New to pool maintenence-The Great algae monster
- Thread starter crdameron
- Start date
If the pool is chunky, you might need to. Just watch the pressure gauge. After the next backwash, give the filter a minute or two to stabilize, and note the reading. When that pressure goes up 25%, it's time again. Example: After backwash, pressure reads 16. 25% is 4. So when pressure reaches 20 (16 +4) backwash again. Or, pressure reads 6. When you see it at almost 8, backwash.
It may be three times a day, it may be once a month. The gauge will tell you when it's time. A slightly dirty sand filter actually cleans better, so backwashing too often actually doesn't help.
I am beginning to think the particles are too fine to filter out. Is this possible?
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Test results today:
FaC: 10
Bromine: 20
Total chlorine: 10
Alk: 80
Ph: 6
Hardness 800
Both test strips and regular test kit are giving same results.
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FaC: 10
Bromine: 20
Total chlorine: 10
Alk: 80
Ph: 6
Hardness 800
Both test strips and regular test kit are giving same results.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'd say it's possible but not probable.
What are your current test results and what kit did you buy? Do you have one on order from somewhere or only what you got at the pool store? (I'm asking because the pool stores rarely ever sell test kits with the type of chlorine test that is required to do a proper SLAM)
If you are trying to go through the SLAM process without the FAS-DPD type of chlorine test you are not going to be able to get accurate enough results.
You can't halfway SLAM. It's very specific as far as what levels you need based on your CYA.
If you only have pool store results for CYA it's a guessing game for how much chlorine you need to add and what level you need to be maintaining. The result could be a pool that won't clear up because you're not really killing everything as fast as it's growing. In the end you'll end up wasting money on the bleach your adding. (Or, you could get lucky and come up clear)
Rather than gamble with guesses and possibly wasting time and or money, get yourself a kit that has the ability to test CYA (involves a mixing bottle, a bottle of reagent and a tube with a black dot) and a FAS-DPD chlorine test (involves a small container of powder, 2 liquids and a test vial) tftestkits.net TF-100 or Taylor K-2006 (cheaper but with a green pool you'll have to buy refills asap so savings is probably not really significant)
I'm sorry to have to harp on buying something but it's just no good trying to fix something without knowing exactly what you're trying to fix. You've got to get that FC right for the CYA first so that you know you're killing everything.
After you know you're keeping your FC level at or above shock level (Need accurate CYA level for this!), if a few days go by and you see no changes in color or clarity it might be time to look at things to help with filtering (like adding DE to the filter)
What are your current test results and what kit did you buy? Do you have one on order from somewhere or only what you got at the pool store? (I'm asking because the pool stores rarely ever sell test kits with the type of chlorine test that is required to do a proper SLAM)
If you are trying to go through the SLAM process without the FAS-DPD type of chlorine test you are not going to be able to get accurate enough results.
You can't halfway SLAM. It's very specific as far as what levels you need based on your CYA.
If you only have pool store results for CYA it's a guessing game for how much chlorine you need to add and what level you need to be maintaining. The result could be a pool that won't clear up because you're not really killing everything as fast as it's growing. In the end you'll end up wasting money on the bleach your adding. (Or, you could get lucky and come up clear)
Rather than gamble with guesses and possibly wasting time and or money, get yourself a kit that has the ability to test CYA (involves a mixing bottle, a bottle of reagent and a tube with a black dot) and a FAS-DPD chlorine test (involves a small container of powder, 2 liquids and a test vial) tftestkits.net TF-100 or Taylor K-2006 (cheaper but with a green pool you'll have to buy refills asap so savings is probably not really significant)
I'm sorry to have to harp on buying something but it's just no good trying to fix something without knowing exactly what you're trying to fix. You've got to get that FC right for the CYA first so that you know you're killing everything.
After you know you're keeping your FC level at or above shock level (Need accurate CYA level for this!), if a few days go by and you see no changes in color or clarity it might be time to look at things to help with filtering (like adding DE to the filter)
Thanks for the info. Getting the approved kits today and will go from there.
PS-I am trying to attach a pic of the pool-why won't it let me?
PS-I am trying to attach a pic of the pool-why won't it let me?
If the pictures are big, it won't allow them. Just open a photobucket account or something and link them. Tutorial.
The forum only has a very small amount of space to upload directly. (or if you're a supporter you can get 10mb)
The best way to post a pic here is with a picture sharing website like photobucket (that's the one I use) Upload a picture then copy the links from the picture website (on photobucket there are links on the right side of each picture you upload. The IMG one will load the picture right into the thread.)
Getting a test kit is a really really really good idea and will save you a lot of time in the long run. The TF-100 is the best of the best and the K-2006 is running in second place. lol TF-100 is ordered through tftestkits.net and ships from north carolina, FYI. K-2006 is also available from tftestkits.net or you can find that elsewhere like amazon.
Another note, tftestkits is owned by the owner of the forum here but that is not the main reason we recommend it as #1. It's all about the quantities. He makes them up with the same taylor reagents but better quantities of the things we use the most. The XL option gives you more of the chlorine testing reagents that you go through for a SLAM so you won't run out. You don't *have* to buy anything extra but if/when you do order a kit from somewhere just keep in mind that you don't want to run out of what you need to test your chlorine when you're in the middle of a SLAM. Getting the smaller quantities is fine, you just have to keep an eye on what you have and make sure you get your refills coming before you run out!
Afterwards, on a day to day maintenance level this stuff lasts a really long time!
The best way to post a pic here is with a picture sharing website like photobucket (that's the one I use) Upload a picture then copy the links from the picture website (on photobucket there are links on the right side of each picture you upload. The IMG one will load the picture right into the thread.)
Getting a test kit is a really really really good idea and will save you a lot of time in the long run. The TF-100 is the best of the best and the K-2006 is running in second place. lol TF-100 is ordered through tftestkits.net and ships from north carolina, FYI. K-2006 is also available from tftestkits.net or you can find that elsewhere like amazon.
Another note, tftestkits is owned by the owner of the forum here but that is not the main reason we recommend it as #1. It's all about the quantities. He makes them up with the same taylor reagents but better quantities of the things we use the most. The XL option gives you more of the chlorine testing reagents that you go through for a SLAM so you won't run out. You don't *have* to buy anything extra but if/when you do order a kit from somewhere just keep in mind that you don't want to run out of what you need to test your chlorine when you're in the middle of a SLAM. Getting the smaller quantities is fine, you just have to keep an eye on what you have and make sure you get your refills coming before you run out!
Afterwards, on a day to day maintenance level this stuff lasts a really long time!
I understand that. I was going to order and then was waiting until payday to do so 
have a taylor kit I picked up from the pool store but it doesn't test everything. I am also reading up on test kit usage as I think I am doing it right but then again-perhaps I am not. I also need to figure out pool math I'm working on it.
I'm probably the newest noob anyone has ever seen-but I am going to get this! It is my summer project! I will get this-be ready for more questions. It's going to happen. Thanks for alkl of the advice so far.
have a taylor kit I picked up from the pool store but it doesn't test everything. I am also reading up on test kit usage as I think I am doing it right but then again-perhaps I am not. I also need to figure out pool math I'm working on it. I'm probably the newest noob anyone has ever seen-but I am going to get this! It is my summer project! I will get this-be ready for more questions. It's going to happen. Thanks for alkl of the advice so far.
Check you tube for instructions for using kits. I know they are out there for the TF-100 and the K-2006 so I'm sure you can find something there.
What's the name of the kit you picked up? Depending on what it came with you may be able to supplement it with something like the TF-50. It depends on exactly what tests it came with.
We all started as noobs at one point! My pool was green and swampy last year and I was throwing in bags and bags of shock and bottles of algecide. Foaming green mess. I had no clue! Thank God for TFP!
What's the name of the kit you picked up? Depending on what it came with you may be able to supplement it with something like the TF-50. It depends on exactly what tests it came with.
We all started as noobs at one point! My pool was green and swampy last year and I was throwing in bags and bags of shock and bottles of algecide.
Foaming green mess. I had no clue! Thank God for TFP! I don't know exactly what type. it uses taylor regents. I will try to get my son to text me a pic of it. I am at work at the moment. Here are some pics of the pool.
This was taken yesterday.
Here it is today. We haven't vacuumed it today and you can see the deposits on the stairs
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ps-yes we have to put the tiles back on the fountain at the end they popped off this winter during an ice storm. We are thinking about getting rid of the fountain completely though.
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The bottom pic was this morning before DE was added. My husband added DE to it and the middle pic is after DE was added. It looks to me as if it is a little bit clearer about an hour after DE was added? Am I going crazy?
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The bottom pic was this morning before DE was added. My husband added DE to it and the middle pic is after DE was added. It looks to me as if it is a little bit clearer about an hour after DE was added? Am I going crazy?
This was taken yesterday. Here it is today. We haven't vacuumed it today and you can see the deposits on the stairs
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ps-yes we have to put the tiles back on the fountain at the end they popped off this winter during an ice storm. We are thinking about getting rid of the fountain completely though.
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The bottom pic was this morning before DE was added. My husband added DE to it and the middle pic is after DE was added. It looks to me as if it is a little bit clearer about an hour after DE was added? Am I going crazy?
- - - Updated - - -
The bottom pic was this morning before DE was added. My husband added DE to it and the middle pic is after DE was added. It looks to me as if it is a little bit clearer about an hour after DE was added? Am I going crazy?
Went home at lunch and did a test. Here is a pic of the test kit. Can you help me read it? I did an alkalinity test but after adding the correct regents and swirling-I couldn't get the water to turn red at all. I had to go back to work so I stopped at 40 drops and it had turned the water from green to yellow but never red. Yesterday the alkalinity was turning red at 8 drops. I haven't added any chemicals since yesterday.
Here is the pic of the test kit I got
Here is the pic of the test kit I got
I just re-read the info on testing and realized that the water can turn yellow in the alkalinity test. The kit instructions only say red so I am going to say it was ignorant user error with the alk test
Let me jump in here. That test kit is fine for daily PH/Chlorine levels, but can't tell you the levels over 5+. You need the TF-100 because it has a MUCH more accurate chlorine test (you count the drops until the water goes from pink to clear and divide by two). Order it up please.
You only need to backwash when the pressure goes up 20% from what it was right after backwashing. If you backwash too much, you're not letting the sand do it's job. The more dirt in the filter, the better it grabs small particles. So fix your pressure gauge.
When you maintain the shock level consistantly, the bleach will kill all the algae and make a cloudy mess (dead algae). It could take a week before the water clears, be patient.
You're CYA is high (90?), so in order to maintain shock, according to the CYA/Chlorine chart: http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/128-chlorine-cya-chart-slam-shock
you need a chlorine level of 35! That's why you need the test kit. If you are over 10 but not up to 35.... you're not shocking your pool.
We'll get you taken care of....just order the darn kit.
You only need to backwash when the pressure goes up 20% from what it was right after backwashing. If you backwash too much, you're not letting the sand do it's job. The more dirt in the filter, the better it grabs small particles. So fix your pressure gauge.
When you maintain the shock level consistantly, the bleach will kill all the algae and make a cloudy mess (dead algae). It could take a week before the water clears, be patient.
You're CYA is high (90?), so in order to maintain shock, according to the CYA/Chlorine chart: http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/128-chlorine-cya-chart-slam-shock
you need a chlorine level of 35! That's why you need the test kit. If you are over 10 but not up to 35.... you're not shocking your pool.
We'll get you taken care of....just order the darn kit.
WOOHOO Kit on order! I'm at work and typing this on my phone so I can't add much right now. From the test pic it looks like your ph is really low. It would be good to get that up over 7.2 Hopefully a helpful guru can pop in and help with that addition? I'm not comfortable with the actual calculations enough to make a suggestion for amounts to you plus on the phone it's really hard to find everything. lol
What a nuisance work is!
What a nuisance work is!
I took a test to the pool store today just to see what they say which is what I'll do until the big daddy kit comes in. Here were my numbers.
FAC-10
TAC-10
PH- 7.8
TA-90
CYA-40
Calcium Hardness-150
TDS-2500
Salt-2700
Copper/iron 0/0
Phosphates 0
They told me to put Muratic Acid 1 quart in it. I haven't done that because I'm not really sure if I should. I am assuming the highest the pool store can test is 10 on chlorine?
Y
I cant wait for that test to get here
Ph
T
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FAC-10
TAC-10
PH- 7.8
TA-90
CYA-40
Calcium Hardness-150
TDS-2500
Salt-2700
Copper/iron 0/0
Phosphates 0
They told me to put Muratic Acid 1 quart in it. I haven't done that because I'm not really sure if I should. I am assuming the highest the pool store can test is 10 on chlorine?
Y
I cant wait for that test to get here
Ph
T
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Tests for pH are inaccurate when the chlorine level is over 10. I would NOT put any MA in your pool at this time as that one test you pictured showed it way low in the 6's. Is that a repeatable test result or a one of?
The ph In the test posted has been a constant for a few days. That is the exact reason I didn't add the MA
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Pool is starting to clear a tiny bit after adding DE to the process and sweeping and vacuuming. Keeping the chlorine up.
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