Confused about SLAM

Jump to latest Follow Reply
R

richierich

Bronze Supporter
Jul 12, 2013
748
Long Island, NY
Ok I have a 14' x 4' Intex Metal Frame Pool and I use a SALTWATER generator. I live in NY and left it up for the entire winter, its currently too cold to actually go swimming for another month. When I took the cover off the pool was green.

The pool is half full below the return lines.

My options are drain it, scrub the walls with a pool brush and bleach vacuum it and refill entirely.

or

SLAMing the pool. I guess I have to fill the pool so the shock can be distributed with the pump. I'm a little confused, is it basically adding shock until the FC level is up and CC level is .5 or less and brushing the walls and vacuuming daily. That will make the pool clear again? Just shocking it will get rid of the algea once proper PH and chlorine are reached?

Which option seems better? And I have about another month until we actually use the pool. I shouldn't wait, right? Even though I'm not using it for another month. I should start getting the pool ready for use even if I don't go in it for another month?
 
Couple things....

First, put your pool info in your signature and add your location to your profile; the more info we have, the better we can help.

What is your fill water source and how much does your water cost? With the smaller intex pools, it's usually easier and cheaper to just drain, clean and refill.

As for timing, yes. We recommend opening up the pool before the water temp gets above 60. Plus, by opening up early, it gives you plenty of time to fix any equipment related problems that might pop up along the way.

Have you read through Pool School yet? Start with the link in my signature if you haven't.
 
So even if I am not going swimming in the pool for at least another month (today's high is like 59) I should drain it today and refill and start the process of getting it ready? That way in a few weeks it will be good to go?

My water is quite cheap. It will prob cost about $15 or so to fill.

On the intex pools you can never get rid of the final 1" of water so there will still be a little algae left.

So once I fill it up doing the SLAM which is lots of shock will get rid of the small amount of algae I have left?
 
That depends on what you are calling "shock". Here, we advocate using just about any form of liquid chlorine, be it bleach, pool store 10% "shock" (as long as the only active ingredient is sodium hypochlorite).

If you are going to drain and refill, you could use pucks, -- those without copper -- to bring your FC and CYA up to your proper levels.

Best practice is to do each separately.

Do you have one of the recommended test kits? You will need one for your SLAM. The cheap OTO kits will not do, they can't read high enough.
 
Yes I have a few bottles of the liquid pool shock. How many gallons should I add after I fill up my pool? My pool is about 3,500 gallons. I do have on of those kits. Why do you guys like the liquid better than the granular shock?

Also should I drain and refill today knowing I won't be using the pool for at least a month? I guess the longer I wait to drain the worse the algae will get.
 
Once you drain and refill you will SLAM and then maintain the pool at normal levels. That way in a month or however long, it will be ready for you.

Have you read pool school yet? SLAM stands for (S)hock (L)evel (A)nd (M)aintain. You bring your FC up to shock level and keep it there until you pass the test. (All explained in Pool School SLAM section) That is going to kill all your algae. Your filter is going to then remove the dead algae from the water.

Here (TFP), shock is a process and not a product. Liquid chlorine just adds chlorine to the water and nothing else. Powders and pucks all add chlorine + something else and using them can lead to a lot of problems if you don't keep track of all that extra "something else" they are adding.

I'll let the experts here get into specific amounts.

:)
 
richierich said:
Yes I have a few bottles of the liquid pool shock. How many gallons should I add after I fill up my pool? My pool is about 3,500 gallons. I do have on of those kits. Why do you guys like the liquid better than the granular shock?
Click to expand...

Because stuff sold as granular "shock" can have other ingredients in it that you might not want. It all depends on what you know your pool needs...and doesn't need.
 
Oh ok that explains it about the liquid vs granular. Yes I've read pool school, very informative. It was very surprising to hear that you shouldn't use algecide and rather do the SLAM process.

If I am draining the pool and refilling it, is there a reason to do that today and wait a month before going in? Last few years we went in the pool about mid june. Would it be bad to start this process in the end of may? If I wait I guess the only thing I can think of is the scrubbing process on the walls and floor of the pool will be harder to do?
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
No need to wait. It is easier to tackle and control the algae before the water temp reaches 60. Get on it now and you can have a perfect pool to just jump into as soon as it is warm enough for you:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply