see if you can knock out whatever might be brewing is the way to go if you want to quit tinkering with it & feel confident that you’ve removed all variables & just be able to dial in the swg.
How long are you running the swg yet still lost 1ppm? Your swg is capable of producing 4.3ppm a day in your pool if run at the max setting of 11hrs.
The oclt you did previously showed you lost a bit of fc which means you have organics in the pool consuming your fc. If you want that to stop - the slam process is the answer. It will cost you roughly a gallon of 10% bleach to reach slam level - maybe a couple more over the next couple days to Maintain. Well worth it for peace of mind.
Kicking the can down the road is not advised algae will eventually overcome. Maintaining only minimum for your cya is also not advised- that’s leaving an open invitation for algae to thrive.

CYA is a typo, it's at 80!

Running SWG for 6 hrs. I also JUST upgraded and installed the bigger model. Will SLAMM very soon and let you guys know.

Also, I've been told by a couple of pool professionals that have been doing pools for 30+ years in South Florida that loss of FC in the summer is VERY common and you can really lose a LOT during the summer (even now as it's been very hot and UV have been extreme).

 

[magiteck]

CYA is a typo, it's at 80!

Running SWG for 6 hrs. I also JUST upgraded and installed the bigger model. Will SLAMM very soon and let you guys know.

Also, I've been told by a couple of pool professionals that have been doing pools for 30+ years in South Florida that loss of FC in the summer is VERY common and you can really lose a LOT during the summer (even now as it's been very hot and UV have been extreme).

You will of course lose FC to the sun. There's two key points here:
1. Your SWG should be producing chlorine. It should be producing an equal or greater amount per day than you are losing to the sun. So, if you are losing 1ppm in a day with the SWG running then the SWG is not keeping up.
2. This is why we do the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. If you lose chlorine overnight (when there is no sun/UV), that means there is something in the water consuming it. If there are organics in the water, you are fighting a battle on two fronts -- the UV from the sun, and the organics. The SLAM process will take care of what's in the water, and then you're just keeping pace with the sun.

 

[Clem116]

Someone recommended me this, with the right dosage of course. Is it better than liquid chlorine to shock?

Amazon.com

 

[magiteck]

Someone recommended me this, with the right dosage of course. Is it better than liquid chlorine to shock?

Amazon.com

Better, no. Cal hypo adds chlorine and calcium to your water, as opposed to liquid chlorine which adds chlorine and a bit of salt. If your calcium hardness isn’t too high, it can be used in moderation, but continued use will cause calcium to accumulate. That can cause scaling with pool equipment.

Cal hypo is also more difficult to add safely.

It can have its place - I have low calcium water and so I do keep some on hand for times when liquid chlorine isn’t readily accessible, as it is at least shelf stable longer. But it does no better job of chlorinating the water.

 

[Mdragger88]

South Florida is no different or more special than any other sunny location like Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, or Mississippi . That’s why it’s recommended you have 70-80ppm cya -
to protect the chlorine your swg makes from the sun
those in more temperate areas may be able to get away with a lower cya. Mine needs to be 80ppm or I lose fc to the sun faster than I can make it.
Cal hypo is not better - just different.
It is also a little more expensive than liquid chlorine depending on where you buy for what you get.
56%Cal hypo- $5.45/# = 19ppm fc in your pool
10%Liquid chlorine $5.47/gal = 30ppm fc in your pool.
It is not advised to try to do the
SLAM Process with cal hypo as large amounts can cloud the water which convolutes the process.
Cal hypo must be stored separately from all other forms of chlorine because if they mix an explosion can occur

How to Chlorinate Your Pool

Before chlorinating your pool, you should know these simple tips. Learn the best way to add chlorine to your pool.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Clem116]

Alright, guys! Went to my pool store to buy chlorine so I can start SLAM. The owner of the pool store asked me why I was buying chlorine when everything looks good. I told him I was going to slam and that I needed to bring my FC to 31. He told me NOT to do that and that my pool was fine. He told me he's had the pool store for over 30 years and not to trust what's on the internet. He just told me to leave your pool as is, especially since it looks clear and perfect. He told me that I did NOT need to keep an FC of 6-11ppm. Anything from 2 to 5 ppm is good enough.

So now I am even more confused....I did an overnight test the other day and I lost 1ppm. The only issue I see is that I can't keep an FC of 6-11ppm. Always around 3-5. (I'm still adjusting my SWG).

Sorry for all the back and forth but I fee like I am ping pong ball going back and forth. THANK you for the help!

 

[mknauss]

Sorry for all the back and forth but I fee like I am ping pong ball going back and forth. THANK you for the help!

You have a decision to make. TFPC or the pool store. Pick one. Follow it. I know which one works.