results from day 1 to day 2 tf-100

[Jensow]

Our pool is very old and had the original discontinued DE filter which finally cracked this winter. I had a new sand filter and new pump installed a couple of weeks ago and they added 2 bags of powder shock. I let it run 48 hours and continually backwashed every 20 minutes to 1 hour when the pressure went up by 12 psi and I've added 1-1.5 cups de to the sand filter which increased the psi by 1 . I had to travel and there was yucky weather so I dropped off on working on the pool. I finally ordered the TF-100 kit and started testing yesterday. Made a few mistakes. Here are the results from yesterday to today:

4/17

FC .5
CC 0
pH 7.8
TA 100
CH didn't test
CYA the company is sending me a new tube since this one had a crack and leaked out all the solution. I taped it up and the dot never went away but I read it inside.

Over the course of 8 hours I tested FC several times and it never went up. Ended up adding 6 gallons of 10% bleach. I ran the pump on recirculate overnight.

4/18

FC 1
CC 2
pH 7.2
TA 100-110 (solution is more pink than red, is that right?)
CH 125
CYA 0 - the dot didn't disappear and I read it outside with my back to the sun. I taped up the bottom but the solution was still leaking out. A new tube should arrive soon.

The water is very cloudy and I can't see past the 3rd step. I've been continually brushing but I haven't vacuumed yet. Should I add more bleach and continue testing throughout the day? Should I add CYA now? Do you think the CH test is correct since I didn't have a result yesterday? Thank you!

 

[Texas Splash]

It's great you made the move to get the TF-100. That was most important. Unfortunately, the past two weeks of new water without the proper testing and/or chlorination appears to have let algae begin. That explains the cloudiness, inability to maintain FC, and probably filter PSI increasing. Also, remember that new water does not have stabilizer (CYA) in it, so if you never added stabilizer, the sun simply burned-off the FC right away.

If you never added stabilizer to the new water, use the Poolmath calculator to reach a CYA goal of "30". Without CYA, your bleach (FC) is much too strong and your liner needs that protection. The pH is good at 7.2 for a "SLAM", so then increase the FC to "12" and begin a SLAM as noted in the link below. Make sure you have the stabilizer soaking in the water before you increase the FC to 12 though. Use the sock-soaking method. If you're not about how to do that, just ask. From there, you'll want to follow the SLAM page direction to the letter until you pass all 3 SLAM criteria. Hope that helps get you back on track.

 

[Casey]

Welcome.

You need to get your CYA up. If you don't have it, the chlorine will be lost extremely fast due to the sun. You can buy it at Wal-Mart in the pool section. You'll want to target 50ppm. Look at the FC/CYA chart in Pool School for your SLAM level. Start SLAM'ing the pool.

 

[Jensow]

Thank you - I looked up the sock method and I have 2 socks with about 1 lb each soaking in front of the jet. I'll be able to come back in a few hours to increase the FC.

 

[triptyx]

Great! Don't forget to massage those socks (use your hands to really mash and grind the contents together) in the water every so often - it'll let the CYA dissolve very fast that way.

 

[Jensow]

Update from Day 2 and Day 3
night and morning reading:

day 2 pm day 3 am

FC 10 FC 8.5
CC 1 CC 1
pH 7.0 7.0
TA 110 90-100
CH 150 didn't test
CYA 35 CYA 40

I just added 1 gallon 10% bleach. I'm not adding anymore CYA. I've been brushing and backwashing but haven't vacuumed yet since its hard to do it blind. cloudy water, but I can see the brush head the shallow end now.
Is there anything else I should be doing?

 

[Texas Splash]

Now that you have stabilizer (CYA), your FC is holding better. But the cloudiness (algae) needs to be addressed now before it gets worse. So now you can actually perform that "SLAM" (link below). Your pH is in a good spot, so based on a CYA of 40, increase your FC to 16 and do that SLAM! The key is to maintain that elevated FC as best as you can. It might take a few days, but it's better to knock it out now before the warm weather hits. If you follow the SLAM instructions, it should go very well and perhaps quicker than you think if you caught it in time. Good luck!

 

[Jensow]

This is a slow process. I'm on the beginning of day 4 since I got the CYA to 40. If the CYA is now 35 do I lower my FC target # or raise the CYA again ? My FC is staying around 14 but only because every few hours I'm still having to add chlorine to keep the number. I'm brushing and vacuuming each day. It's still cloudy at the last foot of the deep end. I've gotten all the debris and I'm manually vacuuming but it doesn't seem to have a strong enough suction to get the fine debris particles. I'm going to trouble shoot the suction today. Any advice? The baskets are clear. The filter is clean.

 

[Texas Splash]

Yes, if your CYA reading is split between 30-40, just call it 40 to be safe and maintain an FC level of "16". Cloudiness is an indication there's still some work to do, but the chlorine (bleach) will work. To give you an idea of what one of our TFP experts just went through and to show you the process does indeed work, take a look at this thread: First SLAM in 10+ years.

Hang in there!

 

[Jensow]

Update - Day 8 - pool water is clear!! However, I am still losing FC and having to add about a gallon of bleach a day. So today I got in the cold pool with a toothbrush and found some hidden algae - in the shallow end bottom pool step seam and under the skimmer bottom ledge. The ladder was bleached and scrubbed several days ago. While I was at it I took out the light and found green slimy film on the cord and the light, so I brushed all that and vacuumed up everything. The light is now floating in the pool while I finish my 1st SLAM. Hopefully it's not much longer now that I found my mistakes. I was ready to scream!

 

[Texas Splash]

So today I got in the cold pool with a toothbrush and found some hidden algae - in the shallow end bottom pool step seam and under the skimmer bottom ledge. While I was at it I took out the light and found green slimy film on the cord and the light, so I brushed all that and vacuumed up everything.

BINGO! That's what we're talking about. It's those little details that help make for a successful SLAM. Good work!

 

[Jensow]

Yesterday was day 9 and today is day 10. I'm very confused on the CYA level and what shock level I should be aiming for. Maybe I'm doing it wrong. Or holding at the wrong level. Should the dot be at my waist? Or should the top of the container be at my waist? I had been calculating a cya of 35/40 a few days ago but I added some water. I had my son do the test and he got 30. Depending on where I hold the dot I get between 30-35. If the CYA is 30 instead of 40 would that explain the FC not being able to ever get to 16? I'm brushing and vacuuming daily and I backwash the filter at least once a day when the pressure gets high.

On 4/27(day 8) is when I found the hidden algae around the steps/skimmers/light and scrubbed with a toothbrush. So at 2:30pm it was 11.5 and I added 1 gallon of bleach. Then at 6pm the FC was 16.5.

On 4/28 (day 9) 7am the FC was 14.5 and I added 5 cups. I scrubbed the hidden algae areas again and I didn't see any debris and at 11:30 am it was 12.5 so I added 1 gallon. At 2:30 it was still at 12.5 so I added another gallon. 4:00 it was 16.5 but by 7:30pm it was back to 14.5 so I added 5 cups.

On 4/29 (day 10) at 6:30 am it was still 14.5 and I added 5 cups and at 11am it was still 14.5. add 5 cups. I will test again a a few hours.

Should I still be trying to get to shock level of 16? I add bleach several times a day to try to reach 16 and it eventually got close several days before bed but by each morning I'm back to 12.5 to 14. I'm assuming since the filter pressure is still rising there must still be algae in the pool. The water is clear.

 

[Texas Splash]

Should the dot be at my waist? Or should the top of the container be at my waist?

Uh oh. Now you're starting to sound like me. Actually, for the tube, just in that general vicinity. I don't think it matters too much. Point is you want the entire tube down a couple feet from your eyes so you can't glare right into it by your face. It's good you had your son do the test as well. I do that with my wife sometimes. We'll each look, record a number, pour the solution back to the mixing bottle, then do it again. Sometimes 2-3 times each before we get an average and compare notes. Like taxes, just round up or down. 30-34 make it 30 (FC of 12). 35-40 make it 40 (FC of 16).

Once you have that, the next part is being consistent with the FC testing to ensure you're not making extra work for yourself. Grab the water sample from the same place each time. Your pump should already be on so the pool water is well-mixed. Your sample bottle was clean before you grabbed a sample, and your rinsed it out with pool water before getting the sample. For testing .... a 10ML water sample with one heaping scoop of powder (turns Barbie pink). Add drops one at a time in consistent fashion and mix until clear, then divide that number in half. In your case, you should be adding somewhere between 24-32 drops to get an FC of 12 or 16 respectively.

If your filter PSI is increasing, then yes, your pool is still fighting and picking up debris in the pool that is probably quite transparent. That's common for people who get algae in a pool in the early stages and can't understand why their pressure gauge is skyrocketing. Hang in there!

 

[Jensow]

Thank you. I had not been taking the sample from the same spot each time. Do you think it matters that I put it on recirculate at night? I’m worried the pressure will rise too high while I’m asleep. The pump has been on nonstop for 12 days. Each morning at 6:30-7 I switch from recirculate to filter. Is it ok to get a sample while it’s been on recirculate? It has been taking longer and longer for the pressure to rise So I could probably keep it on filter at night. I’m almost to 30 gallons of bleach. But I guess All that bleach, DE powder, and some CYA is still way cheaper than what the pool store would have charged me! I really appreciate all the help.

 

[Texas Splash]

Do you think it matters that I put it on recirculate at night?

By now, I wouldn't think your PSI should get excessively high overnight, so keeping it on filter would be best. Pool samples can vary slightly from side to side, end to end, so grabbing from the same place would be best for the sake of your overnight test.

 

[Jensow]

DAY 11 update- I PASSED THE OCLT!!! I guess it had to get worse before it got better.

Yesterday, on day 10, the FC went down from 14.5 at 11am to 9 by 4:30, I added more bleach, and vacuumed and by 7:15 it was 16, at 8pm it was 15.5 and at 6am it was also 16. Does that sound right? How could it go up? user error on the drop test? The pump ran on filter all night.

So what do I do now? I've been so focused on the stupid algae that I have no clue how to daily maintain. Have I completed the SLAM or do I still test during the sunlight to see if FC goes down?

Sigh of relief. I vow to never let my pool turn into a green swamp again.
Next step is to get my light back into the niche. I'm not ready to get back in the chilly pool yet.

 

[Texas Splash]

Well there's a pleasant Monday morning surprise! Congrats!

How could it go up? user error on the drop test?

Probably. It can be very close at that point between size of drops, pace of dropping, etc.

So what do I do now?

Enjoy! The FC will fall on its own. So once it drops down under 10, keep it in the recommended range for your CYA as noted on the Chlorine/CYA Chart. Never let it fall below the minimum - "danger zone". Test FC daily. If PH is steady, you might get by testing every 2-3 days. TA probably weekly, and CH & CYA 1-2 times per month. Those won't change much unless you have a large water exchange. So if you do a lot of backwashing, you might need to check the CYA. Once it gets hot in your area, you may want a little more CYA to protect the chlorine. If you do increase the CYA later, make sure to increase eh FC as well as noted on that chart.

Good work!