SLAM - Getting the CYA right

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Texas Splash said:
Hope I didn't miss something from before, but to make sure we're all talking the same thing .... 24 gallons at one time? On the Poolmath calculator, TWO gallons takes FC in a 20K pool from zero to 10. So I would think you only need to add 2 gallons to start the ammonia purging 10-min drill:
1. Begin a SLAM and dose FC up to SLAM level. If your CYA test is showing as zero (perhaps already converted to ammonia), use a SLAM/Shock FC of 10. Do not add additional CYA at this point.
2. Retest FC at 10-minute intervals.
a. If FC loss is greater than 50%, add FC to bring back up to SLAM level and continue retesting FC @ 10-minute intervals.
b. IF FC loss is 50% or less, add FC to bring back up to SLAM level. Go to Step 3.
3. If CYA is below 30 ppm, add enough CYA to bring level up to 30 ppm.
4. Continue SLAM as directed in the SLAM article until the SLAM Criteria of Done are met. Test as directed in the SLAM article - no longer need to test FC at 10 minute increments at this point.

- - - Updated - - -

24 gallons would take you FC to 120 and probably bleach your liner.
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I was told by the poster in this thread that I have to be at 10x FC the ppm of the ammonia...Is that wrong?

Mod note: The chlorine needs to be added on an as need basis according to your test results. Kim

If I read you correct, that I would dump 2 gal in. Test immediately the FC. Wait 10 min and test again. If I lost more than 50% of the FC than dump more to bring back up to 10ppm, then wait 10 min, test and if loss is greater than 50% repeat. If I don't lose 50% then monitor and add Chlorine as needed to maintain?
 
Yep... as Pat said. Only add 2 maybe 3 gallons at a time then if you brush the area underneath the return(s) that you add the bleach in front of and wait 10 minutes, you can retest FC and go from there. Rinse repeat until you start holding some FC.
 
poolnooble said:
I was told by the poster in this thread that I have to be at 10x FC the ppm of the ammonia...Is that wrong?

If I read you correct, that I would dump 2 gal in. Test immediately the FC. Wait 10 min and test again. If I lost more than 50% of the FC than dump more to bring back up to 10ppm, then wait 10 min, test and if loss is greater than 50% repeat. If I don't lose 50% then monitor and add Chlorine as needed to maintain?
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Go with what Pat has told you. PLEASE!

Kim
 
kimkats said:
Go with what Pat has told you. PLEASE!

Kim
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Ok. I'm trying it...getting some odd readings. We first added 2 gal of 10%. Got a 10.5 FC reading, good right.

Waited 10 min. Got a 4 FC reading. Expected.

Added 1 gal to raise back up. Got a 5FC reading and it held steady there after 5 min.

Added more chlorine to bring back to 10, but my reading is still 4.5-5.

Should I wait longer to test again?
 
That's right poolnooble. Keep the jugs close by and after every 10 minutes, add enough bleach to get the FC back-up to an FC of 10 right away. Watch that like a hawk every 10 minutes and eventually the FC will begin to hold so that you can continue with a normal SLAM and get past the ammonia. Once it starts to hold every 10 minutes, you'll know it. :)
 
Texas Splash said:
That's right poolnooble. Keep the jugs close by and after every 10 minutes, add enough bleach to get the FC back-up to an FC of 10 right away. Watch that like a hawk every 10 minutes and eventually the FC will begin to hold so that you can continue with a normal SLAM and get past the ammonia. Once it starts to hold every 10 minutes, you'll know it. :)
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Quick question. How soon after adding the first jug do measure the FC? Meaning my "control" sample to know if the next 10 min sample is lower than that, or doesn't it matter since I am trying to get a consistent 10ppm FC after any 10 min period.
 
I hope I'm understanding your question ... but to be sure ... once you've made it past that "10-minute ammonia drill" technique by holding 50% of your FC past 10 minutes, then you simply move-forward to the traditional SLAM method of maintaining a new FC of 12. So earlier you were at an FC of 10, testing every 10-min. If it dropped to 4 or below in 10 minutes, you increased FC right away until FC stayed between a level of 5-10 after 10 minutes. That's the ammonia part.

Now once you're doing the normal SLAM, you'll need to increase FC to 12 and check that FC a little more frequently in the early SLAM stages (maybe 15 min, then 30 min, then 60 min, then eventually every couple hours) until the FC begins to stabilize better over a longer period of time. You'll notice a pattern over time. It's a bit of babysitting at first, but will soon last longer and not be so overwhelming. I hope that answers your question.
 
Texas Splash said:
I hope I'm understanding your question ... but to be sure ... once you've made it past that "10-minute ammonia drill" technique by holding 50% of your FC past 10 minutes, then you simply move-forward to the traditional SLAM method of maintaining a new FC of 12. So earlier you were at an FC of 10, testing every 10-min. If it dropped to 4 or below in 10 minutes, you increased FC right away until FC stayed between a level of 5-10 after 10 minutes. That's the ammonia part.

Now once you're doing the normal SLAM, you'll need to increase FC to 12 and check that FC a little more frequently in the early SLAM stages (maybe 15 min, then 30 min, then 60 min, then eventually every couple hours) until the FC begins to stabilize better over a longer period of time. You'll notice a pattern over time. It's a bit of babysitting at first, but will soon last longer and not be so overwhelming. I hope that answers your question.
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That makes much more sense! Thank you!!!
 

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Texas Splash said:
No worries Annie. A while back "Bo D" produced a new ammonia technique that everyone seemed to find easy and safe for most users to apply, so we've been using that for a while now. Seems to be working quite well. :)
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It also doesn't require an ammonia test, so someone can test for the presence of ammonia even if the pet stores are closed and tackle it right away.

From my HTC One via Tapatalk
 
Thanks for all the advice. We are humming along past the ammonia problem. Now we are keeping everything at slam levels. Pool went from almost black when the cover came off to light green. Still very limited visibility.

I have vacuumed to waste 4 times now, and the last time not much came up. Been dredging with the leaf net and very little solids are coming up now. Getting more off the surface than the pool floor.

Things are looking up!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Sounds like you are following the SLAM page perfectly. :goodjob: Very good. Continue what you're doing and be prepared to open a can of patience while the bleach (FC) slowly does its job. If you have any questions as the SLAM continues, please let us know.
 
Texas Splash said:
Sounds like you are following the SLAM page perfectly. :goodjob: Very good. Continue what you're doing and be prepared to open a can of patience while the bleach (FC) slowly does its job. If you have any questions as the SLAM continues, please let us know.
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I certainly am trying! Another question. Heading into the overnight, should i get the SLAM FC level up a bit since I won't be checking the level again until morning? Or having at the SLAM level going into the night is sufficient for the 7 or so hours the pool is unattended? Thanks again for all the help!
 
Funny, we just had a discussion about that very thing. Here's the consensus .... whether it's bedtime or leaving for the day to go to work, ideally it's best to stay at the SLAM as best as possible. If it falls a bit at night or when you're gone for work (which we expect), it will be okay because you'll adjust as soon as you can. Now if you happen to exceed your SLAM by 2-3 ppm, either on purpose or though mis-dosing, it's probably not going to hurt things, just remember it's not going to make things go faster. What we don't want people (not saying you though) to do is get in a habit of over-shooting their SLAM FC by 10, 15, or more ppm because they are going to be gone for a couple days, or they think it will work faster. I know you're not suggesting that, but it's happened here before, so we have a concern for those types of "impatient" owners - especially the ones with vinyl liners because we don't want them to fade.
 

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