Stay the course or is a change in direction necessary

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Tested FC every hour since 6:00 am. By 12:00 FC was down to 15.5. Adjusted back to 20 as I'll be away for about 4 hours. I'll continue when I return.

Didn't mention it in the earlier post but CYA is just under 40, so I'm using that to determine my SLAM FC of 16.
 
Brushed around 6:00 pm. Kept FC at or above 16 until about 10:00 pm when I raised FC to 27 with the 10ml test sample. Checked again this morning at 4:00 am. FC at 22.
Clearly I have more work to do.
 
Holy smokes Bob! You're still going at it? Yikes. You'll win the TFP longevity award that's for sure. Well, let's see, I've re-read several of your last posts and will chime-in with some thoughts:
- Definitely don't stay at the MA shock level very long. Not only is it quite strong on your liner, but bleach dissipates much faster. Just stay at the regular SLAM level.
- When was the last time you tested your CYA? If you haven't done it in a while, it might be good to do so. If your CYA turned-out to be 50, then your SLAM FC level would be 20. Could make a difference.
- A pool your size will get warm quickly in the summer, mine does at 18K. Organics love warm water, so the chlorine and constant activity (brushing, swimming, etc) is always a good thing.
- I think I read your sand is new right? So no problems there.
- Your bleach (FC) is competing against the sun and any last algae. If this was a cold weather SLAM, the FC would be fighting primarily the algae since the sun would be low and less heat. But now the sun is grabbing your FC leaving it lower which is less effective for the algae, so do your best to maintain.

We'll keep watching for updates. Have a nice day.
 
Pat:
I was only raising my FC to 25 between sundown and sunup. The rest of the time, FC is 16. But I'll go back to Slam Level for my CYA..

I’ll check again. CYA was just under 40 last week. Can’t hurt to re-verify.

Very warm. 85 degrees most of the day. I’m keeping up the brushing. Should probably have my wife have a go during the day...

Pump/Filter is just 12 months old. I think you recommended a Deep Cleaning in an earlier post, which I did as well.(It was filthy. But I ended up having to replace all the sand anyway. (Long Story..)

Thanks for the input. Implementing your suggestions looks to be a good way to go...

Updates coming.....:study:
 
Home too late to verify CYA, but my wife kept FC between 16-18 all day. Got a chance to hop in and brush before it got too dark. The pool, the algae and I had a good long talk..:blah:...I think we came to an agreement. We cannot go on like this...So, I raised my FC to 26 after a final addition at 8:30pm and a test at 9:00pm. I'll try the OCLT in the morning and see if anyone was really listening while I brushed and talked.:brickwall:

thanks for being there forum folks..:salut:
 
I test for FC/CC/PH every day and once a week I run those as well as testing for CYA/TA. Since the slam started, just FC/CC/CYA.
On July 8th I tested for CYA, had my wife verify just below 40. So, I continued the SLAM at that level with a FC of 16. Tested CYA this morning, 8 days later and today CYA measures way less than 30. Filled the test cylinder to overflowing and the test dot was still very visible. One vacuum and one backwash on the 9th or 10th. No way that's enough to drop my CYA by half.

I have some stabilizer and a few pucks left over. Going to start raising it today.

Any ideas what gives? What can use up CYA that rapidly. I thought I understood only replacement of water can change CYA that fast...
 

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Just did some quick research on the forum. Apparently high levels of FC (like when SLAMMING) for extended periods of time (I've been at it about 45 days) can lower CYA numbers. According to the articles in the forum, the solution to the loss of CYA is to not panic and simply add stabilizer.....pretty clear..

Any thoughts?
 
I would prefer to panic! :) Yes, there are a couple of scenarios where CYA can get used up by high chlorine or bacteria. It is fairly rare so you are one of the lucky ones! That does explain your FC use and CC. Bump the CYA and let's see if we can wrap this up.
 
I feel for you, man. You recently posted on my thread re: my long, un-ending SLAM. I never could get a CC less than 1 or 1.5 so I brought FC to MA shock level x 24 hrs then brought things to a close. I know, heresy. However, it has been some weeks now and all remains well. CC almost immediately came down to 0.5 or occasionally 1.0.
I realize every pool is different. And in your case, you have been unable to pass OCLT along with elevated CC.
I say all this to say, at a certain point, when things aren't responding within normal limits, I see nothing wrong with ending SLAM early and monitoring closely for consequences. The amount of time and effort put into the pool can become excessive on a never-ending SLAM. To say nothing of the potential strain on your mental health and marital bliss.
 
I'm going to give it until the end of the week then I believe a little heresy may be the order of the day.....ill be taking the pool down in a few weeks to pour a concrete slab, so I'm going to play with the chemicals while abiding by the TFP method to help me better understand my pools chemistry.
Thanks for the input Ronald U.......
 
By the 18th I had gotten my CYA back to 40. Checked today, early, and CYA level was back well below 30 again..I've been maintaining an FC of 16...
Alright fellow forum members, be honest. Does it sound like my testing skills are bush league or can something else be going on?
Remember, I haven't been able to pass a SLAM/OCLT for going on three months..with an FC OF 16...If there's nothing else to do, or not another path I should head down, I'm going to take the advice of Robert U who posted a couple days ago, and let all my numbers come down to normal pool maintenance levels as if I passed the OCLT and see what happens..
Never, ever saw much algea, a little dust up when I brushed, a little slick in specific areas on the floor and a CC of 1.5 when I tested. That's when the SLAM was started. Still at the same place. Water is clear but flat, no sparkle. Dust up is all but gone. No slick spots..
How do we feel about my decision to end it all?

Pumps been running 24/7 the entire time..
 
I am OK with that. High levels of FC can oxidize CYA over time and having your FC above shock level for CYA can cause your FC to drop creating the potential for a cycle. Let's try something new! :)
 
Ronald U....I read your post along with pooldv's a couple of times. Figured a change would be the way to go, good or bad a change had to come.
Sooo, this is what I've done. I read the Taylor K-2006 Pool Water Chemistry handbook. There was a discussion on another thread regarding high CC's I think. The discussion mentioned page 29 of the handbook which speaks of "super chlorinating" as necessary, maybe even weekly. (I know, I know, death to the term, but please keep reading) I've been at SLAM levels for the better part of three months. Thought I'd step out on a limb.
I let my numbers come down to normal Saturday, FC below 10, balanced my water (PH to 7.2) then Saturday night, after sundown I "super chlorinated" as the Taylor handbook recommended to just over 30 ppm. ( My CYA was coming up to 40). Sunday I just kept an eye on my FC throughout the day, and let it come down on its own. Monday and Tuesday I maintained my FC at around 10 ppm, with the help of my bride.
Though it's only been two days, I've only lost and added enough chlorine to make up for about a 3 - 4 ppm loss during the day and it's been awful hot here. CC Was 2.0 on Saturday, 1.5 on Sunday, 1.0 on Monday and tonight it's at .5...in a day or two I'll try an OCLT.....
Water is beginning to sparkle and no dust up when I brush.
It was as if I was feeding or had gotten into a vicious cycle of SLAMMING and didn't know what else to do.

The support on the forum has been indispensable in helping me better understand pool chemistry in general and my pools specific chemistry. When I posted very confused, you folks always answered, always supported, never talked down. Many thanks.
I will continue to post to this thread until I know I'm stable, I mean until my pool is stable. Thanks again for the encouraging input. KEEP IT COMING..
 
Well, that all sounds like good news to me! It was time to shake things up a bit and see what happens. So far so good in my book. Especially a little sparkle!
 
what's the previous history of the pool water? If I understood correctly you got it with the house? I just wondering if you got something else with it- 3 months is about 6x times longer than the period I could stand :). If you don't know the story behind then may be periodic partial drain/refill is your future- eventually that thing you're fighting with will wash out. I'd just continue to maintain FC/CYA/pH at maintenance level for now. If you have something living there it will start multiply and you'll notice unusual drop in FC and then you'd worry about it at that time. TFP method is effective but it requires certain conditions and one of them is water has to be free from anything besides chlorine, CYA and probably MA. You add something else and situation becomes too complex to control.
 

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