water just doesn't want to clear up

[nabril15]

Good morning
I have been testing my water daily since it has a cloudiness that just won't go away.
I brush and clean leaves daily, and with every brush I lift up a noticeable amount of algae - specially from the deep end and flat surfaces (stairs and bench); however, I see algae in that small quantity all throughout. This morning's numbers:
fc 8, ph 7.5, CYA 40, TA 80, CH 275.

I know that I'm probably getting close to having to SLAM again, but I've opted for trying to keep my FC at the top of the range of the CYA/FC chart.
It's been windier than normal in the last few days, so I see a thin film of something on the water as it accumulates in the skimmer; I also see it around the shallow end steps.

Do I lower my ph to 7.2 and SLAM? Or do I keep brushing (I will do so regardless) and keep FC high at the range? This doesn't seem to be working though.

Thank you

 

[see_feel]

Good morning
I have been testing my water daily since it has a cloudiness that just won't go away.
I brush and clean leaves daily, and with every brush I lift up a noticeable amount of algae - specially from the deep end and flat surfaces (stairs and bench); however, I see algae in that small quantity all throughout. This morning's numbers:
fc 8, ph 7.5, CYA 40, TA 80, CH 275.

I know that I'm probably getting close to having to SLAM again, but I've opted for trying to keep my FC at the top of the range of the CYA/FC chart.

It's been windier than normal in the last few days, so I see a thin film of something on the water as it accumulates in the skimmer; I also see it around the shallow end steps.

Do I lower my ph to 7.2 and SLAM? Or do I keep brushing (I will do so regardless) and keep FC high at the range? This doesn't seem to be working though.

Thank you

If you are seeing algae then all the maintaining FC won't help, you'll just endlessly spend money on bleach. I would advise to start slamming now to get the mess cleaned up. Keep brushing and once you pass the OCLT you are out of the woods.

 

[mknauss]

Lower your pH to 7.2 and SLAM Process. Be sure to follow through until you pass all three criteria.

Take care.

 

[nabril15]

And so my slam continues.

Is it "better" to run the pump on skimmer, main drain, or suction cleaner during the slam? Using the suction cleaner obviously will pick up floor dirt and algae, but suctioning through the main drain or the skimmer will move more water, no?

Also, is it ok to double check the cya during the slam? I know that nothing shoud change it from the initial pre-slam reading, but just to double check it perhaps???

 

[mknauss]

You can check your CYA results during the SLAM.

Best to use the skimmer and/or vacuum. You should be brushing daily.

 

[nabril15]

You can check your CYA results during the SLAM.

Best to use the skimmer and/or vacuum. You should be brushing daily.

Yes sir. Every day the brush head turns greenish as I brush.

 

[nabril15]

For 2 days, the ocl test passed fine with 0 loss, and the water looks much clearer; I didn't check CC - I admit that I forgot about that. Today, fc was 12, from a slam level of 16. Do I continue with the slam and obviously test cc and oclt tomorrow?

I've also noticed that the water has floating and yellow/brownish suds floating. It has been windy all week, so I obviously know that a lot of things are flying around. And it's not sunblock or anything else. When I look in the skimmer (see 2nd picture) , I see a floating layer of whiteish gook, and I can see the water rushing in underneath.

What could that be? And how do I get rid of it?

View attachment 88580
View attachment 88581

 

[mknauss]

What have you been using for your bleach / liquid chlorine?

 

[nabril15]

What have you been using for your bleach / liquid chlorine?

Yes sir

 

[mknauss]

What have you been using? Brand of bleach? Any scents, splashless, Cloromax, fabric protection, etc?

 

[nabril15]

None of that. The bleach is from Leslie's pool or my nearby pool store, in yellow jugs.

 

[nabril15]

good morning
I finished my SLAM from 2 weeks ago by meeting all 3 criteria; the pool looks crystal clear and those floating suds are gone (whatever they were). So, I relaxed a couple of days with the testing since I know that my FC will slowly come down from the slam level of 16, but I continued to brush. Today, I decided to test after my landscaper blew grass everywhere, and here are the numbers: FC 9, ph 7.5, ta 80, and CYA 40. As I brushed this morning, in addition to grass clippings, I also saw a bit of algae and dust blown by the gardener. Do I take my FC to the upper level of the FC/CYA chart?

 

[mknauss]

Keep your FC at 9 or so. Be sure to brush every week. Is the algae forming in one spot of the pool?

 

[nabril15]

Keep your FC at 9 or so. Be sure to brush every week. Is the algae forming in one spot of the pool?

No, it is just about everywhere as I brush

 

[mknauss]

That does not make much sense.

Can you get some of it and strain it through a paper towel? It should smear green if algae.

 

[nabril15]

From previous posts and daily tests, I learned that chlorine is consumed daily. So as of the last slam, I've been having to add a bit here and there to try to keep my fc at 10. No biggie.
I have an inline chlorinator, so I wonder if using pucks would help me maintain that 10 on its own kind of thing. Sure, the pucks add a bit of cya, but it's a small amount.
What do you think?

 

[JohnT]

From previous posts and daily tests, I learned that chlorine is consumed daily. So as of the last slam, I've been having to add a bit here and there to try to keep my fc at 10. No biggie.
I have an inline chlorinator, so I wonder if using pucks would help me maintain that 10 on its own kind of thing. Sure, the pucks add a bit of cya, but it's a small amount.
What do you think?

It's not a small amount. It's a lot.

 

[an1vrsy]

Also, pucks efficacy is how fast they dissolve. Liquid chlorine efficacy begins when you pour it in.