Algae - SLAM (or use Shock?)

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I will try to take some pics soon. I should have taken "before" pics. It's so different already but without the "before" it probably still looks bad to anyone.

Anyway, was gone longer than I intended. FC was only 15 when I got back. About 8 hours between tests, all sunny. I guess I need to try not to be gone during the day for a while.

I wanted to ask about the FC test. I think I am not all that consistent in measuring the powder maybe - maybe sometimes it's more "heaping" than other times. Will that make a large impact on the effect of the drops turning it back to clear?

I'm wondering if I am getting accurate measurements (though it appears I can be and just the sun burns off a lot of chlorine?).

It still looks better than this morning. Even though the FC dropped lower than I wanted, it wasn't a disaster (and I'm not sure how long it had been like that). I can now see blurred outlines of individual leaves on the bottom in the shallow end.
 
Yes the sun and the algae will consume your FC. That's why we suggest testing as often as you can to maintain SLAM level. People have lives though. Your doing the best you can.
With the amount of powder you use, too little will affect the test, too much won't. If your sample turns a real nice dark pink then you have the right amount. ?
 
Not to worry on dropping to 15 - you were still ahead of the algae. With the FC levels you are targeting no harm in 2 scoops of the powder, just be mindful of how much you have left.
 
Thanks. When I got the level of 15, I was thinking "heaping scoop" as in when I cook and use a heaping measure, made sure none was on the handle, and just heaped a little from the scoop. So I wasn't sure if it really dropped that much, or if I did the test wrong.

I always get a nice dark pink though.

Probably need to buy more chlorine tomorrow just to be safe if the sun is going to eat it that fast.

I can use much less chlorine if my CYA level is lower? Is it reasonable to try to lower the CYA? I don't want to risk such high levels damaging the liner or anything else either. I can easily drain off and replace about 6" of water at a time, but I don't know if that's significant enough to be worth it at all.

For the most part, I can be available often enough during the day to test a few times and stay on top of it through the end of the week. Is there anything else I should do to help the process or safeguard the pool itself? (Other than continuing to brush the sides, backwash and clean the filter, and keep removing leaves and debris)

(And yes, I need to keep an eye on the chemicals - I would hate to run out! So far so good, I think I might have ordered the kit with double these materials.)

Thanks again everyone. :)
 
And another question - I'm sure it's here, but I can't remember reading it and can't seem to find it.

Where it says:

Repeat steps 1 and 2 as frequently as practical, but not more than once per hour, and not less than twice a day, until:
CC is 0.5 or lower;
You pass an OCLT (ie overnight FC loss test shows a loss of 1.0 ppm or less);
And the water is clear.

What does the CC refer to?

Thank you!

- - - Updated - - -

pwrstrk said:
No reason to lower CYA now. Your CYA is protecting things from the harshness of the high chlorine levels.
Click to expand...

Ah, ok, thank you. Still figuring out just how all this works. I thought if I could use less chlorine that would also help.
 
You're starting to overthink it a bit. You're doing fine. Test and dose as often as you can, but it obviously things like familly/job/life get in the way (annoying, isn't it?).

If you were only testing and dosing once a day, then yes, that would be a problem. You're doing fine. Head down, and keep at it.
 

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Cool, thanks.

I'll just keep what I'm doing then. :)

24.5 after only 3 hours, adding 160 oz to target FC 32, since I can test later tonight in a few hours and add more (8:30 pm here). Will probably target 37 for overnight, so it hopefully will keep working. Will try to get pics tomorrow of my not-quite-swamp anymore. ;)

I hope that's right thinking.
 
Well, 7 nighttime hours later.

FC is 36. I did have to take it from near the surface.

Either I am testing wrong (and I don't think I am), or chlorine is more concentrated on the surface?, or the pool must be a good bit smaller than I think it is?

I only added enough chlorine to raise it to 32, since I never did go to sleep. Now it's 36. So either I got a bad reading because I had to take it only a few inches under the surface this time, or else I raised it more than I expected (so my pool must be smaller than I estimated).

At any rate, I won't be adding any more chlorine tonight. I'll try to test first thing in the am, if I can get up then. (tested at 3:30am)

And I'm hoping the water looks even better in the morning. By the porch light it looks like it's still improving. :)
 
Yes, pump hasn't been turned off (except to backwash and rinse) since I started.

I think it isn't circulating at highest efficiency though, and I typically take the sample in the area where it probably has a lower circulation. In retrospect, that might not be a good idea?

I wonder if the pool is smaller than I think too though. One thing that strikes me (I don't get around a lot of backyard pools) but in the deep end, the wall is vertical for only a relatively short distance and then slants at an angle to the depth. If that makes sense. It's angular at the deep end, and pools I have been in are normally a lot more of a gentle slope to the depth, so a lot of space can be removed in the part where it angles?

It's very different from the prefab pools I see on the side of the road standing up at pool stores, and very different from public pools. I have no idea if the shape of mine is typical or not. But the deep end "doesn't go all the way to the sides or back" at the depth.

Maybe I have 14K gallons and I'm adding chemicals for 18K? I just don't really know, I'm having to estimate all of that.
 
FC is 30.5 - taken from between two eyeballs and near the skimmer this time. If it's not circulating well, this should represent fairly well "mixed" water.

It's been a little over 6 hours since the last test, a few hours of daylight. Pool is looking slightly clearer. I'll try to get some pics uploaded.
 
Overshooting during a SLAM isn't a big deal, it might actually help you get done faster (no tangible evidence to that effect just supposition). Once you get your pool in shape and have good readings you can actually use the expected result to help dial in to your actual volume. Or if you think cl should have a 1ppm jump and it goes up by 1.5 dial your volume back by the same percentage.

The other possibility is that you got a very fresh batch of cl and it is closer to 15% than 10%. I've seen this myself early in the season.
 
Interesting that you mentioned that. I had wondered.

I got chlorine from two different sources, and the results have surprised me and I'm trying to figure out if it seemed that one batch seemed to lose FC more quickly, while one batch seems very stable.

I see. Maybe one IS stronger. The one that I suspect is stronger is from a small, local place that pretty much shuts down over the winter. The ones from Leslie's in the city seem to drop FC faster.

I can't be positive, with only a few days of testing, lack of experience, and not knowing how much sunshine matters - but it really seemed to me that some of the chlorine might be holding the FC levels longer than other.

Didn't think of that - it makes sense. I suspect the small place, since they are just opening for the season , can have fresher chlorine than Leslie's who probably keep it in stock.

Thanks very much. I'm glad to have discovered the little place and not have to drive all the way to the city! Their prices are a few pennies cheaper too.
 
and 8pm - 5-1/2 hours time
around 4-1/2 hours sunlight - mostly evening
FC is now 30 (I targeted to 32 before) - and I want to maintain 27

Since I didn't lose any much of consequence last night that I can tell, I think I'm going to risk not adding chlorine and test at dawn, if possible. If it stays fairly stable overnight, I think I can stop testing at night (have been testing 2-3 times through the night). I will just see what happens before the sun comes up. Would like to stop these overnight tests if they are unnecessary.

It looks to me like the major chlorine loss is between 10am and 2:30 pm. During that period, I lost enough to need to add 2-1/2 gal. That is the only chlorine I've added in the past 24 hours or so (though I had just added 24 hours ago).

Seems like I might target for around noon or so, and then around 4pm, if most of the chlorine is lost then and stays more stable the rest of the time.

Sorry, I'm kinda thinking out loud, and posting some of my results here in case anything happens to my notes. I'm not seeking a reply to every post, but y'all have been very helpful, and comments are always appreciated - but I'm not posting expecting feedback on every post of mine.

Thanks much, everyone. :)
 

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