12 days of Slam

bff

0
Jul 4, 2017
86
Seacoast/ NH
Hi,

We've been trying to get our pool open since May-We realized our pump wasn't working and installed a new one 12 days ago. The pool was a literal swamp with frogs, tadpoles, and baby turtles!
I've been Slamming our pool for 12 days now and after an almost instant change in the color of the water on the first few days it hasn't really changed much this week (that I can see). I've been brushing and vacuuming daily and cleaning the filters every day (Boy, do they need it! They get so dirty so fast!)
The FC maintains SLAM levels for 3-4 hours sometimes, and I'm not adding gallons of bleach anymore-just a few cups (12.5%) at a time.

My numbers:
FC: 11.5 (added bleach)
PH: 7.5
TA: 90
CH: 50
CYA: 30

Am I on the right track? I know it takes time but I'm getting so disheartened. -Brenda
IMG_3042.JPGDay 1IMG_3043.JPGDay2Day3.JPGDay3Day 4.JPGDay4Day5.JPGDay5Day7.JPGDay7Day 9.JPGDay9
Day12.JPGDay 12filter.JPGFilter being cleaned today
 

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Hi,

We've been trying to get our pool open since May-We realized our pump wasn't working and installed a new one 12 days ago. The pool was a literal swamp with frogs, tadpoles, and baby turtles!
I've been Slamming our pool for 12 days now and after an almost instant change in the color of the water on the first few days it hasn't really changed much this week (that I can see). I've been brushing and vacuuming daily and cleaning the filters every day (Boy, do they need it! They get so dirty so fast!)
The FC maintains SLAM levels for 3-4 hours sometimes, and I'm not adding gallons of bleach anymore-just a few cups (12.5%) at a time.

My numbers:
FC: 11.5 (added bleach)
PH: 7.5
TA: 90
CH: 50
CYA: 30

Am I on the right track? I know it takes time but I'm getting so disheartened. -Brenda
View attachment 154786Day 1View attachment 154787Day2View attachment 154796Day3View attachment 154797Day4View attachment 154798Day5View attachment 154800Day7View attachment 154802Day9
View attachment 154803Day 12View attachment 154804Filter being cleaned today
Hi,

I'm using the Taylor test kit.
 

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Any debris in the bottom will be a real negative to your progress, though I understand how hard it is to get it all when scooping blind. Are your certain of your CYA value? If your CYA is actually higher, then your FC level would be too low is why I’m asking. Light niches and ladders are good places for algae to hide and need to be checked. And yes, cartridge filters are probably the toughest to slam with from the perspective of how quickly they clog and it taking a bit of effort to clean them. But you are doing the right things. Is your pump running 24/7? This is where POP is required. Pool owner patience. The process will work, though not always as quickly as we would like.

BTW - With a thread title like that, someone needs to come up with words to a certain tune. On the first day of slamming the pool gods gave to me, a tanker truck full of bleach.
 
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I would drain if I were you. My pool got abused during construction as a stoneslinger shot a good wheelbarrow full of filth in and it sat in the water for 3 weeks before the filtration was up and running. I did the tarp drain method and it worked like a charm. Let me know if you want to know more about the method
 
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Hi! I'm not getting much debris out of the pool today, just a few pine needles and a leaf or two. I can see quite a bit of "sediment" in the water- It goes right through the skimmer, but the filter is catching it (We clean these daily).

My CYA test just now was more like 20. Can I be losing CYA? Should I try to raise this to 30-35?

Brenda
 
If your FC is holding reasonably well, I would keep your CYA as is. CYA only changes by user test variance or as water is removed via splashout or overflowing.
 
Day 15.JPGDay 15Day 17 today.JPGToday-Day 17

Hello,
I'm still Slamming this pool 17 days in and I'm tired!

Overall I would say that the water looks a bit more blue green overall and I keep thinking that any day now it's going to turn the corner, but every morning I look out and see little improvement. I am getting so discouraged.

I did end up adding some CYA before "bmoreswim" told me not to. So that's at 40 now. I have been checking the FC every 1 1/2 hours and have had to add bleach most of the time. It's dropping down to around 14 every couple of hours (slam level 16)

The filter is still pretty gnarly every day when we clean it- have decided to clean it twice daily until the pool is clear. But it's hard to find the time (and energy) for it. It feels like I'm never going to get this clean. I have turned over this pool from a swamp before, but it seemed like it went faster than this last time.

Am I missing something here?

Brenda

Everyone (not on this website) keeps telling me to use a clarifier(Flocc), but I am resisting.
 
I see a lot of dark at the bottom of the pool. Any idea what that is? Assuming it is debris, it will go a lot quicker if you get that out. I don't know a lot about in-pool vacuum systems, but are you running that every day and is that working properly? Do you have another option to get it out (vacuum, robot, etc.).
 

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