Help understanding the need for SLAM

[Kkilli]

Hi Folks -

Great site and lots of useful information. Hoping you can shed some light on my situation. This is my 4th year with the pool and so far no issues. This season I started to notice that I had very low to almost zero FC in the pool. The SWG has always been set at 45% (Hayward Turbo Cell T-15). Checked and cleaned the cell and it had no buildup at all.

I've never used bleach (didn't even know about it till recently) and the SWG has always been able to keep up. Long story short, I realized my CYA was low so I raised it. Now the pool seems to be holding FC at about 3 and CC at 0 (set at 55%). I started looking at understanding SLAM and adding bleach and then found "the bucket test". I put a 5 gallon bucket of pool water in the garage, added 1oz. of 8.3% clorox and the FC seemed to initially rise but then fell to 0 and the TC when crazy dark off the scale.

So my main question is why? I though adding bleach would raise the FC, not lower it. I'm trying to figure out if I have a problem or not. The pool is crystal clear but in looking into the bleach thing I think I got myself all confused.

Ideas?

Thanks in advance!

I believe the test kit I have is the Leslies version of the TAYLOR K-2006 ( FC only goes up to 5)

Pool - 28,000 Plaster, SWG

FC 3
PH 7.6
TA 60
CH 300
CYA 80

 

[triptyx]

Why were you performing a...for lack of a better term...bleach consumption test on your water?

How low was your CYA before you raised it?

Finally, in order to make that Leslie's kit comparable to a K-2006, you'll need to order a FAS/DPD test kit. If you ever need to SLAM, the OT chlorine test you have won't go high enough.

You can get the FAS/DPD test kit here: TFTestkits.net

 

[Mr Bruce]

1oz of 8.25 will raise the FC of 5 gallons to 133. That is not testable with our kits. I suspect the test was bleached out.

 

[Kkilli]

Why were you performing a...for lack of a better term...bleach consumption test on your water?

How low was your CYA before you raised it?

Finally, in order to make that Leslie's kit comparable to a K-2006, you'll need to order a FAS/DPD test kit. If you ever need to SLAM, the OT chlorine test you have won't go high enough.

You can get the FAS/DPD test kit here: TFTestkits.net

CYA was down to 40. I slowly brought it back up to where it is now at about 80.

- - - Updated - - -

1oz of 8.25 will raise the FC of 5 gallons to 133. That is not testable with our kits. I suspect the test was bleached out.

Hmmm. guess I miss understood then. I thought the test was to add 1oz of beech to 5 gallons untill the FC hit 10.

So let me ask the question a different way: How should I determine how much bleach to add to the pool to raise the FC to my target levels, and once I have them there, will should the SWG be able to maintain them without continually adding bleach?

Thanks for the help!

 

[duraleigh]

How should I determine how much bleach to add to the pool to raise the FC to my target levels,

Use PoolMath to calculate your dosage....easy peasy!

read "The ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" up in Pool School to get a grasp on how to move the parameters and what they all do.

 

[Kkilli]

Use PoolMath to calculate your dosage....easy peasy!

read "The ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" up in Pool School to get a grasp on how to move the parameters and what they all do.

Opps, must have missed that. Thanks!