Slamming Pool

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L

lrkey

0
Jul 27, 2014
57
Ponca City, OK
I have a green pool. I want to start the slamming process, but don't have the proper test kit yet. I have a city inspector breathing down my neck. I will be ordering the test this week. Is there any way I can just start dumping bleach into this pool to get a head start on the process? I understand this is not following protocol, but I need to get something going. I used some test strips to get me by until I get my test kit. The results are as follows :

CYA = 40
TA = 120
PH = 9.0
FC. = 0

Suggestions?

Thanks,
Frustrated in PC
 
It's tough with the guess strips, but drop your PH into the low 7's, 7.2 would be great. Use MA to drop PH.
Add 2 1/2 gallons of bleach. I'd add that amount 2X a day. Your shock level is 14. Use Pool Math for your doseing of bleach and MA.
When your test kit comes post up a full set of results and we can fine tune it. Remember to have your FC below 10 so you get an accurate test on the PH. It reads a false high at FC levels of 10 or more.
Make sure to review SLAM Process
Another good read if you need to refresh yourself. ABC'S Of Pool Water Chemistry ?
 
I'm going to beaten for saying this, but this is one of the few times I'd say take your water samples to the pool store and have them test it. Most pool stores can give you a decent read on pH and FC. These are the parameters you most need to get right at this point.

And if no one else said it, you need to lower your pH BEFORE you start dumping bleach in. Bleach will raise your pH so you don't want it going sky high and causing other problems like calcium scaling.

Once you get your test kit, we can talk you in from there.


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pH is _WAY_ too high. Like high enough for me not to believe the strips.
Under the circumstances, I think Sunny has a valid suggestion, let the pool store test your water.

Throw chlorine at it.
Yes, the SLAM is a process and involves testing, and this is decidedly not a SLAM. But it can't hurt and at worst you waste a few extra gallons of bleach. On the plus side if the inspector comes a callin', you can show him all the empties as evidence that you're working on the problem and that should buy you a couple days to get a decent test kit.

I don't see a listing for the size of your pool, so I can't tell you how much to add, but PwrStrk's 2 1/2 gallon twice a day suggestion is as good a place to start as any.

As I understand it, the high pH is a problem _mostly_ because you can't measure pH with high chlorine levels (chlorine bleaches out the test colors). MA (Muriatic acid, or Hydrochloric acid - all the same stuff) should be available in some strength at any decent hardware or home center. Never understood why I sometimes find it in the paint department, but it's also often with the masonry tools and supplies - used to eat the cement off tools. My local Lowes and Home Depot have it in the garden center with a few other pool supplies.

Don't ever mix acid and bleach, don't add them to the pool at the same time. (a couple minutes and the other side of the pool is usually enough) It will liberate lots of chlorine gas and you will _not_ enjoy breathing it. Most packages will have recommendations to not even store them together.
 

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I added MA about 1.5 hours ago and tested with the test strips. Test strip read 6.8 for PH. Tomorrow morning I will add the 2.5 gal of bleach before I leave for work, then add another 2.5 gal when I get home that evening. Will that work for starters? I know I shouldn't trust the strips, but I live in a small rural town and the closest pool store doesn't open until after I leave for work and closes before I get home in the evenings. So, I am not sure what else to do until the test kit gets here.

12K gal, IG Vinyl, 1.5 HP Whisperflo Pump, 36 Sq Ft , Pentair NFS Plus 36 DE filter
 
It's as good of place to start as any.
Poolmath suggests that 2.5 gallons of 8.25% will bring your FC up to about 20ppm, which is in the range for shock level at your reported CYA level.
High levels of algae can consume that much chlorine in surprisingly short times, which is the heart of the "MAINTAIN" part of the SLAM. Ideally you would be testing and adding more chlorine every hour or so at the beginning of a SLAM. If your pool is a swamp, I would expect you to come home to approximately zero FC at the end of the day.

In the early stages of a SLAM, dead algae can collect in the filter quickly, often requiring backwash hourly. I would recommend caution leaving it running unattended.

If you have to do _something_ and it has to be unattended, I would probably add more chlorine than that, run the pump for 1/2 hour or so to mix it while you're there, then turn it off for the day. You should be ok with 2x that chlorine level. I've read that much higher chlorine levels can damage vinyl liners, so don't get too crazy.

I can't stress this enough - you need a good test kit. There's really no other way to know what's going on in your water. Doing anything without knowing what's going on is a bit like a band-aid on a broken leg.
 
I'm going to beaten for saying this, but this is one of the few times I'd say take your water samples to the pool store and have them test it. Most pool stores can give you a decent read on pH and FC. These are the parameters you most need to get right at this point.
Click to expand...

And where are the Moderators with the pool noodle for the beating when you need them.... :D

Just hang in there Irkey, it will seem like a distant memory once you get it taken care of. Just remember why it turned green in the first place.......
 
I'm concerned that you might have dropped your PH too low. When making large adjustments, it is best to do it two or more steps to make sure that you don't overshoot your target. Your PH could very well be lower than 6.8. It is difficult to make suggestions based on guess-strips.

You need your pH to be 7.2 before you start your SLAM.

I'm sure your DE filter is clogging quickly, make sure that you backwash when the pressure rises 20 to 25%. You could put your multiport value to recirculate so that you don't waste DE powder while you are waiting for your test kit.

While you are waiting make sure that you scoop out all organic matter that may be in the pool.

Double check your pool size or your use the pool math calculator to figure out why you dropped your PH so low.

Read and re-read the pool school articles.
 

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