6 Days Into Slam - Still Losing FC

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10:00pm last night: FC = 16ppm

6:20am this morning: FC = 13.5ppm / 14ppm (did 2 tests)

As mentioned I only lost around 0.5 / 1ppm in 12 hours during the day yesterday and I keep losing 2ppm overnight!!

I’ve not added any LQ since 6:10am yesterday morning as level was higher than SLAM target still, even though the PPM is still reading high, does the quality of the chlorine still deteriorate in the water if no more is added for a little while? Might be why it starts to break down faster if Im not adding more?
 
The higher the fc the faster the “burn off” if you will.
Let fc fall to target 🎯 levels & give the oclt another go.
Less drops to count/drop = less chance of error
 
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Ok, I just got my Taylor CYA reagent refill and have done the Taylor CYA test.

It’s a bit subjective but I filled it to 40 and could still just see the dot.

Filled it to 30 and at a glance it’s virtually gone. However if I let the water settle then I can just see a faded dot at the bottom of the cloudy water.

First picture below is filled to 30 line with settled water, 2nd picture is filled to 40 with settled water.

Would this count as 30 or 40?
Or maybe even below 30?
 

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SteveSwims said:
Ok, I just got my Taylor CYA reagent refill and have done the Taylor CYA test.

It’s a bit subjective but I filled it to 40 and could still just see the dot.

Filled it to 30 and at a glance it’s virtually gone. However if I let the water settle then I can just see a faded dot at the bottom of the cloudy water.

First picture below is filled to 30 line with settled water, 2nd picture is filled to 40 with settled water.

Would this count as 30 or 40?
Or maybe even below 30?
Click to expand...
IMO Dot is easily visible in both of those. It’s under 30.
 
Interestingly enough, my FC loss has been hovering around 0.5ppm / 1ppm since my first test this morning at around 6:20am (so about 9.5 hours now)!

Started at 14ppm at 6:20am and is now at 13.5ppm (tested at 4:00pm).

Let’s see what I get in the morning!
 
SteveSwims said:
Cool, that’s what I had figured so I’ll try to add some dry stabiliser to bro g up to a clear 30/40.

Am I ok to add the stabiliser during the SLAM though?
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It’s fine, just go easy with it and expect it to take a day or two to register on the test. It’s easier to add more than it is to remove it. But I’ll admit I’m a little bit at a loss on why you’re losing less during the day. I’d be tempted to call the slam Dunn. But that’s a very strange situation
 
SteveSwims said:
Interestingly enough, my FC loss has been hovering around 0.5ppm / 1ppm since my first test this morning at around 6:20am (so about 9.5 hours now)!

Started at 14ppm at 6:20am and is now at 13.5ppm (tested at 4:00pm).

Let’s see what I get in the morning!
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It’s going to sound silly, but I have to ask. You don’t have any chlorine systems being turned on during the day and then switched off at night do you? SWCG, stenner pump, mineral system, UV system?
 
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Bperry said:
It’s going to sound silly, but I have to ask. You don’t have any chlorine systems being turned on during the day and then switched off at night do you? SWCG, stenner pump, mineral system, UV system?
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No, nothing at all.

It’s probably about as simple a pool setup as you can get.

Single Aquagenie skimmer/return (chlorine feeder cartridge is removed), single speed pump, sand filter (believe has glass bead media inside), gas boiler with heat exchanger

I’ve added some pictures in case they help (excuse the messy plant room!)

I will say I notice a huge amount of condensation on the glass walls and plastic roof panels and n the mornings since I’ve been leaving g the pool uncovered for the last couple of weeks. Higher FC drop at night couldn’t be from evaporation at all? There’s also usually more bugs in the skimmer and at the bottom of the pool when I go out in the morning than there are during the day.
 

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SteveSwims said:
No, nothing at all.

It’s probably about as simple a pool setup as you can get.

Single Aquagenie skimmer/return (chlorine feeder cartridge is removed), single speed pump, sand filter (believe has glass bead media inside), gas boiler with heat exchanger

I’ve added some pictures in case they help (excuse the messy plant room!)

I will say I notice a huge amount of condensation on the glass walls and plastic roof panels and n the mornings since I’ve been leaving g the pool uncovered for the last couple of weeks. Higher FC drop at night couldn’t be from evaporation at all? There’s also usually more bugs in the skimmer and at the bottom of the pool when I go out in the morning than there are during the day.
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Does the pump run 24x7 or only during the day? Make sure you test only after the pump has been running at least 30 minutes.
 
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SteveSwims said:
I’ve had the pump running 24/7 for the last couple of weeks now (not looking forward to my electricity bill!)
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I’m really grasping at straws here but what type of chlorine are you adding? We don’t have anything here that’s higher than 12%. So I might check and make sure that there’s no additives in it. One other thing would be to clean your testing tube with a little rubbing alcohol. to see if it’s just weird testing error. How old are the reagents again?
 
I’m stumped!

Just tested twice in a row (currently 10:30pm) and I’m down from 13ppm/13.5ppm to 11ppm over the last 2/3 hours!!

Can’t tell you how much Im not enjoying having a pool!

Only thing different this time was that I wiped the tip of the reagent bottles with a clean damp piece of kitchen towel to remove any static. Then I got he lower result (used 2 different reagent bottles too, wiped both before each test). Maybe that could explain the higher readings earlier?

Should I top back up to SLAM target (12ppm for 30 CYA - not added more CYA yet so still rounding up to 30 in pool math) or just leave it and see what it does overnight this time?
 
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Get back to SLAM level... when you're below it, you begin losing ground. That's why it's recommended to test and dose as frequently as possible.

I think you need to start looking for potential hiding spots in the pool. Your level of FC drop doesn't match the condition of water, so something peculiar is going on...
 
reggiehammond said:
Get back to SLAM level... when you're below it, you begin losing ground. That's why it's recommended to test and dose as frequently as possible.

I think you need to start looking for potential hiding spots in the pool. Your level of FC drop doesn't match the condition of water, so something peculiar is going on...
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There’s nowhere in the pool unfortunately, it’s a single depth pool, no steps or lights etc… and a single Aqua Genie skimmer/return combo.

I’ve been at 0.5 FC loss all day and it only seems to start dropping at night.

Have just topped back up to SLAM level anyway
 
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Really strange. I was considering that perhaps you have a bit more UV than expected at times for the low CYA, but if you say all of the FC loss is occurring overnight... I'm stumped.

I'd be curious what happens if you turn off pump overnight.
 
Yeah. I do lose FC during the day but for the last few days it’s seemed to be minimal and then ramps up in the evening and overnight (not huge losses, usually 2ppm but more than it lost during the day.

It’s an indoor pool too so UV is also relatively minimal anyway.

Water is crystal clear to my eyes and CC is consistently 0.
 

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