7th day of SLAM and still green

[JasonTX]

It is a lighter shade of green -- a little lighter than it looks in the photo.

I added CYA to get up to 40 ppm and brought the pH in line and started Wednesday afternoon when my new Taylor K-2006 kit arrived. Pool is around 14k gallons.

Targeting chlorine at 16, I have been checking at least 3-4 times a day and have put in 22 10% gallons of liquid chlorine in. I have brushed but there doesn't seem to be much since the first brushing. I don't have a vacuum. There isn't debris in the pool anyway.

I tested the CYA again yesterday and it still looks like 40 to me.

Give up and drain? Go below 10 chlorine and test pH (mine usually goes up and it needs acid)?

Thanks for any advice.

Jason

 

[PoolStored]

Increase the frequency of FC replacement. Check and replace FC every 2-3 hours.

 

[PoolGate]

Looks like iron to me.

 

[JasonTX]

I was better at doing it every couple hours the first few days...it was every 2-3 hours except the middle of the night. Chlorine hasn't gotten below 10 at all.

Not sure if useful but these are pool store results from 10/8:
FC 0.18
TC 0.18
pH 8.4
TA 55 (I added baking soda since then)
CH 274
CYA 27 (raised to 40 before SLAM)
Iron 0.1
Copper 0.3
Phosphates 826
Salt 3300

 

[PoolStored]

How are you testing your water? To slam you need a kit...Link-->Test Kits Compared

 

[JasonTX]

I bought a new Taylor K-2006 kit as mine was old.

 

[proavia]

What were the test results from one of the recommended test kits from before starting the SLAM Process?

 

[JasonTX]

As I had just had it tested at the pool store, I added the recommended baking soda, waited for my test kit to come, and only tested the CYA and pH. Sorry.

Jason

 

[PoolGate]

Have you tried a sequestrant?

 

[JasonTX]

I have not. I don't even really know what one is. My pool really has been "trouble free" for a long time. I've always kind of stuck to the basics (liquid chlorine, baking soda, muratic acid, the occasional trichlor tab to supplement the salt system).

So you think the iron / copper is an issue?

 

[PoolGate]

I have not. I don't even really know what one is. My pool really has been "trouble free" for a long time. I've always kind of stuck to the basics (liquid chlorine, baking soda, muratic acid, the occasional trichlor tab to supplement the salt system).

So you think the iron / copper is an issue?

Not for sure but your water looks identical to mine when it was first filled and had iron. A sequestrant and 24 hours later the water was blue. Have you done any refills lately?

 

[Mdragger88]

As a test you can add some polyfill (pillow stuffing) to the skimmers & see what you catch. The method for removing visible iron involves keeping fc at slam level anyway. The two things (removing iron & eradicating algae) can happen simultaneously.
Also be sure to do all the things (your polaris counts as vacuuming)

 

[mknauss]

As I had just had it tested at the pool store, I added the recommended baking soda, waited for my test kit to come, and only tested the CYA and pH. Sorry.

Your TA is now high and your pH rises quickly.
That TA of 55 was just fine. And likely 'adjusted'.
If you continue to have issues, when the FC is below 10 ppm, adjust the pH down to 7.2.

 

[JasonTX]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I was waiting to clean the filter after this process but the emphasis that everything be clean made me decide to clean it now. It was green like I've never seen it before -- usually it is just kind of sandy with some pollen looking stuff. Kind of hard to see in the pics I attached but beyond it being time to clean, they had a lot of algae.

For the poly fill just throw a wad in the skimmer? It's not gonna get sucked into the impeller or anything with my luck

All of you who take great care of your pools must get frustrated with those of us who are less vigilant.

Jason

 

[JasonTX]

It's still cranking through the chlorine, but the pool light is lighting much more of the pool -- I'm hopeful. Weirdly maybe it also smells much more of chlorine now than it did earlier in the process.

 

[Mdragger88]

For the polyfill you can use a skimmer sock if you’re worried about it - it also makes it easier to get out & replace or rinse.
Slam On!

 

[NicoleIvy2004]

How does it look this morning? Are you keeping the pump on 24/7 while doing SLAM?
Yes, you will need to clean those filters very often to help this process along!
I would suggest investing in some sort of vacuum too, whether it be a manual one that you use or a robot. It will help clean out the dead algae faster.

Edit: Oh, and brush, brush, brush once it's no longer fully green! It does help the process along even if you feel you're not seeing it.

 

[JasonTX]

It doesn't look that different in the picture but it is definitely less green. Still very cloudy. I just brushed the shallow areas but will do it all in a bit. Chlorine went down 2 ppm in the last 4.5 hours since I had last topped it off.

 

[PoolStored]

Oh yeah, that is improvement! Notice you can see more of the robot hose...depth of clarity has improved.

Clean your filters. Note clean pressure. When pressure rises 25%, clean them again...you may be cleaning often. When you check pressures, make sure pump is running on high speed. You won't notice it as easily on lower speeds. It is better to RUN the pump on slower speed, but check pressure at higher speed.

 

[Newdude]

All of you who take great care of your pools must get frustrated with those of us who are less vigilant.

Its a several times a day reminder how bad it sucked the other way. Helping it suck less for others gives us the warm and fuzzies.