How long does SLAM take: one man's story

[Eilum]

I opened to a swamp 24 days ago and it is now sparkling clear. That is the good news. The TFP method alone did not get the whole job done - that was my experience.

This is our second year with the pool and loving it. Being in a wooded area and with a mesh cover, we open to swamp. Last year, the SLAM was well into it's second week and still cloudy so I caved and used FLOC, vaccumed up the mess and a couple days later pool was clear. This year I promised myself I would stick religiously to TFP method.

Open May 01 and immediately raised to and above shock level, checking every hour or so and maintaining. 24-48 hrs. later pool was a cloudy blue. I couldn't have been happier.

It was only slightly better a week later. I posted on the forum and was told to stay the course, so kept the levels up and it made slight progress day by day but still couldn't see the main drain by end of week 2. Was told to deep clean the sand, so did that. Next few days cleared further and was able to see the main drain through the cloudiness.

Started adding DE to filter and only difference I saw was that the pressure spiked and needed to backwash after an hour or so. Still cloudy blue.

By end of 3rd week I was pulling out my hair and considering vacuuming out the sand and replacing with filterglass media at a cost of $300. I needed to get this pool clean.

Wife was telling me to flocc or use clarifier but I refused to go to the pool store. Well, today was day 24 and it was still cloudy. I went to the pool store and they showed a lower FC and CYA then I had but they told me that my chemistry looked ok and it was a filter problem. Wife was insisting on clarifier, but I refused.

I bought another bag of sand (thinking my level was too low) and added that in. Also dumped in two more bottles of 10% bleach. When it was still cloudy, I went to a different pool store and they sold me a bottle of clarifier for $16.99

Resigned and feeling guilty, I added the dose of clarifier to the pool and to the skimmer and went off to work. Came back 5 hours later and guess what? The pool is sparkling clear. Beautiful. Perfect!!

So how long does SLAM take? I would think that if at the end of week 2, certainly week 3, you are not clear then it is time to use a clarifier or flocc. They are not too expensive (much cheaper than the cost of maintaining SLAM levels and running filter 24/7 for 4+ weeks) and they get the job done. Fast.

So next year, the plan is to close in a way that won't open to swamp (will be on this forum soon learning how that is done - any tips are welcome). But if we do open to swamp, I am going to SLAM for a week or two and then add the clarifier. Save me weeks of aggravation and money.

All told, I invested:

• 24 days AND NIGHTS
• 70+ bottles of bleach (10%) $240
• Filter running 24/7 for 24 days $100??
• DE
• One bag of sand $10
• One bottle of clarifier $16.99
• 4 oz. R-0871 reagent

And here we are

Thank you to kimkats and everyone on this amazing forum for all the advice, information, and encouragement. This is by-far the most friendly and useful website on the world wide web. The SLAM method definitely works, but I learned that pool store products aren't always the enemy - sometimes they are useful supplements to finish off a SLAM that just won't progress.

Thank you to my dear wife for being right and insisting that I buy clarifier instead of standing on principle. If it was up to me, I would still be SLAMing and waiting for this sand filter to do the job come September.

Looking forward to learning how to close properly and never open to swamp again.

Now I am going for a dip in the sparkling oasis...see ya

 

[Numb]

Curious, did you re-add DE every time you backwashed?

 

[Eilum]

No, I didn't because a few times I added DE and went to work only to return to find the PSI went way up and the pump was sucking air. So I only added DE when I could monitor the filter and backwash every hour or two. Honestly, I didn't see the DE help clear the water up. I am planning on adding a dose tomorrow now that the water is clear so it has a chance to "polish" it up. But for less than $20 the clarifier did the job fast. Curious, is there any down-side to using clarifier?

 

[PAGirl]

You might want to deep clean your filter soon.


Not to sound like a negative Nelly, but if your filter isn't working properly, you'll know soon, as the water may cloud up again. Did you perform an OCLT yet? (Clear water is only one part of the process.)

 

[Numb]

Only things that I've read is that it can cause somewhat of a gooey mess in the filter, but with a sand filter that less of an issue, and that if your cloudiness is in fact due to an algae bloom instead of just misc particles in the water it can mask that and potentially flare back up. I was truly just curious if you'd used it once or multiple times for my own curiosity. DE in the sand filter worked well for me, but my water was ~95% there and it was just to help with the finishing touches. Other than that I think they basically serve similar purposes in different ways. One increases the size of the particles by joining them together whereas the other increases the filtration capability of the filter for finer particles. Either way, you got the sparkling pool!

 

[Eilum]

I deep cleaned the filter a week ago Sunday (11 days ago) and I opened it up today to add more sand and the existing bed seemed clean enough to me. Unless you mean that the clarifier will gum up the filter and require a deep clean (which is a small price to pay to have the pool finally clear).

Passed the OCLT and CC test over a week ago. That's what has been so frustrating!!

Numb, I definitely like the DE and plan on using it. But like you said, mostly at end to polish things up. I do not think my particular sand filter was able to get whatever particles were in the water and the DE pushed up pressure too fast. For my purposes, clarifier seemed to do the trick. But I guess time will tell.

I hope this story is over and we don't have to write Book Two

 

[Rollercoastr]

When I first saw my house, the pool was a swamp. I scheduled the pool inspection and told the lazy slob seller that I wanted the water clear and the pump running. Five days later, I met the inspector at the house and we found a running (and dripping) pump and clear water. It wasn't TFP clear, but we could see the main drain in the deep end and cracks in the surface of the shallow end. With no preconceived notions, 5 days to go from swamp to clear seemed reasonable to me.

When I took possession of house from Mr. and Mrs. H. Munster, the pool was solid green again. My SLAM took 3 weeks. Certainly some of that was due to me being a newbie and my schedule (no attention to the pool each wkd), but it has bothered me that someone with nothing but ignorance and apathy could clear the pool so much faster than I could.

I took inventory of his storage closet and calculated over $400 worth LPS supplies. Included in that was a small bottle of blue clarifier (floc?) that is listed at LPS for $16.99. I'm assuming that's what you used...? I don't know how he shocked/sanitized the pool. There was a huge bucket of bromine tabs, but I don't know that he didn't dump liquid or a powder and tossed the packaging before I saw it. The pool was an acid bath when I found it. I struggled to get pH to even read 7, so I'm thinking he used something quite acidic.

My sand filter is the house, so exchanging sand or deep-cleaning is impractical to say the least. I hope it hasn't been gunked up by floc. I haven't opened my filter. Flow and filtering is good, so I'm just hoping for the best.

I interpret the TFP tenet as consistently collecting accurate information, and understanding concepts before taking action. In that regard, I supposed you went against TFP by using floc, because you were gambling/guessing. I think one could argue however, that with experience, knowledge and a plan that things like floc can be used and still fall within TFP principals.

(boom)

 

[Catanzaro]

Eilum:

Please answer the following questions:

1) When exactly did you close the pool? What were your levels? What closing chemicals did you add?
2) When exactly did you open your pool?

I have an idea that will work. This year, close the pool about 15-30 days later than normal. Next year, open the pool 3-4 weeks earlier than normal.

One other item on your bucket list. Go to Wal-Mart and purchase the real inexpensive blue tarps. Make slits in the cover (not too big), but all over the covers. After you close the pool, tie them down to the safety mesh cover (On top of the cover). This will allow the water to soak into the pool and keep the sunlight away. In addition, you can blow off any junk that blows on the cover or falls off the tree.

This year, I opened up 2 pools (friends and not in the business). One has an incredible quality mesh cover and we opened last Friday to a clear pool. Took about a day to clear up. The other pool had the extra covers as I described and we opened up to a clear pool. Within 24 hours, both pools were crystal clear.

My pool has only a solid cover as I do not want to drill through the concrete. A little bit of an eye sore, but I deal with it. My pool clears up in about 4 hours. Opened up about a month ago.

 

[Eilum]

I havent tackled closing yet. First year previous owner closed and last year I hired a service. Dont know what they did but that safety mesh cover was tea-bagging leaves and debris in the water all winter. Funny thing is that I pulled back a corner of the cover in Late February/Early March and the water was clear. I was excited but when I actually opened last week of April, I had a messy swamp full of toads and everything. I certainly need to close it myself this year and take your advice on the tarp or something because I refuse to do this every year.

Rollercoastr, I dont know if you were asking a question, but as far as I can tell, I learned alot this year. This is my advice to you and what I will do next time. Shock according to TFP until you are passing the OFCT and CC test. That means you have killed the algae and the chemicals are right. If pool is not clearing, add clarifier to help the filter out. Should be done within 12 hours after that.

Good luck

 

[borjis]

Congrats Elium!!

perseverance paid off!

 

[Catanzaro]

I will assist you with the closing process. If you want to get started early (knowledge), please send over pictures of the equipment pad (all angles) and describe your pool in detail. It may make a lot of sense to invest in a Cyclone Blower and create a modified cover.

Modified Cover for Swimming Pools

Modified Cover for Hayward Super Pump for Closing Swimming Pool

 

[richierich]

What is clarifier and what does it do? Just curious

I have a micromesh cover also and live in NY. I used it when I had my intex and would open to clear water and some fine dirt on the floor. The key is to close in late October and bring your water up to shock level.

 

[Eilum]

Clarifier is a coagulant that binds to small particles in the water so they stick together into larger globs to be removed by the filter. It is basically a filter aid.

 

[skimmerswimmer]

When I purchased my house almost 5 years ago, the pool had a sand filter and it opened rather slowly as far as water clarity. It took weeks to look decent. Then I had it re-plastered and I replaced all of my equipment, swapping the sand filter for a quad DE model. This made a huge difference in water clarity. I found that with the sand filter, clarifier helped make the water sparkle. With the Quad DE, it sparkles on it's own. Cleaning the filter takes more time, but it is well worth it for the water clarity obtained. I believe DE can filter down to less than 5 microns, whereas sand can only filter down to between 20-100 microns.

 

[Rollercoastr]

Rollercoastr, I dont know if you were asking a question...

No question. What I was trying to do was spur a discussion about TFP methods and the inclusion of pool $tore products.

I failed in that regard, but at least I got another opportunity to rant about the previous owner of my home.

To come back around: are they mutually exlusive, or can a well-informed TFP'er stroll into a pool $tore, spend a modest amount of money and still maintain TFPness?

Your opening statement suggested that you cannot, that TFP fell short. If you had experience with floc and could predict the outcome, would that mean that yours is still a TFP pool?

Another consideration is your DE experiment: What if your introduction of DE into your sand filter was flawed? Perhaps you added too much, resulting in the spike of pressure. Maybe your gauge misled you, or maybe a condition within your filter sabotaged the DE strategy leaving you in a specific situation of needing floc.

I'm curious about this. Clearly, as evidenced by this big gold badge, I'm a dedicated and loyal TFPer with pool water that meets a higher standard than any non-TFP pool I've ever seen. Still, I want to know more about methods and products employed by the lazy and un-informed (my seller, not you) that we know can bring faster results.

 

[Catanzaro]

I believe DE can filter down to less than 5 microns, whereas sand can only filter down to between 20-100 microns.

By far DE Filters are the best and will filter down to about 8 microns. Cartridge filters will filter to about 12 microns, while Sand Filters to about 18 microns. (This is what I have read). I have a sand filter and did not want to be bothered by the DE or cartridge. I really feel a lot has to do with the set up of the pool. One of the biggest mistakes a person makes with a sand filter is that they backwash too often (I backwash 1X per year) and my pool stays really clean. To often, I hear that people backwash every time they vacuum the pool.

DE Filters are probably necessary for certain pools and depending on what debris falls in, but require more maintenance. Here at TFP, if a pool is kept within the proper ranges, very seldom do you hear that water quality went from crystal clear, to cloudy, and overnight to an algae bloom. In my pool, I saw an algae spot 1X when using the frog system and have never seen anything but crystal clear water since switching over to the TFP method. It has been 4 years.

 

[Pool Amateur]

I inherited a mesh cover, first year of closing I only covered with mesh cover, I opened to a swamp last year, this year put a tarp over the mesh and opened to clear pool. It was a pain pumping water off. Next year I will put tarp under mesh cover and pump out in spring. My first year the pool was a swamp, after getting "pool schooled" and wasting hundreds of dollars at pool store, found this site, one week later was swimming, last year with green strands of algae throughout one week crystal clear. Then when using solar cover had an algae bloom, 2 days to pass slam, but the water did not have sparkle, instead of trying DE I tried Slime bag, day later sparkle was back, could not believe how much crud was in slime bag. I use it frequently now just to keep water sparkling. After last years opening I did a deep clean of filter, maybe filter too clean, maybe channeling of sand, i do not know but the bag works. when this one finally fails I will buy the Duda diesel bag and modify so it is easier to clean, although it really is not that bad. So my conclusion is my sand filter is not working real great and when I have time will try to look into further, but things are doing well the way I have it. I am not very experienced but I also was wondering why it takes some so long to clear. Now that I said that i will get a bloom that takes a month to clear.

PS if you have 3 pool stores around take a sample to each and see how close they are in their numbers and compare to your #.

 

[pabeader]

Remember folks, TFP's philosophy is information based not dogmatic. If, as you have found, there is something to be learned; we want to learn it. Last year, you experimented and it worked. That's great! This year you repeated the test and had the same result. I would say, that for you and your pool, you have found something that makes it Troublefree. That's what we are all shooting for. Informed usage of whatever works.
Are there good reasons for the things we say about 'magic potions', sure there are. Everything can have a use if treated with caution and care.
The standard TFP method works, has been tested time and time again; and it works. When followed properly and all the way, you are going to have the best possible outcome, with the least chance of issues down the road.
But that isn't the only way. You may have found something that looks great and appears to produce the same result. Only time will tell. Keep your FC inline with your CYA and keep us posted on the clarity of the water as the summer wears on.

 

[Eilum]

I want nothing more than to be able to SLAM and run the filter and see the pool clear. Like pabeader said, it seems that I learned something about my particular pool that the filter needs some help with flocc or clarifier to finish a SLAM. No harm in that!

I will say that with Memorial Day upon us, many neighbors have been opening over the past week and I nosily asked around. Many opened to green and by visiting pool store or having a service come out, turned blue and clear within 4-7 days. I am not saying that they are better off and that there won't be problems and money wasted down the line, but it does sting to see them clear and free in a couple days after I battled my pool for 3.5 weeks!

But we live and learn - next year should be easier and shorter (and with the forum's help, hopefully will close better and open blue). Thanks all.

 

[Numb]

I think the reason TFP works is because its a long term solution, and its educating the pool owner. I have zero doubt a pool service can get my pool blue and clear, if they couldn't they wouldn't be in business very long. However using TFP I can get my own pool there, for a fraction of the cost and it will stay that way. Granted I don't deal with openings and closing so I don't fully appreciate that scenario....but TFP gets me where I need to be without elevating other levels and I know EXACTLY what effect its having on my pool.

Just before I joined TFP, literally a month before, I was in the pool store buying boxes of shock, green to clean, phosphate reducer and clarifier. What did I get from that? After 5 days I had a milky cloudy pool that wasn't green but wasn't blue and the cloudiness was in it for the long haul. By the time I joined TFP, I was almost $350 in the hole and my pool was green again. Yeah, my SLAM took 2.5 weeks. But you know what? My pool has been sparkling and clear ever since. I haven't spent a dime on pool store chemicals other than chlorine and I have started to truly enjoy my pool, not just using it, but caring for it.

I think you made some valid points, and there are obviously other ways to do this, but for me...I'm drinking this TFP Kool-Aid all day long.