Brand new pool owner- yellow or mustard?
- Thread starter tkbutler4
- Start date
- Apr 10, 2018
- 5,625
- Pool Size
- 18375
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
For now, maintain SLAM level. Test after sunset and before sunrise and compare results.
Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
- Jun 24, 2021
- 9,075
- Pool Size
- 30000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60
You know that it is safe to swim with FC levels up to SLAM...don't have to wait for OCLT!!!!!
If possible - be nice to post the before and after pictures next to one another. Great work.
Ok! I did it! Hallelujah! The FC was the same last night at 9 as it was at 6:15a! Now here are my questions:
I think I read that I do like a super slam now, bring the FC up to like double for 24 hours?
Once that’s done how long should I run the pump per day?
What should the FC be daily moving forward?
How often should I test moving forward?
Can I test everything else now? Ph, ch, or do I let the fc drop to a certain point before leveling?
I think I read that I do like a super slam now, bring the FC up to like double for 24 hours?
Once that’s done how long should I run the pump per day?
What should the FC be daily moving forward?
How often should I test moving forward?
Can I test everything else now? Ph, ch, or do I let the fc drop to a certain point before leveling?
Here are the side by sides! Day 0,2,4,6! Tomorrow makes day 7! SLAM officially complete, l although there is still some poof when brushing the shallow end. Cleaned filter 3x throughout, brushed 2-4x daily, added CL 5-8 times daily. It was fun seeing the results! Now I’ve got to figure out my ongoing routine to keep it this way. Also soliciting advice on what to do before a two week vacation next time. Thanks for everyone’s help!
Attachments
- Apr 10, 2018
- 5,625
- Pool Size
- 18375
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
First, make sure you pass all three criteria for completion of SLAM Process.
- CC of 0.5 or less
- OCLT
- Clear Water
If your confident your had mustard algae, increase and maintain FC at 60% of your CYA level (18 ppm) for a period of 24 hours with the pump running. It is a good idea to maintain higher FC levels going forward after completion of the MA SLAM. Keep FC minimum level at above 15% (4.5 ppm) of CYA for a couple weeks. Your daily target will be ~6-8 ppm. After couple weeks, follow FC recommendations on the FC/CYA Levels.
A quick note, you can safely swim in the pool with FC below SLAM level. You may need to wait a day or two to use the pool before FC drops from MA SLAM level.
For testing frequency, Test and adjust pH and FC daily until you get a feeling of what your pool needs. During swim season, most pools use 2-4 ppm of FC per day. Levels should never fall below minimum. For pH, the test is invalid at levels above 10 ppm. Refer to this link:
Basic Pool Care Schedule
This basic pool care schedule can guide you in creating your own pool care routine. Regular pool maintenance will keep your water sparkling!
www.troublefreepool.com
Feel free to post a full set of results after FC falls below 10 ppm.
Wow! Thank you so much!!First, make sure you pass all three criteria for completion of SLAM Process.
Clear water means no visible signs of algae and no cloudiness. You should be able to see the type of screws on the main drain.
- CC of 0.5 or less
- OCLT
- Clear Water
If your confident your had mustard algae, increase and maintain FC at 60% of your CYA level (18 ppm) for a period of 24 hours with the pump running. It is a good idea to maintain higher FC levels going forward after completion of the MA SLAM. Keep FC minimum level at above 15% (4.5 ppm) of CYA for a couple weeks. Your daily target will be ~6-8 ppm. After couple weeks, follow FC recommendations on the FC/CYA Levels.
A quick note, you can safely swim in the pool with FC below SLAM level. You may need to wait a day or two to use the pool before FC drops from MA SLAM level.
For testing frequency, Test and adjust pH and FC daily until you get a feeling of what your pool needs. During swim season, most pools use 2-4 ppm of FC per day. Levels should never fall below minimum. For pH, the test is invalid at levels above 10 ppm. Refer to this link:
Basic Pool Care Schedule
This basic pool care schedule can guide you in creating your own pool care routine. Regular pool maintenance will keep your water sparkling!
Feel free to post a full set of results after FC falls below 10 ppm.
So most people on this forum test daily then? I only expect it to take a few hours to drop from 18 to below 10 today for swimming. I would say we could get in by noon. Below 10 we are good to swim? (CYA:30)
- Apr 10, 2018
- 5,625
- Pool Size
- 18375
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
Probably not. My recommendation is to test daily until you get to know the needs of your pool.
You'll test one day and find your pool lost 3 ppm in 24 hours. You replace that loss with FC. Test the next day under same conditions, same loss, same dose. You can probably stretch it out a couple days between testing (but you still need replace the FC loss). If you see the same FC loss daily for a week you can probably test two or three times a week. If you get a good amount of rain, organic debris, or heavy bather load, you'll want to test to make sure FC remains above minimum levels. Things get easier between fall and spring when FC loss decreases significantly (in my area anyways).
During swim season, your pool needs chlorine every day. As you'll notice when FC levels drop from the SLAM, you can't put three days of FC in the pool and expect it to last three days. FC levels far above target levels burn of too quick. You can use tablets when you're unable to dose, but you'll need to monitor CYA levels.
Unless you can commit to adding chlorine daily, you should strongly consider a SWG, particularly if you spend days away from the home. I know the initial investment is tough to swallow, but you're really just paying for your chlorine ahead of time. It's a worthwhile investment if you plan to stay in the home for a few years. Select a unit rated for at least twice the pool's volume. A 30K or better system would be a good choice.
You can safely swim up to SLAM level. Make sure to test/adjust pH when FC falls to 10 ppm.
Ok, guys! Here's the final! I made it to the holiday with a swimmable pool! You can bet I'll be in there later on today!
Full test this morning:
FC: 6 - +3 cups to bring it to 8
PH: ~8 - I was surpirse to learn that I didn't have a drop test for this in my k100. I had to use the tube test. So this is a guestimate. + 3 cups 34.5% muriatic acid
CH: 100 - I'll have to read more about this, but my app says this is 100 lower than it should be. To add calcium chloride in a sock.
AK: 100
I tested for everything that came in my kit except the orange tube. I'll do that when I have a bit more time.
New pool pic for reference:
Day 0
Day 2
Day 4
Day 6
Day 7
Full test this morning:
FC: 6 - +3 cups to bring it to 8
PH: ~8 - I was surpirse to learn that I didn't have a drop test for this in my k100. I had to use the tube test. So this is a guestimate. + 3 cups 34.5% muriatic acid
CH: 100 - I'll have to read more about this, but my app says this is 100 lower than it should be. To add calcium chloride in a sock.
AK: 100
I tested for everything that came in my kit except the orange tube. I'll do that when I have a bit more time.
New pool pic for reference:
Day 0
Day 2
Day 4
Day 6
Day 7
Attachments
- Apr 10, 2018
- 5,625
- Pool Size
- 18375
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
Good morning TK.
Having done a water exchange recently, this number is not surprising. Sorry...confused with another thread.
Just confirm your testing method: 10 mL sample, 10 drops of R-0010, 3 drops of R-0011, then each drop of R-0012 counts as 25 ppm. So only 4 drops for your 100 ppm level.
If you confirm your results, add calcium chloride to increase CH to the minimum recommended level for a plaster pool. You can add calcium chloride in the deep end of the pool. Brush until it all dissolves. Don't allow it to sit on the surface too long.
Take a shot at diagnosing the stains using the methods outlined in this article. You may need ascorbic acid (vitamin C tablets work) and/or dry acid (sodium bisulfate). Let us know the results.
www.troublefreepool.com
There is no drop-based test for pH. The test uses 5-drops of R-0014 reagent in a color comparator. Sounds like you did it right.
Just confirm your testing method: 10 mL sample, 10 drops of R-0010, 3 drops of R-0011, then each drop of R-0012 counts as 25 ppm. So only 4 drops for your 100 ppm level.
If you confirm your results, add calcium chloride to increase CH to the minimum recommended level for a plaster pool. You can add calcium chloride in the deep end of the pool. Brush until it all dissolves. Don't allow it to sit on the surface too long.
I think the "orange tube" is the OTO chlorine test. No need to do this test. It's kinda a go/no go test for chlorine. There is not enough precision in the test to be useful.
Stains may be from metals or organics. Are these stains new? Since you just completed a SLAM I would lean more towards metals. What type of tablets/shock have you used in the past? Any algaecides? Any products that add minerals to the pool like PoolRX or Frog System?
Take a shot at diagnosing the stains using the methods outlined in this article. You may need ascorbic acid (vitamin C tablets work) and/or dry acid (sodium bisulfate). Let us know the results.
Stains in Your Pool
The stained pool is beyond embarrassing. Our in-depth Guide to remove stains in your pool will help you to remove the stains and prevent them in the future.
www.troublefreepool.com
Last edited:
The stains have been there since I purchased the house. I did just complete a SLAM, but they were there before that. I never used tablets except for once, but I believe the previous owners did. I'm not sure what PoolRX or FROG even is...
Thanks for this! I'll check it out.
red-beard
Gold Supporter
- May 27, 2019
- 1,621
- Pool Size
- 25000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite Pro (T-15)
Sorry I'm joining this thread late, but I suffered with Mustard Algae for years. You had regular plain old green algae. Mustard shows up in patches on the walls generally in shaded areas. It is common for people with high CYA.
So I’ve been keeping the pool between 6-8 FC as recommended for two weeks after the slam. I’m finding that I can’t keep the MA balanced. Should I stop trying to add MA every day? Also, should I wait to balance the calcium until I drop the FC to normal as wel? CYA at the beginning of the SLAM was 30. Calcium was 100 last I checked today.
- Apr 10, 2018
- 5,625
- Pool Size
- 18375
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
Can you post a full set of test results with water temp?
You should test your CYA again, and every 30 days thereafter. You can now maintain normal FC levels based on your CYA level.
Since your CH level has remained stable, I assume your fill water is low in CH, which is good. Increase CH to the minimum recommended level of 250 ppm. Low CH is making your water a bit aggressive.
In Pool Math, enable "Track CSI" in the settings menu. Read up on Calcium Saturation Index (CSI). Try to maintain CSI between 0.0 and -.030 by adjusting pH level. With TA at 100 and CH at 250, maintaining pH around 7.2 to 7.6 should keep you in good range. As TA levels decrease, you may need to elevate the pH range a bit:
www.troublefreepool.com
You should test your CYA again, and every 30 days thereafter. You can now maintain normal FC levels based on your CYA level.
Since your CH level has remained stable, I assume your fill water is low in CH, which is good. Increase CH to the minimum recommended level of 250 ppm. Low CH is making your water a bit aggressive.
In Pool Math, enable "Track CSI" in the settings menu. Read up on Calcium Saturation Index (CSI). Try to maintain CSI between 0.0 and -.030 by adjusting pH level. With TA at 100 and CH at 250, maintaining pH around 7.2 to 7.6 should keep you in good range. As TA levels decrease, you may need to elevate the pH range a bit:
Calcium Saturation Index (CSI)
How is CSI calculated? Very simple – use our PoolMath tool. To ensure long plaster life and save money, click here to learn more.
www.troublefreepool.com
red-beard
Gold Supporter
- May 27, 2019
- 1,621
- Pool Size
- 25000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite Pro (T-15)
Don't worry about pH until the SLAM is over. Once it is over, pH balancing and pH rise has a lot to do with a high Total Alkalinity. With my SWG, I added borates (which raise TA). But I then reduced TA by lowering carbonate alkalintiy, which is what causes the pH to rise. I need to make more adjustments, but with an 80 TA and 40 CA, my rise goes to 8.1 and then stays there with no additions. I only need about 1 liter of MA a week for a 25K gallon pool (100K lilters).
Just relax, get through the SLAM and then we'll help on the pH and other issues.
Just relax, get through the SLAM and then we'll help on the pH and other issues.
- Apr 10, 2018
- 5,625
- Pool Size
- 18375
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45