What to do if I have done SLAM incorrectly?

kewpie · Apr 27, 2020

Hello,
I guess the mustard algae from last season never got resolved and now it’s back...I read the shock instructions incorrectly...I think the one for yellow mustard algae was after the normal SLAM is done...I’ve been doing the super high level for 2 days now...what should I do? I think the algae is still here...didn’t see any at 11 am but saw a bunch more at 4 pm...I’ve been trying to maintain 25 ppm at between 30-40 cya...do I let the chlorine level go down to normal slam level then try to bring up again once done? Also vacuuming once or twice daily with robot...pool just opened on Friday...

thanks!!

mknauss · Apr 27, 2020

To save your liner it would be best to let FC to come down to SLAM level. MA level is only for 24 hours.

Be sure what you are seeing is mustard algae, not pollen.

kewpie · Apr 27, 2020

Gosh I didn’t realize high chlorine is damaging to liner...it’s been at least 2 days or maybe 3 of this...is the liner going to burst suddenly? Sorry it’s just my second season so still a newbie! I also forgot to mention that I forgot to check my ph (since I was following the laminated instructions that came w the test kit and missed the ph section...dohz)....

I am pretty sure it’s the algae because it’s in the same few spots and looks like sand...but it’s slowly expanding the territory...if it’s pollen, it would be all over the bottom of the pool right?

thx for replying!

mknauss · Apr 27, 2020

The high level of chlorine will fade it mostly. Low pH can damage the liner.

Sounds like mustard algae. Hopefully you can clear it up.

kewpie · Apr 27, 2020

I have a dumb question...so I test water first thing in the morning, then put bleach in to get to target, then check again in a few hours and repeat. My question is, do I test soon after bleach is in to see if I reach target? Or is every few hours ok? I feel like I don’t know the sequence...then after the sun sets, I do another test, correct? If below target, bring up to target. Correct?

thx!

zea3 · Apr 27, 2020

It depends on how much FC you lose. If you dose the pool and check it in an hour and the FC is still close, (within 2 or 3 ppm) to target level then wait and test again in another hour. If you dose and test in an hour and the FC has dropped by 1/2 or more you need to be testing and dosing the pool more often.

kewpie · Apr 29, 2020

Hello, so I’m waiting for my FC levels to come down..I think I need it to be about 14-15 for SLAM with CYA of about 35. My question is if my FC has been so high last 3 days (about 25)..why is the algae not dead yet?? I run the robot everyday and I’m still seeing new algae after vacuum...I’m getting very discouraged and feel like giving up...what could I be possibly doing wrong? For testing, I have to squeeze the bottle to get the chemicals out...is that causing testing error? Am I supposed to wait for it to slowly drip down? My FC is still about 18 and I haven’t added any chlorine today...thanks!! Is this algae just impossible to get rid? What health issue will we get if we go in the pool with this algae?

zea3 · Apr 29, 2020

Lets see if we can pin this down. Can you post a picture of the algae? If you try to pick it up does it poof away? Does it feel slimy? What type of filter do you have? Did you test the FC after the sun went down?

kewpie · Apr 30, 2020

zea3 said:
Lets see if we can pin this down. Can you post a picture of the algae? If you try to pick it up does it poof away? Does it feel slimy? What type of filter do you have? Did you test the FC after the sun went down?

I will take a picture tomorrow! I have never physically touched it before...for the longest time last year, I thought it was sand from the install (above ground pool install last year) then as I read more here, realized it could be algae! I’ve SLAMMED and manual vacuumed last year towards end of season but no luck and ending up closing the pool right after...the pool guy wants me to use some product but I said no since I read here bleach should be sufficient and I didn’t want to mess anything else...the water is clear and never cloudy, just have these streaks of sand looking stuff appearing at the same locations even tho after vacuum I don’t see it then a few hours later, it’s back. I have a sand filter. Below is my test reading from the app today. Thx for helping!! I feel defeated like there is no end! I’ve used up almost 6 bottles of bleach...will post a pic from when it was first opened (didn’t look bad)..

kewpie · Apr 30, 2020

I forgot to say that I haven’t entered the pool yet since the water is still so cold!!

kewpie · May 1, 2020

Here are the pictures!

my reading this morning was FC 16 but CC went up from 0.5 to 1. I’m also starting to doubt my test skills...we drop until the pink color goes completely clear and not just very faint pink, right?

Thx!

zea3 · May 1, 2020

Keep the slam up. I think you are seeing algae debris dropping out of the water, along with regular dust and dirt that tends to accumulate. It is normal to see CC readings fluctuate. CC is constantly being created and destroyed as the FC oxidizes whatever is in your pool. Your pool is safe to swim in when the FC is at slam level to the bottom of your normal FC target level, as long as you can clearly see the bottom of the deepest part of the pool.
The size estimate for your pool should be at 13500 gallons. I don't know if 500 gallons will make a difference in how you dose the pool, but it might.

kewpie · May 1, 2020

So i have been noticing tiny bubbles on the sides of the wall...when I brush them off they float away kind of looking like soap suds but perfect tiny circles but with a filmy look...what are they? Are they causing the algae?
I also just tested and my FC hasn’t gone down but went up instead!! It hasn’t been a sunny day but shouldn’t it have gone down 2-3 by now?

thx!

kewpie · May 1, 2020

I will update pool size...

kewpie · May 1, 2020

Just retested and FC has gone down...so I must have done something wrong earlier? What else should I do to be rid of this algae?

aeh0603 · May 1, 2020

The best thing you can do to get rid of algae is to continue your SLAM. SLAMing is a process and FC is consumed while killing algae as well as by the sun. In the pictures you posted, you don't have too much farther to go. I noticed in your test results that your FC went up without logging a chlorine addition. Do you still have your SWG turned on? FC shouldn't go up if you didn't add any.

It looks like you are probably doing this already, but just as a refresher, while in the SLAM process you should be doing the following:

1. Test your FC at least 3 times per day. After the test, add enough FC using poolmath to get back to your SLAM target. I believe you said your CYA is 40, so your SLAM target is 16 FC.
2. Brush every surface in your pool at least once per day
3. Monitor your filter pressure and clean the filter whenever pressure rises by 25% over the clean pressure (for example, if your clean pressure is 12, 25% of 12 is 3, so you would clean your filter whenever the pressure gets to 15.)
4. run your pump 24hrs per day until SLAM is over

There are 3 criteria you need to meet to end your SLAM. You must meet all 3.
1. Clear water - this means 2 things, your water should be crystal clear to the point that you could read heads or tails of a coin in the deep end, and your water must not have any visible signs of algae.
2. CC must be 0.5 or less
3. You must pass the OCLT (overnight chlorine loss test, with no sun on your pool overnight, you must loose 1FC or less to pass)

If you are doing everything above, but not making the progress you think you should, then it's time to start looking for algae hiding spots or other factors that might be impacting your SLAM. If you think you fall into this category, post back here and we can give you some more guidance of the most probable places to start.

Keep on posting if you still have questions

kewpie · May 1, 2020

aeh0603 said:
The best thing you can do to get rid of algae is to continue your SLAM. SLAMing is a process and FC is consumed while killing algae as well as by the sun. In the pictures you posted, you don't have too much farther to go. I noticed in your test results that your FC went up without logging a chlorine addition. Do you still have your SWG turned on? FC shouldn't go up if you didn't add any.

It looks like you are probably doing this already, but just as a refresher, while in the SLAM process you should be doing the following:

1. Test your FC at least 3 times per day. After the test, add enough FC using poolmath to get back to your SLAM target. I believe you said your CYA is 40, so your SLAM target is 16 FC.
2. Brush every surface in your pool at least once per day
3. Monitor your filter pressure and clean the filter whenever pressure rises by 25% over the clean pressure (for example, if your clean pressure is 12, 25% of 12 is 3, so you would clean your filter whenever the pressure gets to 15.)
4. run your pump 24hrs per day until SLAM is over

There are 3 criteria you need to meet to end your SLAM. You must meet all 3.
1. Clear water - this means 2 things, your water should be crystal clear to the point that you could read heads or tails of a coin in the deep end, and your water must not have any visible signs of algae.
2. CC must be 0.5 or less
3. You must pass the OCLT (overnight chlorine loss test, with no sun on your pool overnight, you must loose 1FC or less to pass)

If you are doing everything above, but not making the progress you think you should, then it's time to start looking for algae hiding spots or other factors that might be impacting your SLAM. If you think you fall into this category, post back here and we can give you some more guidance of the most probable places to start.

Keep on posting if you still have questions

Thank you! I’ve been keeping my level up to SLAM level and just getting discouraged with no improvement...I think it’s day 6 now... I am brushing but not in the middle since I can’t reach there from outside... and also can’t remove the stairs since the pool guy had installed it back in. Are these going to be issues? I’ve noticed that the patches are not really near the middle or the stairs...if I can’t do this step, when can I give up? Does giving up mean algae will multiply then just try to reduce instead of eliminate at that point? My swg is off and thanks for explaining the pressure thing for the filter! I’ll keep the slam level but just don’t know how much longer I can persevere...so far, I’ve used almost 6 gallons of bleach and have 6 more in garage and picking up 12 more tomorrow...I’m running low on my Taylor reagent (won’t arrive until the next weekend)...so I feel pretty defeated at lack of progress...out of all the 3 criteria, I’m confident I can pass all except the “visible algae” one...and since I did this wrong in the beginning and had super high FC levels and did not make a dent on the algae, I’m just questioning maybe it’s time to give up..how long is a typical SLAM?
Sorry for the rant!!...thx for all the suggestions!

kewpie · May 2, 2020

This is in my skimmer basket...does it look like sand or algae or pollen? Could sand keeps coming out of my stairs and keep depositing on the same spot if my liner somehow has a crease? Trying to find reasons for why my spots are always on the same placeS and why my SLAM is not working...

zea3 · May 2, 2020

That looks like sand. Does it feel gritty? Do you have a sand filter?

TomGallopavo · May 2, 2020

That yellow stuff looks like pollen. My hair net is full of it in one day right now...

What to do if I have done SLAM incorrectly?

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