Need SLAM help, please!!

Here’s a couple pics, but not very good! The second pic shows all the gunk floating around in the pool!
Keep your robot running as much as possible and keep changing out its basket. Any kind of decaying organic matter consumes chlorine and the sand and dirt just needs to come out anyway so you can tell when it’s actually clean.
 
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Ok, just updated my tests. Slam looks like it’s being close to being done. I vacuumed out as much of the organics at the bottom as I could. Water looked the best it has in a whil this morning. Forgot to take a pic, but will get one later. CYA level dropped prob because I’ve backwashed so much. Should I go ahead and add CYA now or just finish the slam at a lower level. Also, I took my robot to Leslie’s to do some warranty work and had a water test done for fun while I was there. Everything was pretty close to my readings except they said I had 1.1 ppm of iron. Is that a worry? How do I get that down?
 
Are u logging in PoolMath? All i see is a log from 3 days ago.
If not just list your results (not Leslie’s) here
If cya is 20 or above just wait to add cya until u are done & pass ALL 3 end of slam criteria.
Keep vacuuming & put that robot to work!
Are u on a well?
Here’s some info on iron👇
 
Are u logging in PoolMath? All i see is a log from 3 days ago.
If not just list your results (not Leslie’s) here
If cya is 20 or above just wait to add cya until u are done & pass ALL 3 end of slam criteria.
Keep vacuuming & put that robot to work!
Are u on a well?
Here’s some info on iron👇
I just subscribed to the poolmath app and logged my results from today. I’ve had to backwash and refill some pool water a few times so my CYA dropped. The results I just added were from my Taylor test kit. Robot isn’t working which is why I took it in to Leslie’s for warranty work. They told me I have 1.1 ppm of iron. I don’t have a test kit to test for iron myself. We are not on a well and have never had any problems with iron before. Here’s how the pool is looking today.
 

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Ok, should be done with my slam, finally!!! Water is looking good! FC lost overnight was only 1. CC was 0. I’m gonna do one more OCLT tonight just to be sure. What would my next steps be? I need to install my new SWCG cell. The old one went bad which is what caused the pool to go green to begin with. I logged my current test results this morning. What adjustments should I make and in what order? Trying to learn the TFP way to do things after being pool stored for so long!
 
Ok, should be done with my slam, finally!!! Water is looking good! FC lost overnight was only 1. CC was 0. I’m gonna do one more OCLT tonight just to be sure. What would my next steps be? I need to install my new SWCG cell. The old one went bad which is what caused the pool to go green to begin with. I logged my current test results this morning. What adjustments should I make and in what order? Trying to learn the TFP way to do things after being pool stored for so long!
Install your SWCG and turn it on. Maybe bump your CYA level up a little when you’re absolutely sure the SLAM is done.
 
You will need to increase your cya to around 70 to prevent the sun from eating the chlorine faster than your swg makes it.
use the sock method & add about 1/2 of what poolmath calls for then retest in a day or so & add the remaining amount needed to get to 70. You don’t wanna over shoot it.
As soon as u have the sock in the water assume that’s your new cya level & chlorinate accordingly- FC/CYA Levels
Put the cell in & turn it on - is it the same ic60 as in your signature?
If so running it @ 100% for 10hrs a day should yeild u around 3ppm fc a day. Most residential pools use 2-4 ppm/day give or take.
You can play around with run times & percentages in PoolMath effects of adding in the hamburger menu (select swg, then w/ the 🔍 select ic60)
Manage your ph with muriatic acid keeping it in the 7’s - this will lower your ta over time.
Turn on csi tracking in poolmath
Maintaining csi within Recommended Levels will prevent build up on your new cell.
Only clean the cell if u see build up & even then try to get it off gently w/ a popsicle stick or credit card before resorting to cleaning it with diluted acid/vinegar as those dissolve the precious metals/coating on the cell & that decreases its life.
 
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GREAT JOB!!!!

First, know that pH test is invalid until FC is below 10. Retest when FC below 11. Do nothing with pH until then.

I would get about 10 pounds of stabilizer (100% CYA). Use pool math and add enough to get CYA to 50. Will help with LC usage until you have your cell setup. When you know it is running, then raise your CYA to 70.

Always use the FC/CYA Levels to maintain your FC level at the high end of target. This gives you protection from a large FC demand day. Test FC and add LC everyday to maintain FC until you get the cell in and running.
 
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You will need to increase your cya to around 70 to prevent the sun from eating the chlorine faster than your swg makes it.
use the sock method & add about 1/2 of what poolmath calls for then retest in a day or so & add the remaining amount needed to get to 70. You don’t wanna over shoot it.
As soon as u have the sock in the water assume that’s your new cya level & chlorinate accordingly- FC/CYA Levels
Put the cell in & turn it on - is it the same ic60 as in your signature?
If so running it @ 100% for 10hrs a day should yeild u around 3ppm fc a day. Most residential pools use 2-4 ppm/day give or take.
You can play around with run times & percentages in PoolMath effects of adding in the hamburger menu (select swg, then w/ the 🔍 select ic60)
Manage your ph with muriatic acid keeping it in the 7’s - this will lower your ta over time.
Turn on csi tracking in poolmath
Maintaining csi within Recommended Levels will prevent build up on your new cell.
Only clean the cell if u see build up & even then try to get it off gently w/ a popsicle stick or credit card before resorting to cleaning it with diluted acid/vinegar as those dissolve the precious metals/coating on the cell & that decreases its life.
I’m not sure what the sock method is. I do have 4 gallons of instant conditioner that I bought over winter when it was on sale. According to the app, I need 4 gallons, but can start off with 3 and retest. Yes, just replacing the cell on my SWCG with the same IC60. I just added it in the app and will play around with it. Should I always run it at 100%, or turn it down a bit once things get back to normal? Thanks for your help!
 
GREAT JOB!!!!

First, know that pH test is invalid until FC is below 10. Retest when FC below 11. Do nothing with pH until then.

I would get about 10 pounds of stabilizer (100% CYA). Use pool math and add enough to get CYA to 50. Will help with LC usage until you have your cell setup. When you know it is running, then raise your CYA to 70.

Always use the FC/CYA Levels to maintain your FC level at the high end of target. This gives you protection from a large FC demand day. Test FC and add LC everyday to maintain FC until you get the cell in and running.
Thanks for all your help!! You’ve helped me tremendously. Where is a good place to buy conditioner? Online? I have a 7lb bag and I have 4 gallons of instant conditioner here at the house. Figured it might be better to use the instant first. 🤷‍♂️ Still brushing cloudy stuff off the bottom, but seems like it’s SLOWLY getting better.
 

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If you have that much, you are fine, no need to buy more. Use pool math (liquid stabilizer in Pool Math for the "instant conditioner" and Dry stabilizer for the 7lb bag). Decide which route you are going, and add enough to get to 50. This will tell us if your pool size is right, and we can raise to 70 when you get the cell in.

Sock method: Put dry stabilizer in a sock, tie it off with twine, drop in a skimmer. Wait 30 minutes and start squeezing. Takes me 30 minutes to squeeze 7lbs. You can also hang in front of a return about a foot out. Please wait 24-48 hours to retest CYA, it takes a while to circulate. Ask me how I know.

If you use the instant, pour it in the skimmer, fill bottle half way, swirl, pour in skimmer. Repeat until clear water comes out. You must add the entire bottle this way.

I'm proud of the decision you made, even with your back issues. I think you made the right choice on many level. Good for your soul too. As long as it didn't aggravate your back.
 
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I just added it in the app and will play around with it. Should I always run it at 100%, or turn it down a bit once things get back to normal?
In pool math, use "effects of adding," use SWG and make sure cell and pool size is correct. You can play around with pump run times and % to get the FC you need on a daily basis.
 
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If you have that much, you are fine, no need to buy more. Use pool math (liquid stabilizer in Pool Math for the "instant conditioner" and Dry stabilizer for the 7lb bag). Decide which route you are going, and add enough to get to 50. This will tell us if your pool size is right, and we can raise to 70 when you get the cell in.

Sock method: Put dry stabilizer in a sock, tie it off with twine, drop in a skimmer. Wait 30 minutes and start squeezing. Takes me 30 minutes to squeeze 7lbs. You can also hang in front of a return about a foot out. Please wait 24-48 hours to retest CYA, it takes a while to circulate. Ask me how I know.

If you use the instant, pour it in the skimmer, fill bottle half way, swirl, pour in skimmer. Repeat until clear water comes out. You must add the entire bottle this way.

I'm proud of the decision you made, even with your back issues. I think you made the right choice on many level. Good for your soul too. As long as it didn't aggravate your back.
I’m glad I decided to slam, also! Just hoping I never have to do it again, lol! I didn’t aggrevate my back any more than it already is, but the physical therapy exercises have probably been helping, especially after brushing and vacuuming! I’ve learned a lot and glad I took your and others advice here. Just needed time, patience, and a lot of LC! So just keep squeezing the sock in the skimmer until the stabilizer is gone? Any advice on where to buy things like stabilizer in the future? I’m also kinda worried about the iron that Leslie’s told me I have. I’ve NEVER had an iron issue before so I’m kinda taking it with a grain of salt. Tomorrow I’m going to check fc in morning again just to double check and then get the new cell installed in the evening.
 
I’m not sure what the sock method is. I do have 4 gallons of instant conditioner that I bought over winter when it was on sale. According to the app, I need 4 gallons, but can start off with 3 and retest. Yes, just replacing the cell on my SWCG with the same IC60. I just added it in the app and will play around with it. Should I always run it at 100%, or turn it down a bit once things get back to normal? Thanks for your help!
The liquid cya will work - just be sure to use an entire gallon at a time & rinse the bottle well with water & shake & pour that in the pool too. The cya tends to stick (glob up) in the bottle so using anything less than a gallon may not yield what poolmath says it will.
The sock method is for granular (dry) stabilizer & you just add it to a sock of your choice, tie a knot & hang it infront of a return- squishing it periodically so it dissolves.
As for the swg -
50% for 20 hrs is the same fc output & wear on the cell as 100% for 10 hrs - it doesn’t really matter - just kind of depends on how long u want to run your pump. Those with 2 speed or variable speed pumps can run them on low almost all the time & just adjust their swg %.
With a single speed pump - running it 10hrs vs 20 hrs is a large utility cost difference. I have never had an adjustable swg so I have always had to rely on pump run time.
3ppm/ day of production is a starting point - always be sure to stay plenty above minimum for your cya so u have wiggle room to adjust things. Testing daily for a while will help you dial it in.
If you notice it dipping too close to min dose to target w/ fc & turn the swg up/increase run time then let it maintain. Its always better to run a little hot rather than skirt minimum & risk algae or nasties. Swg’s are great maintainers but they produce fc slowly over time so things can grow while waiting on that to happen - liquid chlorine gets you out of the danger zone immediately.
 
The liquid cya will work - just be sure to use an entire gallon at a time & rinse the bottle well with water & shake & pour that in the pool too. The cya tends to stick (glob up) in the bottle so using anything less than a gallon may not yield what poolmath says it will.
The sock method is for granular (dry) stabilizer & you just add it to a sock of your choice, tie a knot & hang it infront of a return- squishing it periodically so it dissolves.
As for the swg -
50% for 20 hrs is the same fc output & wear on the cell as 100% for 10 hrs - it doesn’t really matter - just kind of depends on how long u want to run your pump. Those with 2 speed or variable speed pumps can run them on low almost all the time & just adjust their swg %.
With a single speed pump - running it 10hrs vs 20 hrs is a large utility cost difference. I have never had an adjustable swg so I have always had to rely on pump run time.
3ppm/ day of production is a starting point - always be sure to stay plenty above minimum for your cya so u have wiggle room to adjust things. Testing daily for a while will help you dial it in.
If you notice it dipping too close to min dose to target w/ fc & turn the swg up/increase run time then let it maintain. Its always better to run a little hot rather than skirt minimum & risk algae or nasties. Swg’s are great maintainers but they produce fc slowly over time so things can grow while waiting on that to happen - liquid chlorine gets you out of the danger zone immediately.
Awesome! Thank you for all the info! Hopefully the new cell will be able to maintain things so I don’t have to slam again! I’ll be checking levels a lot more regularly now!
 
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Swg’s & cya levels need adjusting with the seasons - less sun, milder weather & less use takes less of both during the shoulder seasons then things need to increase during the dog days of summer 🥵 which are also generally high use periods. They definitely aren’t set it & forget it - they just take the place of u manually dosing chlorine every day which certainly lightens the maintenance load.
Also - You have a very large pool so high bather loads have less of an impact than they would in a smaller pool but dosing a little higher than target ahead of parties is cheap insurance & helps with all that sunscreen & whatever else comes along with a fun filled pool day with out you having to change alot of settings or worrying.
We don’t want u to ever have to slam again either 😊
 
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Ok, so now I’m confused! My OCLT two nights ago was 0.5-1ppm loss and 0 cc. Last night my OCLT was 2ppm and 0 cc. I did test a little earlier last night. Adjusted at 8:30 pm and retested at 9:15 with 13.5ppm FC. Tested again at 8 this morning with 11.5ppm FC and 0 CC. Do I need to slam for another day? Two nights ago was perfect so I wanted to test another day just to be sure.
 
Ok, so now I’m confused! My OCLT two nights ago was 0.5-1ppm loss and 0 cc. Last night my OCLT was 2ppm and 0 cc. I did test a little earlier last night. Adjusted at 8:30 pm and retested at 9:15 with 13.5ppm FC. Tested again at 8 this morning with 11.5ppm FC and 0 CC. Do I need to slam for another day? Two nights ago was perfect so I wanted to test another day just to be sure.
Yes - continue with SLAM Process until u pass all 3 end of slam criteria :
* Crystal clear water
(w/no algae - dead or alive)
* pass Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
* cc’s .5 or less
Don’t raise your cya until after that occurs.
You mentioned “dust” which sounds like dead algae- it will stop forming & completely go away when there’s no more live algae to become dead in the 1st place😊
U are almost there - it can be frustrating but soldier on!
 
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