Hey guys, I haven't seen the bottom of my pool in about a month. Not sure what I'm doing wrong or how to fix it. Pool is regular chlorinated inground pool about 32k gallons. I posted a picture of the pool and my most recent numbers. The guys at my local pool store just say to add clarifier but it hasn't made a difference. Need step by step directions. Please!
Where's the bottom of my pool?
- Thread starter Domh
- Start date
- May 3, 2014
- 58,633
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Welcome to the forum!
You need to follow the SLAM Process. To do that, you need a proper test kit. I suggest the TF-100 A proper test kit is needed to get the accurate water chemistry results needed to follow the TFP protocols.
While you are waiting on your test kit, add 5 ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine / plain bleach to your pool each evening with the pump running. This will replenish the FC lost each day to the sun and also inhibit any algae in the water from growing further.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.
You need to follow the SLAM Process. To do that, you need a proper test kit. I suggest the TF-100 A proper test kit is needed to get the accurate water chemistry results needed to follow the TFP protocols.
While you are waiting on your test kit, add 5 ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine / plain bleach to your pool each evening with the pump running. This will replenish the FC lost each day to the sun and also inhibit any algae in the water from growing further.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,633
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
If your calcium hardness allows for the use of Cal Hypo, you can use some. But liquid chlorine is far easier and quicker.
You are lucky to stumble on this place. I did five years ago before I built our pool. Had the test kit and posted results of our well water before it was up. Was given plans here that I followed. Read, listened, and learned. I will not spend a hundred bucks on chemicals this year. I tested with the simple cl/ph tester today for the first time in a week. Numbers were exactly what I expected. Cl above 5, pH 7.8. Took a good swim then threw the bot in. Crystal clear luscious salt water...
Stay away from the pool store and follow the advice you are going to get here, your wallet will thank you. Good luck with the slam though I have never done one myself...knock on wood.
Stay away from the pool store and follow the advice you are going to get here, your wallet will thank you. Good luck with the slam though I have never done one myself...knock on wood.
Okay good to know. I'll grab some from the store tomorrow and throw it in the evening. I gotta ask now though...how do I know how gallons raises it 5ppm? Is it 1 gallon? 2? 5? 10?
That's promising to hear. I'm burning through money right now trying to figure it out but seems like no matter what I do it stays this opaque color and cloudy.
Just get the test kit, do what they tell you, and read pool school...
- May 3, 2014
- 58,633
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
PoolMath
Using Poolmath, for a 32000 gallon pool, 1.75 gallons of 10% liquid chlorine will add 5.5 ppm FC. That is close enough.
Using Poolmath, for a 32000 gallon pool, 1.75 gallons of 10% liquid chlorine will add 5.5 ppm FC. That is close enough.
SouthVirginiaPool
Silver Supporter
Domh - I concur with the other folks - ditch the pool store. There may be great pool stores with knowledgable employees but that was not my experience. 4 visit to the pool store, $400 later and they still couldn't fix my issues. I felt I knew more about my own pool after 2 weeks of intense reading here at TFP. It became very clear they were just throwing out the first solution that came to their mind instead of really getting to the bottom of the issue which was SIMPLE fix. Get your TF100 test kit, it is easy to learn and don't look back. My pool has been a breeze with sparkling clear water ever since I followed this sites advice
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.That appears to be the case with my pool store. I'm going to add about 10 gallons of liquid shock tomorrow evening. According to the calculator that's approximately what it'll take to hopefully clear out this cloudy pool. Wish me luck!
- May 3, 2014
- 58,633
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
I read the article like you suggested. My ph reading from the pool store was 8 so I added some ph down to bring it ideally to 7.2. I know my cya number at 54. So according to the calculator it recommends approximately 10 gallons of shock. If I assume a loss of 5 ppm of chlorine a day I can just add more shock as needed until the pool clears. Am I missing something? I'll put in an order for the test kit tomorrow but felt this could help solve my problem. Let me know if I'm misunderstanding something please! Appreciate your help!
- May 3, 2014
- 58,633
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
You do not know your CYA level. Unless you are willing to accept a pool store number.
The Shock Level and Maintain process is raising your FC to SLAM level, 40% of CYA, and Maintaining it there. So every few hours, you test your FC and raise it back to SLAM level with liquid chlorine. You cannot do this without a proper test kit.
The Shock Level and Maintain process is raising your FC to SLAM level, 40% of CYA, and Maintaining it there. So every few hours, you test your FC and raise it back to SLAM level with liquid chlorine. You cannot do this without a proper test kit.
Yea I just assumed the number they provided was accurate for my cya. I'll just order the test you recommended and then try to do it more precisely.
You wont be the first, or the last i can promise you that. But read up on the ABCs that Marty linked to in post #2. You'll start to understand the # only goes by 10s and they claimed 54. So if they were going to just throw a dart at the wall is it even close in the first place ? Nobody will ever know. Seeing how you add chlorine and possibly lots of it based on that #, its really best to know for sure.
Also, welcome !!
Ordered my kit. Should be here next Friday. Plan to add 2 gallons of shock a night until it arrives to at least maintain where I'm at. I want to buy some shock in preperation for the SLAM when it arrives. Assuming my cya is accurate at 54. How many gallons (they come in cases of 4 gallons) should I buy for the SLAM if you had to estimate?
As a reminder I have about 32k gallons and pool is cloudy and opaque looking currently.
A lot. Assuming 54 cya is correct, TFP uses 60. Slam for 60 cya is 24ppm. 1.75 gallon from zero to 5.5 ppm. VERY Roughly 3 more gallon to get to 24. You will burn through CL fairly quickly first few days, it varies. Check and add every couple hours per slam instructions. You won’t know how much each time until you test.
Some pools done in few days if stay with it and follow process, others can take week or longer.
Maybe 12 to 16 gallon to start? Knowing have to make another trip. Silly wild guess.
Some pools done in few days if stay with it and follow process, others can take week or longer.
Maybe 12 to 16 gallon to start? Knowing have to make another trip. Silly wild guess.
Appreciate the response back. When I plug the numbers into the calculator it calls for almost 9 gallons of bleach to get from 5.5 ppm to 24ppm. You mentioned roughly 3 gallons. Want to make sure I'm not screwing something up.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,633
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
What strength bleach are you assuming?
With 10%, 9 gallons of it will add 28 ppm FC to your pool volume.
With 10%, 9 gallons of it will add 28 ppm FC to your pool volume.