Flock waste

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Eric K.

Bronze Supporter
Apr 18, 2016
60
Hilo, HI
I used flocculant for the first time this weekend. I concluded a SLAM with cloudy water because the FC seemed steady and I didn't want to keep running the pump 24/7. The flock brought the water to crystal clear overnight. I vacuumed to waste, then again the next day because the flocked stuff wasn't all out.

My question is about the stuff that came out and settled in my yard on the initial vac. When picking at it, it has the consistency of bacon fat left in a cooled pan. Is this the normal output?

If so, does it dissipate? If not a normal output, do I have other issues going on? It's in an area of the yard where we don't go to too much, but it is a bit of an eyesore.

JIC numbers a couple of hours prior to the initial vac-to-waste:
FC 2.0
CC 0.0
pH 7.2
TA 80
CH 250
CYA 20

Since the 2nd vac, I put the pump/filter back on, and the FC is coming up with new pours. Stabilizer has been hard to find here, but I'll keep looking. Thanks!
 
What you are seeing is why it is a good thing you sent the gunk to waste. Just think of what that would do to your filter! Yes it is normal. You can rake it to help spread it out a bit and over time it will get watered into the ground or you can rake it into as much a pile as you can and try to get it up to thrown in a bag then into the trash.
 
Eric K. said:
I used flocculant for the first time this weekend. I concluded a SLAM with cloudy water because the FC seemed steady and I didn't want to keep running the pump 24/7. The flock brought the water to crystal clear overnight. I vacuumed to waste, then again the next day because the flocked stuff wasn't all out.

My question is about the stuff that came out and settled in my yard on the initial vac. When picking at it, it has the consistency of bacon fat left in a cooled pan. Is this the normal output?

If so, does it dissipate? If not a normal output, do I have other issues going on? It's in an area of the yard where we don't go to too much, but it is a bit of an eyesore.

JIC numbers a couple of hours prior to the initial vac-to-waste:
FC 2.0
CC 0.0
pH 7.2
TA 80
CH 250
CYA 20

Since the 2nd vac, I put the pump/filter back on, and the FC is coming up with new pours. Stabilizer has been hard to find here, but I'll keep looking. Thanks!
Click to expand...
How are you chlorinating the water?
 
Eric K. said:
I used flocculant for the first time this weekend. I concluded a SLAM with cloudy water because the FC seemed steady and I didn't want to keep running the pump 24/7. The flock brought the water to crystal clear overnight. I vacuumed to waste, then again the next day because the flocked stuff wasn't all out.

My question is about the stuff that came out and settled in my yard on the initial vac. When picking at it, it has the consistency of bacon fat left in a cooled pan. Is this the normal output?

If so, does it dissipate? If not a normal output, do I have other issues going on? It's in an area of the yard where we don't go to too much, but it is a bit of an eyesore.

JIC numbers a couple of hours prior to the initial vac-to-waste:
FC 2.0
CC 0.0
pH 7.2
TA 80
CH 250
CYA 20

Since the 2nd vac, I put the pump/filter back on, and the FC is coming up with new pours. Stabilizer has been hard to find here, but I'll keep looking. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Depending on how fast your pump is set to run, you may be able to turn it down and run it 24x7 at low speed and use less energy than running it high speed only during the day. Something to consider in the future.
 
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kimkats said:
What you are seeing is why it is a good thing you sent the gunk to waste. Just think of what that would do to your filter! Yes it is normal. You can rake it to help spread it out a bit and over time it will get watered into the ground or you can rake it into as much a pile as you can and try to get it up to thrown in a bag then into the trash.
Click to expand...
Thanks. Good to know this is gunk is normal. I'll mix it up to dissipate it more.
 
Fc of 2 is tooo low! You’ll be slamming again soon if you don’t get the fc up & the cya too (30/40ppm) in sunny Hawaii 😎
FC/CYA Levels you want to stay in target 🎯 range
200.gif
 
Last edited:
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JJ_Tex said:
Like most shortcuts in life, there are downfalls.

Obviously, you didn't pass the 3 criteria to end the SLAM with cloudy water. Did you pass the OCLT?
Click to expand...
Right, I didn't do the OCLT. Before pouring in the flock in the evening, my FC went from a morning 3.5 to an evening 3.0 on a partly sunny day with CYA less than 20. I was satisfied enough to take a short cut with the flock and avoid running the pump for even more days.
 
Mdragger88 said:
Fc of 2 is tooo low! You’ll be slamming again soon if you don’t get the fc up & the cya too (30/40ppm) in sunny Hawaii 😎
FC/CYA Levels you want to stay in target 🎯 range
200.gif
Click to expand...
Yep. It's back up to 3.5 today. I'll try another store today for stabilizer. Is there a shortage of it or something? I'm supplementing with pucks until I find the stabilizer. Where I live in Hilo, the motto is "Hilo, where rain reigns." Sunny days are welcome, especially by our PV panels.
 
As a now reformed user of a LOT of floc over decades - no harm to the lawn or plantings. At worst, if unsightly, just rake to distribute and let mother nature take care of it.
 
Eric K. said:
Right, I didn't do the OCLT. Before pouring in the flock in the evening, my FC went from a morning 3.5 to an evening 3.0 on a partly sunny day with CYA less than 20. I was satisfied enough to take a short cut with the flock and avoid running the pump for even more days.
Click to expand...
3.5 ppm isn’t doing the
SLAM Process it’s barely maintenance level fc for a cya of 20.
IMG_7222.jpegIMG_7221.jpeg
You should do an
Overnight Chlorine Loss Test at around high target fc level before calling it good. Then increase the cya a little.
 
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Eric K. said:
Right, I didn't do the OCLT. Before pouring in the flock in the evening, my FC went from a morning 3.5 to an evening 3.0 on a partly sunny day with CYA less than 20. I was satisfied enough to take a short cut with the flock and avoid running the pump for even more days.
Click to expand...
Ok, just make sure you are always staying in the target FC range or even a bit higher to avoid allowing another algae outbreak. I made a chart to help me keep all of the ranges straight and help me stay far away from the minimum FC level. Its pasted below if helpful.

Also on the comment on avoiding running your pump for even more days. You have a VS pump and should be able to run it at a very low and energy-efficient speed. I run mine 24/7, with most of the time at about 1,200 RPMs which uses the same amount of electricity as a ceiling fan.

1693266116057.png
 
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Eric K. said:
Now that you mention it, I will do a OCLT tonight. I had considered the SLAM complete once I flocked, but I can double check with the OCLT. Thanks.
Click to expand...
You wanna be absolutely certain you’re done & nip it in the bud now if you’re not. Starting slam all over after algae rears it’s ugly head again will be pricey with such a large pool.
 
JJ_Tex said:
Ok, just make sure you are always staying in the target FC range or even a bit higher to avoid allowing another algae outbreak. I made a chart to help me keep all of the ranges straight and help me stay far away from the minimum FC level. Its pasted below if helpful.

Also on the comment on avoiding running your pump for even more days. You have a VS pump and should be able to run it at a very low and energy-efficient speed. I run mine 24/7, with most of the time at about 1,200 RPMs which uses the same amount of electricity as a ceiling fan.

View attachment 525769
Click to expand...
I like your chart. The one I have on my testing bench is a boring black and white chart. I'll experiment with 1,200 RPMs again. I stopped because we have a waterfall return, and lower speeds makes more a of trickling waterfall, and had a sound that seemed louder than the full flow.
 

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