SLAM Complete: Still Milky

Jun 24, 2017
74
York/PA
I started my SLAM on Sunday and by about Tuesday or Wednesday I wasn't seeing any visible algae on the walls or floors, but the water just isn't clearing up. It's clean and 'clear' (not green) but still hazy. So I have continued the SLAM, checking my numbers and adding chlorine 3-4 times a day. I've been brushing what I can see (difficult when you can't see the bottom) running my multispeed pump on high 24 hours a day, backwashing the filter every day, sand was new last year.

Overnight last night, I lost zero Free Chlorine and it tests at zero Combined Chlorine. CYA is at 30 and pH is like 7.7-7.9 range. (Haven't bothered with alkalinity or hardness since directions didn't mention and historically I've always had really great numbers - no reason to believe they would have changed).

Everything looks PERFECT when I test the water, but I still can't see the bottom of the pool, even in the shallow end. I thought it was just a matter of letting it filter since I had a LOT of algae... but it seems like it should have at least STARTED getting better by now.

What else should I be checking that I'm not?

Thoughts? Thanks!
 
Last edited:
Post pictures of the pool.
Have you done ALL of these?
  • Brush and vacuum the entire pool once a day if you can. Brush inside skimmers, under main drain covers, on weir doors, inside ladders, and behind removable lights if applicable.
Sand filters take the longest to clear the pool.
What RPM are you running on your VSP? Running lower RPM will filter better.
Backwash your filter, note clean pressure. When your pressure rises 25%, clean it again. When you check your filter pressure run your VSP at 3000, then turn down to low speed to aid filtering efficiency.
 
Post pictures of the pool.
Have you done ALL of these?
  • Brush and vacuum the entire pool once a day if you can. Brush inside skimmers, under main drain covers, on weir doors, inside ladders, and behind removable lights if applicable.
Sand filters take the longest to clear the pool.
What RPM are you running on your VSP? Running lower RPM will filter better.
Backwash your filter, note clean pressure. When your pressure rises 25%, clean it again. When you check your filter pressure run your VSP at 3000, then turn down to low speed to aid filtering efficiency.
Yes, I have done ALL of those... EXCEPT running on low speed. I have been running high speed on the pump trying to turn over the water as fast as possible.

As I posted, I am brushing as much as I can see. I run the brush over the bottom of the pool, but who knows if I am anywhere close to getting everywhere.

I don't have any ladders or doors installed yet.

This is at least the 8th year that I have opened the pool and slammed and the first that it has ever taken this long. I will take some photos when I get home this evening.

Thanks!
Chris
 
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I have been running high speed on the pump trying to turn over the water as fast as possible
I am firmly on team 'more flow makes more mixing'.

You can also speed it along by adding DE

 
Here's photos. Not that you can really see much. It's clean. Just cloudy.

Losing zero FC overnight. Reading 0 CC. CYA is 30. Been keeping FC at 16ppm, checking adding chlorine at 3-4 hour intervals. Bushing what i can see.

This is at least the 8th time opening and i have never had it take this long. 20250503_103852.jpg20250503_103905.jpg20250503_103912.jpg
 
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