SLAM, Liquidator and a little fustrated

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titleistseemore

titleistseemore

Gold Supporter
Jul 8, 2014
336
Lodi Ca
Pool Size
16700
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
I opened the pool to find my pool in the green swamp ... I started my SLAM on 4/11 and I am still going!!! I left the PH a little low in the beginning (7.0) as the rain has been coming in Northern California quite a bit this spring (Which we desperately need :p) My pole for my brush bent and broke while I was scrubbing (only scrubbed the first few days), ordered 2 nice skimlite 3500 (Wow what a great upgrade those poles are), and was able to brush again starting last week. The water is clear (As clear as a Fresh Fill), I have been testing and keeping the Chlorine at the SLAM level and at times 5 to 6 higher for days that I was working as to ensure that the Chlorine did not drop down below SLAM level for my CYA (40), when I got off work I always tested and the Chlorine level was at or above SLAM level. I have been doing the Overnight Test in hopes that I am finally done ...

Monday 04/26/16 Test FC: 16 CC: 0
Tuesday Morning Test FC: 14 CC: 0

Tuesday Night Test FC: 16 CC:0
Wednesday Morning Test FC: 14.5 CC:0

The evening tests are done about 9pm and the morning test about 6am. I am beginning Day 16. Was it the lack of brushing while my pole was broke? Just seems to be a bit long. This is my first time and hopefully my last SLAM.

This morning I ordered the HASA Liquidator, in part because I want to reduce the time daily to adding chlorine and to ensure that this doesn't happen again, although I have never had to SLAM in 4 years, this was the first time I left the pool up all year.
 
The ladder is taken out at the end of last year and is still in the shed. I read this thread TF-100 readings and my SLAM process And was using this as a guide as we have similar pools ... The only items in the water which I have scrubbed with a small brush and / or removed and scrubbed with a brush are the Intex over the wall Skimmer including the flex hose, the inlet screen, and the PVC adaptor I made for the return so I keep the water level lower without aerating the water.
 
Have you given a thorough cleaning to your cartridge? I had a situation end of last season where I was finding dead algae build up on the pool bottom. I always passed the OCLT, but after a week the dead algae would again accumulate on the bottom (this with a solar cover on, so I ruled out dust). When I broke down my filter for season ending cleaning I noticed some patches of slimy feeling algae in the pleats. My hypothesis was that with the low pump run times in the fall, some little bit kept surviving in the cartridge pleats, would grow and expand within the filter housing overnight, then get mostly blasted into the well chlorinated pool when the pump came on in the morning to meet its end.
 
I have cleaned the cartridge several times and even purchased and installed a brand new Hayward Cartridge on Monday because I thought there might be a hole in the filter ... So since Monday the new filter has been in use, the water looks incredibly good
 
Tim, that is indeed a long time for a SLAM, especially for a pool of 5,700 gallons. Let me just throw-out a some things to recap, some of which you have or may have already done, but I just don't want to leave anything out:
- Pump running 24/7
- Filter cleaned every day
- Positive about the CYA test? ANY chance it may actually be "higher", thus making the current FC too low?
- Or ..... since your water is clear, ANY chance your CYA may actually be "lower"? I say this because if you are over-shooting your required FC level, you can lose more FC quicker on an OCLT. It happened to me for several days before I realized I was way too high on my FC during an OCLT.
- No light fixture correct? Nothing else in the water?
- Final limiting factor seems to be the OLCT; are you testing via the 10ml water sample method?

Again, sorry Tim for some of the repetitive items. I would like to see you pass that OCLT. It's been long enough.
 
I agree 100% that this seemed too long for a pool of my size. I appreciate your comments as I am searching for answers, I typically read and search on the forums and find my answers but this time I decided to ask for help from being a little frustrated.
The pump is running 24/7. I decided to change the filter with a brand new cartridge and this seems to have improved the water slightly so far.

I did not clean the filter daily, I would clean the filter when the pressure had increased. (new filter pressure from last year was 9, I would clean the filter when it got to 14) The new filter when I installed on Monday started off at 9. When I cleaned the filter, the pressure reading would be about 9 1/2 to 10 as the needle would bounce back and forth.

CYA: fairly confident. I started off with a CYA of 10 before I started the SLAM, then added dry CYA through a sock hung in the water next to the pool return, I started the SLAM using CYA at 30, the amount I added should have brought it up to 30. I then rechecked the again a week later and the cya was at 30. I then used Pool Math to add more to bring it up to 40. I need to test again but need to wait a few more days to check as I read to wait about a week to see it on the test. This test is the toughest for me to do.

I have had the CL high in the pool, in most cases shooting for a little higher than the SLAM number, as I was concerned about the Chlorine dropping below SLAM level, I work long hours and then volunteer as a coach for 3 different baseball teams, so allot of my pool care time has been early in the morning (5 to 6am) and at dusk. So what you wrote is probably what is happening.

I have the intex magnetic lights, but they are stored in the shed and only get used when we swim at night, I never let them stay in the pool.

Yes I am using the 10ML, I have my test tube and the sample sizer with the speedstir.

I think your point of high Chlorine is exactly what is happening. I will let the Chlorine drift down, verify by testing and then run another OCLT. Thank you for taking the time to read and help. Chemistry is still a learning curve for me. I will report back ...
 
One more thing to add ...

I do have a solar blanket, I removed the blanket 2 weeks ago, spread it out on my driveway, then scrubbed it with a mild bleach solution. I then re-installed. Last week I decided to remove the cover just in case ... So currently this last week the solar blanket has been off of the pool
 
That is good to know. Blankets/covers have been known to increase the potential for algae and/or restrict oxidation during a SLAM. I would definitely leave it off for now. Also, you might want evaluate your water circulation. Toss a few ping pong balls or packing peanuts in the water to ensure water is moving well around the pool (no stagnant areas).
 
I dropped in 3 small wiffle balls that I use for batting practice with the baseball teams, the water was moving the balls around, the middle of the pool did not move very well but the sides of the round pool did. I also had the Rover Jr in the pool which moved the balls as well. I think the circulation is good?
 

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I have thought of that as well, so I detail cleaned the rover with a bleach solution. I actually used a toothbrush to get to the small corners. I replaced the filter in the rover as well just to be safe.
 
Hey, Tim,

I am late to this thread but let me say that a SLAM with a cover on never seems to go well....leave it off.

Secondly are you doing all the secondary things....brushing, keeping your robot running, etc?

Last, how does your water look?
 
Well a funny thing happened this morning ...

Last night I tested at Midnight (Went to a Clint Black Concert) I tested quickly and my CL was 13 and CC 0. This morning I tested and was actually 14 (I test outside on the patio and use the light on the speedstir) I came into the house and brought the graduated cylinder with me to clean but sat at the computer to put my tests results onto my excel spreadsheet I use and noticed the color of the sample was still a little pink? I did the test completely over again but this time I brought the sample inside the house and used interior light (Not the light on the speedstir) and the reading came back as 15. I am going to redo the OCLT test, tonight and see.

Pat I think you are correct, my chlorine was higher than I even thought it was.

Dave, I have been brushing since my new poles arrived late last week, the robot I run once a day if I am at work and 2 to 3 times a day if I am off, The water looks great just as if I filled up yesterday. The cover was on for the first 10 days of the SLAM, so I am sure that was a problem as well.

I will report back with new numbers tomorrow.

Thanks Pat and Dave.
 
Just completed another drop test ...

CL: 14
CC: .5

I started at 15 at 6am this morning and then added 32 ounces of CL. 32 ounces was about my normal usage last year. I burned off a little more that the 32 ounces today from 6am to 6:45pm, the day was all sunshine in Northern Ca.
 
If I did the math correctly on the Poolmath calculator, 32 ounces added to a beginning FC level of 15 is about 4.5 FC of 10% bleach, or 4 FC of 8.25% bleach. That's not too bad considering you're in the middle of a SLAM. It should hopefully slow-down even more as you continue.

After the SLAM, you will find yourself doing the math later at the end of the day, trying to figure-out how much FC your pool used that day. We ideally like to see a pool use no more than about 4ppm a day. Ideally, a "no-cover" pool will probably lose around 2-4 ppm. Yours will be even less with the cover. Keep-up the great work. Remember to do all the other things on the SLAM page and hopefully you'll have this behind you soon. Have a nice evening.
 
Final results and ...

Tested today, as I stopped adding chlorine a few days ago.

F.C.- 7.5
C.C - 1
P.H.- 7.5
TA- 90
CH- 25
CYA- 40

The water is perfect.

Determinations:
1. Haven the pole break during week 1 of the SLAM was a big factor in taking so long. I was not able to brush very well
2. The filter change helped clear the water a little bit more, so changing the filter worked out well and I am glad I did it.
3. The chlorine was higher than I thought, Pat was correct.
4. leaving the cover off helped during the SLAM, If I have to do this again (Hopefully Not) I will take the solar cover off. Dave was correct

Thanks Pat, Dave, and Pauls234

- - - Updated - - -

The liquidator arrived yesterday afternoon while I was coaching baseball, Today is install day!
 
That's great to hear Tim. Your numbers look pretty good. You stated you stopped adding the chlorine a few days ago, so I hope you passed all 3 SLAM criteria first. The slightly elevated CC number (over.5) does concern me, however you do have your FC a little over your target area of 5 which is probably a good thing right now. I would keep it there for a couple more days. Hopefully that CC will drop even more. If it doesn't, or if the water condition should change, you know the SLAM routine. Don't wait to do it though. Always best to knock it out ASAP. Good luck with your Liquidator, and let us know how that turns out. Have a great day!
 
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