Been using TFP methods on our pool since I found you all 8 years ago! Not much has come up that I haven't been able to resolve using forum posts and advice. That is, until recently. Having an issue with our pool that is perplexing me. Opened (mid-May) without any real water chemistry issues and passed OCLT the first night of SLAM. At that point, CYA was sitting at 40 (sometimes could see dot just below 40 mark, sometimes just above), so maintained FC at goal of 7, never allowing it to hit below 4. Looking back, I *think* the offending incident may have happened while we were gone for 2 days at the beginning of June (6/2 - 6/4). I beefed up the FC before we left and told the person watching our pool to add 1 gallon each day (which covers typical FC loss each day). It was incredibly sunny AND hot that weekend, but everything tested in range upon our return. It IS possible, though, it drifted below the recommended minimum while we were gone.
Last Wednesday (6/14) noticed the pool was starting to get cloudy. We had been having issues with our aging filter and rising pressure, so took the filter apart and cleaned it out thinking it could be a filtration issue. Water started to clear up by the end of the day but wasn't the crystal clear we are used to. Woke up 6/15 and water still wasn't completely clear so decided it's possible that the rising pressure and cloudiness was not a filtration thing but a water chemistry thing, and started a SLAM based on CYA of 40 using 10% LC. Woke up 6/16 and water was crystal clear again, but completely surprised to see that CC's were above 1 and failed OCLT. Assumed we had an algae bloom and started brushing (twice daily) and vacuuming (once daily). Pressures haven't risen but did backwash once in case there was algae debris inside. I will post info below, but haven't been able to pass OCLT and CC's range from 1.5-2.5 (usually decrease on hot, sunny days and increase at night). There hasn't been ANY trace of algae debris, no areas of discoloration, no "swooshing" piles of gunk when we sweep, and the DE medium was "normal" color when we back washed. We've removed the ladder, cleaned all pool tools with bleach mixture, and I've toothbrush scrubbed all the nooks and crannies I can get to (daily).
On 6/17 I made the decision to bump the SLAM up to CYA 50 levels since sometimes, when I check CYA, it's right below the 40 marker and maybe I should have been rounding up. What's interesting is that when I was SLAMing to 40 my CC"s were always 1 - 1.5. When I moved to 50, the CC's increased to 2 - 2.5. Obviously something is happening in my pool, as I've never had a SLAM go past 48 hours. My theory is an elusive algae that I can't seem to pinpoint, but hoping I can get some feedback and encouragement. I think I'm at the POP phase but I'm physically, mentally, and financially hitting a wall!
Starting Measurements:
pH - 7.5 (I have a question about this below)
CYA 40; but started dosing based on 50 since sometimes the dot disappeared right below the 40 marker putting it in the 40-50 range
TA - 80
CH - 200
Every time I tested I added enough 10% LC to get me to SLAM level. As you can see sometimes it held until the next sample, most times not.
6/15 5:30p (started SLAM) FC-4.5; CC-0 (had CC's of 0 since opening SLAM, despite recent cloudy water)
7p FC - 17; CC - 0
9p FC-14.5; CC - 1.5
1:45 a (tech 6/16) FC - 16.5; CC - 1.0
6/16 8:00a FC 14.5 (failed OCLT); CC - 1.5
noon FC-16; CC-1.5
2:45p FC-14; CC-1.0
5:45p FC-16; CC-1.0
9:20p FC-16; CC-1.0
11:30p 17.5; CC-1.5 (not sure why FC drifted up since I didn't add anything after 9:20 test)
6/17 8:45 a FC-16 (failed OCLT); CC-1.5
11:45a FC-15; CC-1.5
4:10p FC-12; CC-1.0
6:45p FC-12; CC-1.0 (changed FC target to 20)
8:25p FC-21; CC-2.0 (notice CC increase when I increased FC level)
midnight FC-21; CC-1.0
6/18 (made a concerted effort to test and adjust every 2 hours; sunny and hot day so think I lost quite a bit of FC to sun as pool gets full sun pretty much from 9 am - 7 pm)
6:10a FC-19 (failed OCLT); CC-2.0
9a FC-16; CC-2.0
11a FC-17; CC-1.0
1 pm FC-17; CC-1.5
3p FC-19.5; CC1.0
5p FC-18; CC-1.0
7p FC-20; CC-2.0
9p FC-17; CC-1.5
11:20p FC-22.5; CC-1.5
6/19 (today- overcast, cool, off and on rain)
5:30a FC-18.5 (failed OCLT); CC-2.5
7:45 FC-20.5; CC-2.5
9:35 FC-21; CC-2.5
HOLDING on further additions until get advice about pH
If you have made it this far, you are my hero! Questions:
1. What am I missing? Agree it's algae and just continue doing what I'm doing? Think it might be something else? Suggestions on what else I could be doing? See anything in my testing that stands out to you?
2. When looking through posts trying to troubleshoot, I realized that I was hasty in starting my SLAM and didn't bring my pH down to 7.2. I started at 7.5. Considering my high FC SLAM level, and the fact that I've already put in 20-25 bottles of liquid chlorine, would it be wise for me to try and adjust my pH now or wait until SLAM is done (not knowing how long and how much more LC will be added). If I should adjust now, should I let it drop to 10, test, adjust, and bring back up to SLAM OR add some MA while SLAMing knowing I started at 7.5 and try to bring down a little?
3. Considering my CYA has hovered a bit above and a bit below the 40 marker, is it wise for me to continue to SLAM to CYA 50 or drop back down to CYA 40 levels?
Again, you have my utmost appreciation in advance!
Last Wednesday (6/14) noticed the pool was starting to get cloudy. We had been having issues with our aging filter and rising pressure, so took the filter apart and cleaned it out thinking it could be a filtration issue. Water started to clear up by the end of the day but wasn't the crystal clear we are used to. Woke up 6/15 and water still wasn't completely clear so decided it's possible that the rising pressure and cloudiness was not a filtration thing but a water chemistry thing, and started a SLAM based on CYA of 40 using 10% LC. Woke up 6/16 and water was crystal clear again, but completely surprised to see that CC's were above 1 and failed OCLT. Assumed we had an algae bloom and started brushing (twice daily) and vacuuming (once daily). Pressures haven't risen but did backwash once in case there was algae debris inside. I will post info below, but haven't been able to pass OCLT and CC's range from 1.5-2.5 (usually decrease on hot, sunny days and increase at night). There hasn't been ANY trace of algae debris, no areas of discoloration, no "swooshing" piles of gunk when we sweep, and the DE medium was "normal" color when we back washed. We've removed the ladder, cleaned all pool tools with bleach mixture, and I've toothbrush scrubbed all the nooks and crannies I can get to (daily).
On 6/17 I made the decision to bump the SLAM up to CYA 50 levels since sometimes, when I check CYA, it's right below the 40 marker and maybe I should have been rounding up. What's interesting is that when I was SLAMing to 40 my CC"s were always 1 - 1.5. When I moved to 50, the CC's increased to 2 - 2.5. Obviously something is happening in my pool, as I've never had a SLAM go past 48 hours. My theory is an elusive algae that I can't seem to pinpoint, but hoping I can get some feedback and encouragement. I think I'm at the POP phase but I'm physically, mentally, and financially hitting a wall!
Starting Measurements:
pH - 7.5 (I have a question about this below)
CYA 40; but started dosing based on 50 since sometimes the dot disappeared right below the 40 marker putting it in the 40-50 range
TA - 80
CH - 200
Every time I tested I added enough 10% LC to get me to SLAM level. As you can see sometimes it held until the next sample, most times not.
6/15 5:30p (started SLAM) FC-4.5; CC-0 (had CC's of 0 since opening SLAM, despite recent cloudy water)
7p FC - 17; CC - 0
9p FC-14.5; CC - 1.5
1:45 a (tech 6/16) FC - 16.5; CC - 1.0
6/16 8:00a FC 14.5 (failed OCLT); CC - 1.5
noon FC-16; CC-1.5
2:45p FC-14; CC-1.0
5:45p FC-16; CC-1.0
9:20p FC-16; CC-1.0
11:30p 17.5; CC-1.5 (not sure why FC drifted up since I didn't add anything after 9:20 test)
6/17 8:45 a FC-16 (failed OCLT); CC-1.5
11:45a FC-15; CC-1.5
4:10p FC-12; CC-1.0
6:45p FC-12; CC-1.0 (changed FC target to 20)
8:25p FC-21; CC-2.0 (notice CC increase when I increased FC level)
midnight FC-21; CC-1.0
6/18 (made a concerted effort to test and adjust every 2 hours; sunny and hot day so think I lost quite a bit of FC to sun as pool gets full sun pretty much from 9 am - 7 pm)
6:10a FC-19 (failed OCLT); CC-2.0
9a FC-16; CC-2.0
11a FC-17; CC-1.0
1 pm FC-17; CC-1.5
3p FC-19.5; CC1.0
5p FC-18; CC-1.0
7p FC-20; CC-2.0
9p FC-17; CC-1.5
11:20p FC-22.5; CC-1.5
6/19 (today- overcast, cool, off and on rain)
5:30a FC-18.5 (failed OCLT); CC-2.5
7:45 FC-20.5; CC-2.5
9:35 FC-21; CC-2.5
HOLDING on further additions until get advice about pH
If you have made it this far, you are my hero! Questions:
1. What am I missing? Agree it's algae and just continue doing what I'm doing? Think it might be something else? Suggestions on what else I could be doing? See anything in my testing that stands out to you?
2. When looking through posts trying to troubleshoot, I realized that I was hasty in starting my SLAM and didn't bring my pH down to 7.2. I started at 7.5. Considering my high FC SLAM level, and the fact that I've already put in 20-25 bottles of liquid chlorine, would it be wise for me to try and adjust my pH now or wait until SLAM is done (not knowing how long and how much more LC will be added). If I should adjust now, should I let it drop to 10, test, adjust, and bring back up to SLAM OR add some MA while SLAMing knowing I started at 7.5 and try to bring down a little?
3. Considering my CYA has hovered a bit above and a bit below the 40 marker, is it wise for me to continue to SLAM to CYA 50 or drop back down to CYA 40 levels?
Again, you have my utmost appreciation in advance!
