Newish member, ghosting threads...had to reply to this as a repairman in the industry. High concentrations of chemical added to a skimmer can be detrimental to your pump seals and can cause them to fail prematurely. Some of my most lucrative calls are from residential accounts that frequently fry their pump seals in this manner. Quick, simple fix for me with minimal parts cost. Repair bill for the resident.
air pockets forming
- Thread starter LaurCay
- Start date
Yes chiefwej, up to 0.5 for CC
This mornings readings:
FC - 9.5
pH - 7.4
TA - 120
CH - 150
Salt - 2400
The FC and CC held over this night though, and water looked a lot clearer yesterday. I held off on resuming SLAM and will continue to monitor overnight. The balancing I did yesterday was - added a bag of salt, added MA and then had to aerate a bit. When DH turned on the spa jets a whoosh of green algae filled into all of my hard work, didn't think to do that myself. I panicked and tossed in a bag of cal hypo. The reason I held off on SLAM may not hold up to scrutiny here, but the pH was very high, 8.0 with acid demand test of 12 drops. Since FC was 8 when I tested this pH reading, I thought it a true reading and thought the cloudiness may be due to high pH and the FC loss over the second night (Saturday) may be due to normal downward drifting of shock level FC.
- Jun 12, 2011
- 3,763
- Pool Size
- 19500
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pureline Crystal Pure 60,000
The rise in CC means there is still something in there being killed by the chlorine. You're not quite there yet. Why cal hypo, you don't need extra calcium. Bleach or liquid chlorine is chlorine without the extra baggage.
I think you need to keep FC at SLAM levels. Any other place algae can hide in your pool? behind the lights?
-Matt
FC 5.5
CC 0.5
Will continue SLAM then.
I have two light fixtures but I have been brushing them daily, is that enough? Really would like to jump in instead of bringing FC back up to 20! The pic shows clear water, the middle darkness is staining or stubborn, the vacuum hasn't helped it yet, and the dirt at waterfall base is due to running it yesterday. It always bleeds silt/sand/dirt, not sure what to do about this. We had them sealed at install and had builder come back to seal again about two years ago.
- - - Updated - - -
clear water
CC 0.5
Will continue SLAM then.
I have two light fixtures but I have been brushing them daily, is that enough? Really would like to jump in instead of bringing FC back up to 20! The pic shows clear water, the middle darkness is staining or stubborn, the vacuum hasn't helped it yet, and the dirt at waterfall base is due to running it yesterday. It always bleeds silt/sand/dirt, not sure what to do about this. We had them sealed at install and had builder come back to seal again about two years ago.
- - - Updated - - -
clear water
Attachments
If possible, you should remove the light and brush behind it. That was the final stubborn spot with my pool a month or 2 ago as there was a lot of algae on the back side of the light housing even though the rest of the pool was crystal clear.
- Jun 12, 2011
- 3,763
- Pool Size
- 19500
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pureline Crystal Pure 60,000
You can use the pool up to and including shock level. It might be a bit hard on your bathing suit, but it's safe. Probably safer and less irritating than most public pools.
smforte
0
LaurCay...pretty pool! How's it going? Water looks much clearer but those spots on left side look green like algae. Try scrubbing those and check behind lights? Still slamming? Also, Check all around your waterfall to see if there is any algae lurking there. May be a good idea to treat the area with a mixture of bleach/water in a spray bottle and brush. I use a toothbrush on certain spots. You've done a great job! Keep it up!
Thank you - yes algae still lurking. I am looking into cleaning light fixtures but after reading manual still not certain of safe way to do this. And I didn't even think of under waterfall rocks. Thank you!! I am getting spots along the bottom - green. Arghh.
I thought I had seen a picture that included your light, but I can't find it now. Is your light the type with a single Phillips screw in the trim piece?
I think that is the same light I have. You just remove that one phillips screw on top and pull the whole light assembly out. If it's anything like my recent SLAM, the back side of the light will be covered with green slime. Be sure to cut power at the breaker before you mess with it just to be safe...
Back was completely covered in green slime and solid chunks, clouds of it emerged as I pulled it out. Brushed it off but am bringing a toothbrush to it to really get in tight spots.
But I have to put it back in with that (grounding?) screw before I turn power back on and continue SLAM?
Your lights and pump are on the same breaker?
Either way, it shouldn't matter. Just make sure the light switch is off and turn the breaker back on. You can leave the light sitting on the pool deck (I'm assuming the cord was long enough to do that). Just make sure the light doesn't get turned on while its out of the water as I'm pretty sure it would overheat. Maybe tape over the switch just to be sure someone else doesn't turn it on.
Either way, it shouldn't matter. Just make sure the light switch is off and turn the breaker back on. You can leave the light sitting on the pool deck (I'm assuming the cord was long enough to do that). Just make sure the light doesn't get turned on while its out of the water as I'm pretty sure it would overheat. Maybe tape over the switch just to be sure someone else doesn't turn it on.
Everything isn't labelled on the breaker panel, so I follow what my husband does and just turn everything off!! Yeah, learning a lot on this forum...I had to get in the spa to remove it, it was under a step down and way too low to reach, so can't I just leave it laying where it is on bottom of spa as I treat the water?
Sorry my issue has taken three pages and my questions are endless.
Sorry my issue has taken three pages and my questions are endless.
No worries... Yes, you can leave it sitting on the floor.
Just the one light in the pool?
Just the one light in the pool?
No the pic of both lights are above - main pool too happily ignoring that one I don't see a top screw - getting back in pool
Adding trichlor or dichlor today because I have buckets of it on hand, the algae behind the light fixtures was immense, dropping 8- FC daily and nightly, CYA is now 35 due to hose water and rains I guess ( I used the coffee filter method and tested with my drop kit) and because I have to leave the pool unattended for 2-3 days. Looking at pool math if I add 22 ounces of trichlor (~3 pucks), I think I am ok regarding the rise in CYA because, using pool math, if I wanted to raise the CYA to lets say 50, in weight I would need over 30 ounces of solid stablizer. And I found a snake skin wound around a snorkel as I looked for equip to help me in my absolute struggle in putting the light fixture back in for safety while I'm gone.
