Which tests before SLAM?

[Richard320]

I did the OCLT and we have:
FC 8.5 - did not change the next morning.
CC .5 - did not change the next morning.
And it's clear.

So the only issue I have now is this:
I thought I had mustard algae but I don't think so. I brushed all the areas where I saw algae (I thought it was) and left the pump off for 24hrs. If it was algae I would assume I would see the growth on the floor or walls but nothing is showing up. I also put some of the "algae" in a white bowl and put lots of bleach and nothing is happening to it. So my question is how do I tell if it's fine sand or pollen? I figure if it's pollen I would have seen it in the water when I left the pump off. So does that mean one or some of my laterals in the sand filter is damaged or other parts?

Rubberband a sock over the return jet. If what you're seeing is coming out of the filter, it will end up inside the socks. If it's pollen or blown-in dust, the filter will strain it out and the socks will be clean.

 

[sxch12]

I turned on the pump and in 30 minutes on the side where the return is located but going down the deep end (the slope) has the brown stuff like patches. I don't see it right in front of the return. I put a sock on it. I don't see any in the deep end that does not have the sock. I mostly see it in the shallow end. I have 2 return on right side- one on deep and one on shallow. See pic. It doesn't show it well but it's a brownish color.

 

[sxch12]

I did the sock test. Put it on both return line and now there is nothing on the floor/walls but when I look in the sock I see nothing there too. I've left the sock for almost a week and the water is clear. So what is it? I will take the sock off this weekend and see if it comes back but if it does what can I assume it is?

 

[Richard320]

I did the sock test. Put it on both return line and now there is nothing on the floor/walls but when I look in the sock I see nothing there too. I've left the sock for almost a week and the water is clear. So what is it? I will take the sock off this weekend and see if it comes back but if it does what can I assume it is?

If what you're seeing is coming out of the filter, it will end up inside the socks. If it's pollen or blown-in dust, the filter will strain it out and the socks will be clean.