Yet another first-timer with no clue what he's doing...

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Sounds good, hope to run the test tonight and get some numbers. Picked up some chemicals, but haven't put in anything but bleach (12.5% shock) thus far.

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Didn't get a pic this morning, but between taking the black layer off of the bottom and 18 hours of bleach playing with it, it's at least a little lighter. I'm not jumping in yet, but the white of the liner at least has it reflecting a little lighter.
 
I know it's hard to say without test numbers, but am I wasting time/money with the bleach? It's pouring out (again/still), so can't really get a ton done out there. Don't know whether to keep tossing more at it or just kinda let it stew on Filter until tomorrow afternoon when I can make a push over the weekend.

And if I should push through, how much should I be thinking? Is a gallon even worth bothering with, or am I just annoying the algae? 40k gallon pool, put 5 gallons in Wednesday around noon, 1 gallon around 7 this morning. Thoughts?

And obviously no sun at all since I started the process, so sunlight eating the bleach shouldn't be a huge factor (I wouldn't think)...
 
Just opened yesterday, idea is to get into a SLAM situation, but just haven't had enough time to perform it yet. Pool was closed for 3 years, so I spent my only afternoon dredging slime and trying to scrub a bit. I guess I wasn't quite ready to jump into it (why start on a Wednesday?), but the pool guys dumped in 5 gal of bleach when they opened it, so was trying not to let it go to waste.

Just haven't had any time, and it was pouring rain last night and today, so didn't get back out to do it. No reason I couldn't suck it up and go test in the rain, I guess, but it's like 45 out so I hadn't jumped at that chance yet...

I didn't have some of the chemicals (including CYA) until last night, so wasn't quite ready to ramp into full SLAM anyway. I've got 8 lbs of CYA now, and some PH Down (couldn't find Muratic Acid at local Home Depot), so think I at least have enough to start a run at it. Guess I could grab a bucket full of water and take it into the garage to run the mad science. Hopefully tonight.
 
I'll get those numbers tonight, looks like I've finally got a break in the rain. On the plus side, the current bleach plus 24 hours or so on the filter appears to be doing good things. Shockingly different picture only a day later. Know I've got a long way to go, but wasn't expecting a drastic change of look in only a day. Still cloudy, but color has much improved. Similar shots to the first pair:

IMG_2167.jpg


IMG_2168.jpg


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Hopefully that's a good thing and not a sign I've got a different issue :)

I'll try and get those numbers asap
 
OK, best stab at initial numbers (go easy, first time using any of that stuff):

FC - 2
CC - 0.5
PH - 7
TA - 50
CH - 25
CYA - None noted.
Salt - 4

Does that make sense? If so, recommendations to get this thing underway? Promise I'll pick this up eventually!

And if I dose up with recommendations tonight, what do I need to retest in the am to keep it going for the day (will be at work).

Thanks!
 
You're going to SLAM correct? If so, then here's what to do:
- Add stabilizer for a target of 30 ppm; use the sock-soaking method
- Also add enough regular bleach to maintain FC of 12 and keep it at 12 as much as possible 24/7 w/ pump running (low is fine)
- Follow all the notes on the SLAM page (link below) and you'll do fine.

Everything else is ready. Just SLAM away!

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Before going to work, best you can do is bump the FC slightly higher (about 14-15ppm) and hope it doesn't fall too much. I guess you could also crank-up the SWG just while you're away if you wanted. That's your call.
 
yes, need to get this up to SLAM. So, in playing with the pool math calculator, looks like roughly I need to add:

3.2 bottles of 12.5% bleach.
10 lbs of CYA

Got plenty of bleach, only 8 lbs of stablizer. Recommendations? Go with 8, wait for more, more or less bleach? It's going to be dark and rainy again tomorrow, if that helps.

Should I play with anything else, or just run with those two for now?

Also, even 8 lbs is a lot of CYA crystals. how does one usually suspend the half-dozen socks this is going to take? Adding to the skimmer is a no? Do you tie them together and to the ladder or something? Other thoughts? Would putting the shallow/deep boundary rope be a good idea and suspend from that? Not sure where to go with that
 

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Definitely get the stabilizer going, even if it's not quite enough. The FC would be harsh on the pool without it. You can pick more up at Wal-Mart or the pool section from a home improvement store.
To increase CYA via granular stabilizer, place the required amount as calculated by the Poolmath calculator into a white sock and suspend it near a return jet or in the skimmer. Best not to allow undissolved granules to rest directly against the pool surface. Squeeze the sock periodically to help it dissipate. Once dissolved, consider your CYA adjusted to that programmed (target) level, although the test readings may take anywhere from 24 hours to a few days to fully register. Confirm CYA in about one week before adding any more stabilizer/conditioner.
Click to expand...
 
A sock in front of every return, a sock in the skimmer basket, a sock in a tablet float. If you don't get it all in at the same time, it's not a big deal. Just over the first few days it gets it.
 
Ok, after another dredge (got another half-wheelbarrow full, mostly from the deep end) and a quick backwash (probably pushed more junk against the main drain), I'm in business. Got 8lbs of CYA in socks in the baskets, and 3.25 or so gallons of 12.5% shock. All I should do now is check FC in the morning and bring back up to around 14 if I'm leaving it for the day? Do I have to run the gamut of tests again, or can I do a quickie for FC and run for now?

I'll grab another CYA while I'm on my way home so I can hit the 10lb mark. Looks like I don't test that again for a while, just assume it hit what I put in? Just confirming, as I see that in the quote above. I'll drop another 2lbs in when I get home tomorrow.

From here out, I'm just fighting the FC fight, right?

Also, suspecting that my pool was built on an ancient worm burial ground. WOW was this thing loaded with dead, soggy worms. Guess whatever drives them to drown themselves on pavement makes an inactive pool look even better! :)
 
Yes, FC is the only thing to check during SLAM. (well CC is nice too as an indicator also of how it's going) Yes, all the organics (worms, etc) you can get out is even better.
 
So, this morning I tested and saw:

FC - 16
CC - 1

How much FC starts to be bad? Doing SLAM, so guessing not terrible if I was going to get to 14 before work anyway, but wasn't expecting that high. I was either overly generous with the 1/4 gallon of bleach, or the 40k gallon pool number the pool guy estimated may be a tad high. Guess I'm going to have to watch that. Plus side is that I don't have to add anything, and can just let it run for the day, right?

Also, there's a timer somewhere I can't control at the moment. It shut off again overnight (thinking early morning, as I heard it a few times earlier). My control board seems to be working, but the display isn't, so I can't really control much more than on/off. Is it likely that THAT is the timer, or could there be something I'm missing? I don't see anything else, but don't know where to look. Tried to read the manual for the control board and put into service mode, which should leave it on, but without the screen, hard to say if it took. It shut off around 815 last night too, but I caught it and got it right back on. Ran all day at work yesterday, so late evening and early morning seem to be the trip points for the timer. And yes, ran it for like 5 minutes before trying the FC test, so wasn't perfectly mixed maybe, but I don't think I just got lucky and hit a chlorine pocket.

Leave it alone and see how it looks tonight? On the plus side, it was at least cleared enough that I could tell the lights work now. I couldn't tell before...

And I found 2 mice this morning that decided to test the pool for me overnight. Judging from their faces, it wasn't quite ready yet :)
 

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