Getting Ready to SLAM...few questions 1st

[dustijane]

As suggested on this forum, I am starting my SLAM process. I just added the Muratic Acid in order to lower my Ph from 7.8 to 7.4. I will test that soon.

As for SLAM, I just want to make sure I understand the process from Pool School.
1st: I add the bleach while pump is running (PoolMath is telling me to add 368 ounces of 8% bleach). So just add in front of the return all at once?

2nd: Vacuum pool. Can I do this within the first few hours of adding all the bleach?

3rd, Backwash & Clean filter.

4th, test the water. I am looking for CC of 0 (mine is starting with 0, will that change during SLAM?), overnight test with less than 1.0 loss, and clear water. Then I am done?

1. I never turn off pump during all this time?
2. When is pool safe to swim in?
3. Can this be done in one application of bleach? Considering that my CC is zero and my pool is only mildly cloudy, will one high dose of chlorine possible be enough?
4. If my pool doesn’t pass the three tests in the morning, I just add bleach again to bring it up to a 30ppm FC? And vaccum, and test again?
5. After I pass the tests, where do I go from there? Let the FC drift down on its own? Do I wait to run the SWG until it drops to a 4 or so?

 

[svenpup]

When in doubt, always refer back to the slam how-to:

1. Run the pump 24/7 until you are done SLAMing

2. Pool is safe to swim when you have passed the all three criteria (CC is 0.5 or lower;You pass an OCLT; the water is clear) AND FC is below shock level for your CYA level

3. Almost assuredly no. SLAM is a process. Test and adjust chlorine levels as frequently as practical, but not more than once per hour, and not less than twice a day.

4. See #3. Test and adjust chlorine levels as frequently as practical.

5. Yes, let the FC drift down on its own and run the SWG when it drops to your target maintenance FC level?

Once you are done SLAMing, make sure you have your SWG % / pump run time tuned to maintain your target FC for you CYA level. I read in a different post that your CYA is 85 (kinda high, even for a SWG pool). This means your FC should never drop below 4 ever or you will be SLAMing again. You should be targeting FC of 6-7.

 

[dustijane]

When in doubt, always refer back to the slam how-to:

1. Run the pump 24/7 until you are done SLAMing

2. Pool is safe to swim when you have passed the all three criteria (CC is 0.5 or lower;You pass an OCLT; the water is clear) AND FC is below shock level for your CYA level

3. Almost assuredly no. SLAM is a process. Test and adjust chlorine levels as frequently as practical, but not more than once per hour, and not less than twice a day.

4. See #3. Test and adjust chlorine levels as frequently as practical.

5. Yes, let the FC drift down on its own and run the SWG when it drops to your target maintenance FC level?

Once you are done SLAMing, make sure you have your SWG % / pump run time tuned to maintain your target FC for you CYA level. I read in a different post that your CYA is 85 (kinda high, even for a SWG pool). This means your FC should never drop below 4 ever or you will be SLAMing again. You should be targeting FC of 6-7.

Yes my CYA is high. Should I attempt to drain that when the FC is under control? I have no clue how to set the SWG run time, it doesn’t seem to have a %, just an on/off and set the hours. The manual says run for 3-4 hours per day, I was running for 6 and getting no where which is why I am now SLAMming. I really hope I start figuring this all out. So should I start running my SWG when the FC drops to 4?

 

[svenpup]

I guess the intex SWG doesn't have a % setting. If it were me, at that CYA level I wouldn't wait for FC=4. I would target 7 when I got to 5 to give myself a little buffer.

If you are already SLAMing I would just live with the CYA. It will slowly come down over time as long as you are not using stabilized chlorine sources. The time for drain/refill was before SLAMming. Make sure you are keeping it at shock level for your CYA while you are SLAMming though.


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[dustijane]

I guess the intex SWG doesn't have a % setting. If it were me, at that CYA level I wouldn't wait for FC=4. I would target 7 when I got to 5 to give myself a little buffer.

If you are already SLAMing I would just live with the CYA. It will slowly come down over time as long as you are not using stabilized chlorine sources. The time for drain/refill was before SLAMming. Make sure you are keeping it at shock level for your CYA while you are SLAMming though.


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So I added 3x bottles of Bleach (it was the exact amount to bring the FC to 31 after I tested the PH and it was 7.2. I just tested the water (approx 3.5 hours later) and the FC says it is 24. The CC is under 0.5 (it barely turned pink at all). I haven’t vacuumed it or backwashed it yet (It is late now so I was thinking I could vacuum in the morning?). So since it didn’t hit that target of 31, do I go add more bleach now? This is where I am confused. Thanks for all of your help, it is really saving me

 

[Casey]

I don't know what your CYA level is but here is the chart for the Chlorine CYA Chart. You want to keep the pool at SLAM level when you are SLAM'ing the pool. It's called Shock Level And Maintain. So you're Maintaining.

If you are still cloudy, I would continue the SLAM until your water clears, you lose less than 1ppm FC over night and you have less than .5ppm CC. I would highly suggest brushing the pool daily and running the filter continuously.

 

[svenpup]

Don't worry about pH while SLAMming since pH measurement is unreliable at FC>10 (which is why you set pH prior to SLAMming). As I said several times above, test and adjust chlorine levels as frequently as practical. FC is being consumed by organics in the pool, so when you test, immediately add enough bleach to get back over shock level. The more frequently you do this (up to hourly) the faster you will get in front of the algae.


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[dustijane]

Don't worry about pH while SLAMming since pH measurement is unreliable at FC>10 (which is why you set pH prior to SLAMming). As I said several times above, test and adjust chlorine levels as frequently as practical. FC is being consumed by organics in the pool, so when you test, immediately add enough bleach to get back over shock level. The more frequently you do this (up to hourly) the faster you will get in front of the algae.


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It has FINALLY connected! What I wasn’t understanding was that you had to continuously add bleach until you reach the recommended #. I was thinking that using PoolMath, that amount would get you there on the first try. Now I understand that the bleach is being eaten away. Thanks for being so patient with me, but I am so excited that I finally understand the SLAM process =)

So I tested as often as I could last night and continued to add bleach until I had to go to bed. I woke up this morning and the FC read 20, CC 0, pool looks beautifully clear. I am going to continue adding bleach until I hit that magic number of 31, vacuum it well, ask hubby to backwash it, and continue checking it throughout the day. So when I hit 31....I can stop? or ONLY if I then pass the overnight test?

 

[svenpup]

From SLAM How-To:

You are done when:

• 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.

When all three are true, you are done SLAMing and can allow the FC to drift down to normal levels.

 

[rterickson]

Try not to let FC drop below 31 until all three conditions are met:

• Water is clear
• CC < 0.5
• You pass the OCLT.

Then you are done.

At that point you can let your FC drop. From then on, try to maintain your target of 6 ppm FC, and never let it drop below 4 ppm FC.

 

[dustijane]

Try not to let FC drop below 31 until all three conditions are met:

• Water is clear
• CC < 0.5
• You pass the OCLT.

Then you are done.

At that point you can let your FC drop. From then on, try to maintain your target of 6 ppm FC, and never let it drop below 4 ppm FC.

Got it! And my kids can get back in the pool when all the above criteria are met, AND when the FC drops to 31 or lower? It's actually safe to swim in when the FC is In The 20's?

 

[svenpup]

Yes, FC in the 20's is ok because your CYA is 85. Most of that FC is tied up with CYA. The old max FC of 3 mentality is a holdover from the pre-CYA days. For some reason it keeps getting repeated over and over as common knowledge, even though it is wrong. Sound familiar Fox News? (Oops, did I just get political?)


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