Proud owner of a glorious swamp!

[freqz]

99.95% sure the snake is harmless. I'd rather have one of those hanging around for rodent control than a cat-- the cat is actively plotting your demise at all times while the snake just wants to be left alone.

https://www.dnr.sc.gov/education/pdf/VenomousSnakesSC.pdf

 

[joshs2000ss]

I'm not 100% sure on this, but would the cloudy water contribute to possible false high CYA readings because the cloudy water plus the test is "thicker" than clear water?

 

[JVTrain]

How turbid was the water last time you tested CYA? Were you unable to see the steps at all? One step? Two steps?

CYA is essentially a turbidity based test. I don't know the chemistry behind the reaction but the reagent binds with CYA in the sample and causes an increase in turbidity. If your water is turbid before even adding reagent for this particular test, your result will be biased high.

If your water was very turbid when you last tested, your water could have had very little CYA but shown up high due to high amounts of other suspended solids.

I'd say trust your results now, with more clear pool water than earlier results.

 

[Casey]

The water looks a lot better since I last visited this thread.

 

[scriptorum]

How turbid was the water last time you tested CYA? Were you unable to see the steps at all? One step? Two steps?

CYA is essentially a turbidity based test. I don't know the chemistry behind the reaction but the reagent binds with CYA in the sample and causes an increase in turbidity. If your water is turbid before even adding reagent for this particular test, your result will be biased high.

If your water was very turbid when you last tested, your water could have had very little CYA but shown up high due to high amounts of other suspended solids.

I'd say trust your results now, with more clear pool water than earlier results.

It was very turbid when I measured a CYA of 55. You could not see the second step. I had read about people straining through coffee filters, but did not think about that when I did it. Now you can see clear through the sample in the water bottle.

Okay, let's say I trust these results. My CYA is then well under 30. In the picture you can see I've got that cylinder full to the brim and the dot is clear as day. For all I know my CYA could be 0. I've been dosing the pool as if it's been CYA 55, targeting FC 22. I've used a lot of bleach. About 70 gallons worth so far. How should I proceed from here?

 

[kriscaryb]

I'm new here so I won't comment on the pool chemistry questions....but as for the snake... The only 'good' snake is a dead one!

 

[Beens]

I'm letting the experts lead you here (soon hopefully) but just letting you know high fc doesn't affect cya test as far as I've ever seen here so you can trust the results. If it was maybe a little lower than you thought at first, all the back washing and refilling definitely could have brought it down. Seems like lower fc would be needed at this point.

Let's see what the experts say!

As far as the snake, ewww and omg!

Frogs and alligators and snakes! Oh my! It really is a swamp!

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk

 

[bmoreswim]

That's just a garden hose, don't worry about it.

 

[JesseWV]

It's hard to say whats really going on here.

Yes, you could have had inaccurate results from the cloudy water, but with the small amount in the test tube it couldn't have been that much. Even pretty cloudy water looks almost clear when there's that little of it. I think it's more likely that Beens is correct about losing much of it to backwashing.

Either way I wouldn't worry about the overdosing. Most of the bleach, aside from what got burned off in the sun, went to good use and without a vinyl liner you don't have the risk of bleaching it.

If you're sure the under 30 result is accurate, add enough CYA to raise it 30 ppm. That way you end up somewhere between 30-60. Test again a week after it's dissolved and see where you're at.

In the mean time it might be better to plug in 15ppm CYA for SLAM purposes. Perhaps someone else can chime in about lower CYA levels? Is there a way to test lower for than 30?

Okay, let's say I trust these results. My CYA is then well under 30. In the picture you can see I've got that cylinder full to the brim and the dot is clear as day. For all I know my CYA could be 0. I've been dosing the pool as if it's been CYA 55, targeting FC 22. I've used a lot of bleach. About 70 gallons worth so far. How should I proceed from here?

 

[scriptorum]

Day 9 - Hour 9 - FC:18 CC:<1 CYA:<30 - Cloudy

It's hard to say whats really going on here.

Yes, you could have had inaccurate results from the cloudy water, but with the small amount in the test tube it couldn't have been that much. Even pretty cloudy water looks almost clear when there's that little of it. I think it's more likely that Beens is correct about losing much of it to backwashing.

Either way I wouldn't worry about the overdosing. Most of the bleach, aside from what got burned off in the sun, went to good use and without a vinyl liner you don't have the risk of bleaching it.

If you're sure the under 30 result is accurate, add enough CYA to raise it 30 ppm. That way you end up somewhere between 30-60. Test again a week after it's dissolved and see where you're at.

In the mean time it might be better to plug in 15ppm CYA for SLAM purposes. Perhaps someone else can chime in about lower CYA levels? Is there a way to test lower for than 30?

I'm not sure the 30 is accurate at all. My readings have been >100, 55, and <30 ... obviously I've got some CYA testing issues here.

I have a hard time believing backwashing could account for the 25+ ppm reduction of CYA, that would require changing almost half my pool water, wouldn't it? I backwashed maybe 5-6 times, losing say 80 gpm for 2 minutes at a time * 6 backwashes = 1000 gallons, which is only 1/15th of my pool. That's at worst a 4ppm CYA drop, if my math is right.

I'll progress as you suggest, adding 30 ppm CYA tonight and (for now) targeting a new SLAM FC of 10ppm. Since it's at 18 right now, I'll tell the bleach jugs to stand down.

If it takes a week to dissolve CYA, I gather this occurs gradually, so maybe tomorrow I should treat my CYA as 20, the next day at 25, etc.?

 

[kimkats]

That is a skink. They are neat critters. They are a legless lizard instead of a snake. He and the gator could be friends LOL

Kim

 

[krazykrames]

That's just a garden hose, don't worry about it.

Thats what I was thinking... you just killed a garden hose!

 

[Beens]

I found something on my pool this morning that I think would be a great addition to your growing collection!



Pretty sure that's a black widow.

 

[scriptorum]

Day 10 - Hour - FC:14

My phone is drained, so these photos were taken from my laptop camera, which apparently takes mirrored shots. Nice job, Apple. Anyhow, you can more clearly see the inset design on the third step. Pressure had risen from 10 to not even 10.5 PSI.

Yesterday I added 30oz stabilizer to a sock, tied to a brick, and placed it next to a return line. Squeezed it a few times this morning and it's nearly empty. This should raise CYA by 15ppm. Later, I'll add another 30oz as part of JesseWV's recommendation to raise the CYA by 30ppm, bringing it to - maybe - 30-60 ppm.

Engaged the help of one of my guests to deep clean the sand filter. I would have taken photos but my phone was dead. Removing the head and disconnecting it from the pipes was a lot easier than I anticipated. Probing with the garden hose was a bit harder (not a double entendre). I found it hard to visualize where the laterals were. It seemed like there was one at 0°, 90°, and a couple spread about 180°. Could be a broken lateral or could be the curvature of the hose threw me off. Didn't know when to stop the procedure, the water never really came out "clear." Just stopped after 5 minutes or so.

Afterwards I did a backwash and rinse, now I'm adding water back. Baseline pressure is now at about 9.5 PSI, so I take that as a good sign.

That snake is still around. It is two-feet long and textured alarmingly like a garden hose. While deep cleaning the sand filter another snake came out and hid under the pump, however this one was miniature.

 

[yardoasis]

Love this thread! I'm learning a lot here, and now you're seeing the 3rd step... that's progress.

 

[scriptorum]

Day 10 - Hour 2 - FC:11 CC:0 CYA:<30

CYA still shows as under 30 but there is some cloudiness to it. I really wish I coffee-strained that water before doing my initial CYA test at the start of the SLAM.

Water is slowly looking better. Third step is clearer. PSI has risen to 10 so filtration is happening.

Adding a smidge of bleach.

 

[czipper]

Day 10 - Hour 2 - FC:11 CC:0 CYA:<30

CYA still shows as over 30 but there is some cloudiness to it. I really wish I coffee-strained that water before doing my initial CYA test at the start of the SLAM.

Water is slowly looking better. Third step is clearer. PSI has risen to 10 so filtration is happening.

Adding a smidge of bleach.

I have been slamming for a week without really adding any CYA and the pool keeps clearing nicely with FC in the teens. Starting to add CYA now that my pool is close to clear. As long as you've been at it, I am surprised at the level of cloudiness still apparent. Is it worth to consider that there might some sort of chemical precipitate in the pool (Calcium a candidate;
http://www.bluescience.com/swimming-pools/posts/how-do-i-get-rid-of-cloudy-pool-water/).
Keep an eye on your pH, and might there be high phosphate? Google search: calcium phosphate precipitation

 

[scriptorum]

I have been slamming for a week without really adding any CYA and the pool keeps clearing nicely with FC in the teens. Starting to add CYA now that my pool is close to clear. As long as you've been at it, I am surprised at the level of cloudiness still apparent. Is it worth to consider that there might some sort of chemical precipitate in the pool (Calcium a candidate;
http://www.bluescience.com/swimming-pools/posts/how-do-i-get-rid-of-cloudy-pool-water/).
Keep an eye on your pH, and might there be high phosphate? Google search: calcium phosphate precipitation

I brought pH to 7.3 before starting the SLAM. I have not tested it since then, as FC has generally been over 10. Calcium was about 270ppm. I don't know my phosphate level or how to test for it, but I've been lead to believe on this forum that phosphates can generally be safely ignored.

 

[scriptorum]

Day 10 - Hour 5 - FC:7.5 CC:0 CYA:~25 - 30oz stabilizer added on day 9 - Sunny day

Adding about 100oz of 8.25% bleach. It's possible some of today's cloudiness is from having added stabilizer yesterday. Although you can't see to the bottom, it's visible a couple steps down, and we could not help ourselves from dipping our feet into the pool. After we get some adult beverages into us, I have a feeling someone is going to dive in. Risks, besides gator attack?

 

[scriptorum]

As the sun retreats, the pool is looking clearer, little by little. I'm hoping to see big changes overnight.

I just raked, so the water is a little rolling, but believe me that third step is looking more inviting than it has been.

PSI is climbing very slowly. If I can find a local source for pool-grease diatomaceous earth, I may add some tomorrow.

Let those of us who have never shoved 30 ounces of stabilizer into a stocking throw the first brick that its tied to, or dangle it in front of a return vent.