Should I SLAM even though it's Fall and I'm not using the pool? FC @ 0

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Mike Hawk

Mike Hawk

0
Oct 28, 2014
103
Tulsa OK
-Edit: Update on post #13, it was my SWG circuit board. Easy fix though.

New owner here. Pool details in sig. Glad there's a forum dedicated to the DIYer!!!

Temps are ~50f give or take 10 lately. I've got my CYA, Borate, PH, and CH all in line according to the calculator. Salt is ~3500. SWG was at 36% output, now cranked up to 100% output. Pump runs 24/7 (I'll need to address that in another thread). But my FC is still 0, even after a night when I added 1 gal of 8.25% which according to the calc should have gotten my FC up to 3.

Pool is 99% clear. There's just a few spots on the steps where the KK can't reach and I see some small dime sized bright green spots. I'm assuming the cold temps (and SWG) are the only thing keeping my algae from turning into the Green Monster of DOOM?

I've got 6 gallons of 8.25% ready to go this weekend, but if it won't be worth my time or $, then I'll just deal with SLAM come Spring.

What say you TFP?
 
If it were me, I'd not hesitate to clear it up ASAP. Others may say wait, but I see no good reason to let Algae live. I would brush and SLAM it until all traces were gone.

Welcome to TFP. I hope you enjoy and benefit from the forum.
 
Welcome to TFP!!!

Remember your SWG wont generate lower then 55 degrees. Might as well turn it off until water reaches and stays near that temp. I would make sure it passes OCLT before I would close it. If not, something could happen at the worst possible time. What you spend now, will be double if you leave it until spring. The mere fact that after dumping in chlorine and you are seeing no reading could be two things. One you have something in your pool that the chlorine is reacting to and killing or your CYA level is non existent and the sun is burning it off. Add the next bottle at night, check chlorine reading 20 minutes later, record that #, if the chlorine reading isn't the same come sun up, then you need to slam your pool.
 
None other than the most glorious TFT-100 + Speedstir + K-1766 for salt + Lamotte Strips for Borate. I went all-in head-first! :)

Pool only has house shade in the morning, otherwise it's a sun fest the rest of the time from mid morning to sun down. Didn't know SWG stops operating in cold. For now it'll do a count up from 0 to 17 on the diagnostics. Once it hits 17 the Power and Generate LEDs will light up green for a few seconds. The counter will then go to 0 and rinse and repeat. I'm assuming my SWG is working. The previous owner said the cell was recently checked and cleaned. I need to finish getting my learn on on my SWG, my KK (it's not kreepin lately, I think there's a leak in the tubing, it's 7 years old which is about the time they wear out from what I'm reading), and also there's a leak at my Whisper Flow. Eye eye eye!!! To. Many. Variables.

I've taken a ton of pics in my escapades @ Home Depot, Sam's Club, and Wally World looking for the cheapest prices (I'm a Slickdealer of epic proportions :deal: ). So I'll post the pics up as well as my pool / setup once I get home tonight. And do a new set of TFT100 tests.

:cheers:
 
I see no pressing reason to rerun all the tests but it would be VERY helpful to run...

pH
TA
FC
CC
CYA

No need for CH, really.

About an hour before you test, please add enough chlorine to get to 4 ppm or so using PoolMath for your calculation.

Use the FAS-DPD chlorine test so we can tell accurately if you are consuming excess chlorine in the pool.
 
You've said the temps are ~ 50 +- 10 that sounds like air temp to me. It's water temp that determines your swg running or not.If you don't already have one, you might consider investing a couple bucks in a cheap pool thermometer. Your swg owners manual should tell you the temp range for it to generate. The air temps here have already occasionally dropped to high 30 s , but my water temps are still ~60. I don't expect my swg to be generating too much longer.
 
Hey guys, back again, sorry for thread abandonment. Life with 2 kiddos is crazy busy.

Water temps with a thermo are ~58f

Results Saturday afternoon:
FC 0
CC 0
TC 0
ph 7.8
TA 100
CH 250 (I added more to get it to 300)
CYA 60 (I added more to get to 70)
Salt 3200
Borate 30 (I added more borax and acid to get it to 50)

After my tests I added 5 gal of 8.25 to get FC to 28. A couple hours later my FC was down to 15.5 and my CC was 0.5. So I added more bleach to get her back to 28.

I've tested today (Sunday) twice, once in the afternoon then again late evening, my FC was 28 CC 0.0, then 26.5 and 0.0. I'd say I'm done slamming? In the winter time with the SWG not generating, should I just not care about FC??? Why don't SWG generate in cold temps? Does algae grow in the cold?

On to the pics!

Removable fence put in by the PO. I think we'll eventually get some sort of wrought iron fence with some short shrubbery to block out the wind and views for when we go skinny dipping :deal:
30554170493147740105.jpg


2-3 person seat on the deep end, better than nothing I guess. I have a friend who's seat goes the entire length, pretty convenient.
55949030160246070175.jpg


Our 1 year old LOVES the sun bather
68340371806458909259.jpg


Triton II Sand filter
46594014477128029733.jpg


Aqua Rite SWG
99698335086046811852.jpg


Whisperflow with what I guess is already an aftermarket motor. Notice the lovely leak I have? :grrrr:
95607674778660238562.jpg


GRRRR!
47018450941214706492.jpg


Sam's Club 121 oz 8.25% Bleach, actually more expensive than Wally World, surprised me!
93918586377377329455.jpg


Wally World 121 oz 8.25%
27771990765656891942.jpg


Home Depot 121 oz 8.25%
44516185301732838760.jpg


Home Depot 4lbs CYA
78595412142626309520.jpg


Wally World 9lbs Calcium Chloride. Check out gal gave me the stink eye and wanted to know if I knew something she didn't (about the weather). I started to explain pool chemistry and her eyes just glazed over :)
99319513527083837623.jpg


Wally World K-1000 Basic test kit. Seems cheaper than online places I can find the K-1000!
99562680105568490083.jpg


Pics I didn't take :(
$3.97 76oz Wally World 20 Mule Team Borax
$12.98 2x1 gallon cardboard packaged Home Depot Muriatic Acid 31.45%
 
Mike Hawk said:
After my tests I added 5 gal of 8.25 to get FC to 28. A couple hours later my FC was down to 15.5 and my CC was 0.5. So I added more bleach to get her back to 28.

I've tested today (Sunday) twice, once in the afternoon then again late evening, my FC was 28 CC 0.0, then 26.5 and 0.0. I'd say I'm done slamming? In the winter time with the SWG not generating, should I just not care about FC??? Why don't SWG generate in cold temps? Does algae grow in the cold?
Click to expand...
I'm having a hard time following your testing schedule, but are all three of these true?

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 (if that is yesterdays photo of the pool I can see this one)

For a true OCLT you test after the sun is off the pool in the evening and then again in the morning before the sun gets on the pool. This proves if something other than UV rays are consuming chlorine.

Algae will grow in the cold, just slower. I keep my pool open year round (no swimming, it 60 right now) and I just keep the FC at my target. With the very low chlorine demand I have been diluting the solution in my injection tank to keep it from going too high. I am near the point that I will just let it run dry and add manually as need be.

When you are reporting your results we only deal with FC & CC, so you can ignore calculating TC.
 

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Yeah, I'm fudging the testing on the OCLT. I passed the other two! (That counts for something right? Right? Yeah, I'm lazy sometimes) Having a head cold stinks!

I'll test my FC this evening and then again tomorrow morning :D
 
Passed the "Occult" as I call it with flying colors. Also stocked up on Acid, Borax, and Safe-T-Power so I'm good to go for the spring hopefully :crossesfingers:

Now to work on that blasted KK that isn't sucking and the pump that's leaking :mad: Oh and to figure out where to order a new cover. PO had a professional one put in (with the bolts that screw into the ground when not in use). He took the cover with him cause there was no way I was gonna pay $2k for a 7 year old used one.
 
Just to add closure to this. My SWG board had a blown capacitor on it, a known issue. Replaced it and I was back in business.

Also replaced my KK with a PoolCleaner 2x and no more issues.

Now I have cracks in my pool that I'm getting a quote on today to get fixed. And my anti-freeze auto pool pump timer will click on but the pump won't run. Need to look into the pros/cons of rebuilding my current pump vs getting a variable speed higher hp one.

Good times.
 
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