Newbie here....I just got done slamming my pool yesterday and the pH was reading a little low. Today it tested even lower, well below 6.8. I know while you are slamming, the pH test won't be accurate. Should it be accurate now? Also how soon after I add the borax and get the pH right can we swim? Thank you for any help.
Low pH after SLAM
- Thread starter SherriB
- Start date
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,790
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Hello and welcome! 
So you passed all 3 SLAM Process criteria correct? If so, then once the FC is below 10 you should be able to get a good pH test result. You can add the borax at anytime, let it mix for about 30 minutes and retest if you like. Swimming is fine after that as well.
So you passed all 3 SLAM Process criteria correct? If so, then once the FC is below 10 you should be able to get a good pH test result. You can add the borax at anytime, let it mix for about 30 minutes and retest if you like. Swimming is fine after that as well.
It wasn't high before the SLAM but to be honest I didn't think to retest that. I will retest and comment back. Thank you.If the TA is high, simply aerating will raise the pH.
I did pass all 3 of the SLAM criteria yesterday morning. The FC was at a 3 late this morning. (have to get my CYA up still)Hello and welcome!
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,790
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Sherri, I'm glad you passed your SLAM. But something about your comment concerns me. If you were at a SLAM level of 12 and passed at let's say 11 yesterday morning, then that means you dropped from an FC of 11 yesterday morning to a 3 today (8 ppm). Does that sound right to you? I ask because 8 ppm is a large loss of FC in 24 hrs. We typically expect 2-4 ppm loss unless the CYA is too low. So I just wanted to follow-up to make sure everything makes sense and is okay.
I know my CYA is low, it tested at 20 before I started the SLAM. The SLAM level was a 10 when the CYA is only a 20. So it went from a 10 about 6 am yesterday to a 3 or 4 (I didn't use the special test kit) when I tested it this morning about 8:30am.
I also swam around in it yesterday to clean the walls and get anything off the floor that my vaccum missed.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,790
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,790
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
You still had a healthy drop, but as you noted, your CYA was still low. So just keep an eye on things. Definitely make sure you have at least a CYA of 30 by now, maybe even 40 if you're in a hot area with lots of sun on the water. Keep the FC in the daily range for that CYA and monitor it. With no swimming, you don't want to lose more than 4 ppm in 24 hrs. If you do, it's either because of organics or the CYA simply wasn't high enough to protect the FC from the sun. If in doubt later on, you can always do another OCLT.
Good thing now is YOU are in control and you know the warning signs and what actions to take. Perfect.
