SLAM now or wait

[Dippa]

Hi I am new and last week I introduced myself as having a small but daily algae problem. I have ordered the K-2006c kit from the USA and still waiting. In the meantime I was recommended to add 1 gallon of bleach daily. It's was suggested that if I could get a reliable test for CYA and FAS-DPD I could get started. I have since got test kits for both from a new company in Australia. They use Taylor reagents and same test procedures. I believe these test should be comparable to Taylor's. They come from clearchoicelabs in Queensland.
So this is what I have done so far
2 nov added 300g Cal Hypo ( didn't have any bleach yet)
3 nov added 1 gallon(3800ml) of 12.5% liq chlorine
4 nov added 1 gallon of 12.5% liq chlorine
5 nov nothing added as had bad weather and rain no sun
6 nov nothing added again bad weather and rain no sun
6 nov received clearchoicelab kits and tested
Test at 5.00pm FC = 25. ( 50drop in 10mls ) CC =0
7 nov
9.00am FC =25.5 CC=0 CYA =50 ( checked it lots of time and ranged between45-60 depending on sunlight as it was still a sl cloudy day
3.30pm FC=23 sunny CC =0
Also got water tested at 1.30pm at pool shop
Cya 51
FC 14
TC 14
CC 0
PH 7.3
TA 20
CH 218

also I have been testing ph, TA both around 7.6 and 60-70
also brushing pool twice a day and filter 8-10hours, SWG not generating chlorine as my ORP reading is high at 770mV

so do you think I can start a SLAM?

 

[Richard320]

Your pH reading is questionable with high chlorine levels so don't let that delay you..

If you believe the CYA is 50ish, just take the FC level up to 20 and keep it there until you pass the three tests. The rest can be fixed easily in a day or two once the algae is eradicated. The longer you wait, the more opportunity the algae has to regroup and make a comeback. So kill it.

 

[Dippa]

Ok thanks Richard320
just retested this morning (8nov)
@9.30am FC 22.5 CC 0 lost 0.5ppm overnight but sun had been out since 7am
@11.00am FC21.5 CC 0 and remeasured CYA as its a very sunny morning unlike yesterday CYA 60 ( I notice the less natural light the lower cya reading I got. I don't have enough cya reagent to test frequently as my k-2006c has been delayed from US.
so SLAM FC is now 24.

 

[Jezza]

Your numbers are looking promising. Is there any visible signs of algae and how is the water clarity? Also check things like behind your light fitting as algae loves to hide there but keep brushing the pool.

 

[Dippa]

Hi Jezza
Water looks crystal clear, did not find any algae in the usual spots this morning when brushed. Vacuumed again this morning and been running solar heating to flush out any possible algae Have just clean filters on solar pump and will inspect for any green. Will run pool filter 24/7.
Doing the CYA test was more difficult than I thought. Getting that endpoint is so subjective that I did it 10times and also got my wife to do it. So compromised on an average of 60. As my FC was already around 22-24 I'm going to aim for FC 24 over the next couple of days as the weather in Melbourne is going to be fine until bad weather returns on Thursday.
FYI am using the Aussie chlorine FAS -DPD test kit from Clear Choice labs , as per Taylor's and going well. I wanted to compare the Aussie results with the Taylors kit but have been notified the kit from US has been delayed due to shortage of stock from Taylors.

 

[Jezza]

Yeah the Clear choice labs products look good. It will be interesting to get a comparison. I don't like though that on their pH kit that the ph increments go up in 0.5 -not really accurate enough and I know you can try and estimate but comparators can be hard enough as it is. I love my Taylor comparator which is always so clear.
The CYA test I think is the hardest one to master but you get so much better with practice-your strategies are good though. Get someone else to do it independently and averaging work for me. Good thing is you can use the same sample by just tipping it back into the mixing bottle and redoing. If 24 is your shock level for your SLAM then just slightly over pitch by a couple of FC to make sure that it is at SLAM level.

 

[Dippa]

Will try to just over shoot. Will see what happens overnight.
Im only using the chlorine and cya kits from CClabs. I did notice same thing about ph kit. I have a ph probe on my controller and am using my waterco kit to measure ph,TA for now. Any way for now ph accuracy is dubious at high FC

 

[Dippa]

So far maintain FC at 24 or slightly over with CYA of 60
8 nov FC 25 CC 0 at night pH 7.5
9nov FC 24.5 CC 0 T 8am (no sun on pool yet) pH 7.5 TA 50
FC 23 CC 0 added 500ml 12.5% bleach
FC 25 CC 0 @ 8.00pm ( sundown)
10nov FC 24 CC 0 @ 7.30am pH 7.5 TA 50
Water is clear.
Now I let FC drift down to my target of 4?
I need to adjust my TA and CH, which one do I do first?
It's want to keep TA at the lower end at 60-80 as I have noticed less acid used.
I have turned off my SWG.
Can you advise? Thanks

 

[Jezza]

Hi Dippa. It looks like you've passed the 3 criteria for a successful SLAM. So yes you can let it drift down- I would try and get it down to about 5 which gives you a bit more breathing space. How are you currently testing for TA and CH? If it were me I'd probably wait till your K2006C arrives.

 

[Dippa]

Thanks Jezza.I will have to wait for the K-2006 just to be sure.

 

[Space Ape]

Hi Dippa
Glad to see things are progressing. Would you mind me asking what CYA test you are using? Wish i was in Melbourne to help you out mate you have had a less than ideal run despite all your efforts.
(Also i absolutely love Melbourne haha)

 

[Dippa]

Hi SpaceApe
I'm using the Clear Choice Labs test kit. The full kit is now available but last week it wasn't so CCLabs gave me their Taylor's viewing and mixing tubes and I bought the CYA refill bottle so that way I could do my SLAM which was really nice of CCLabs.
CCLabs are due to release the TA and CH test kits soon, I will buy them if they come out before my Taylor's kit come in from the U.S.

 

[Space Ape]

Good stuff. Thought i would double check which kit you were using as many many people in Australia cant seem to get a kit that accurately reads CYA. Sadly the pool shops are even less likely to give you a good reading!