Swimming during a SLAM

[SandyO]

I'm sure this has been asked before but I can't find the answer.

Can you swim during a SLAM?

My pool is clear but I am getting "stuff" on the bottom every morning. I highly suspect algae and not sand or dirt. After reading a bunch of other threads I know I need to get in there and scrub the under side of the steps and remove the light to scrub in there. (I am absolutely petrified of taking out the light.)

We are FINALLY going to have some warm days here and I know we'll be in the pool for the next several days. I know I want to do an OCLT tonight, assuming it fails I could start the SLAM tomorrow. Should I wait until later in the week after the warm spell passes or should we just swim during the SLAM or should the pool be off limits during this process?

 

[pooldv]

Yes, it is safe to swim when
Ph is 7.2 to 7.8
FC is above minimum
FC is below shock level
Water is clear

We swam every day during our slam, cya 70 and fc 25-28

 

[JVTrain]

You can swim at any FC below the shock level listed in the CYA/Chlorine chart. That is, provided you can clearly see the bottom of the pool and the pool surface is not so slippery to be dangerous. Safety first.

Dead algae is usually a light grey color and will fluff up when brushed around. Frequent brushing of the dead algae will make the water cloudy temporarily but that's the only way you're going to get it to go in the filter through the main drain or skimmers. You MUST get that light out of there and scrub behind it while at SLAM FC levels. Ladder too. Lights usually aren't as bad as they seem, most are a single screw at the top of the light and they tip out of the niche and can be lifted on the deck, as long as the wire behind the light was left long enough, as it should be.

You can swim during the SLAM, provided the FC is below shock level and the other things I mentioned. Keep in mind that it is safe to swim at these elevated FC levels but it will be a bit harder on swimming suits (fading) and you may have more eye/skin irritation as well. Showering and rinsing of suits would be a good idea after swimming if you choose to do so.

 

[SandyO]

Thank you! I'm going to do the OCLT tonight and if it needs it, start the SLAM then tomorrow when I can be home to monitor it.

 

[DaninFLA]

I am absolutely petrified of taking out the light

no reason to be scared. turn on the switch so the light is on, then go to your breaker and switch off the one that is for your pool (should be labeled). then go and confirm the light is off and that power is cut out. then just flip the switch back to "on" and it should still be off. good to go.

other than that, it should just be a single screw to remove the whole fixture, then just put on the deck of the pool for the rest of SLAM and reinstall. then just flip the breaker back on for your pool. put a piece of tape over the light so no one turns it on while the light is out of the pool, you shouldn't run the light when its out of the pool

the light is in a self contained waterproof fixture "capsule", there is no exposed wires or anything to deal with.