Im so confused!!!My pool was calculated by Leslie at 17000 gal. I tried to slam my pool last night using 6 (96oz) jugs of chlorine. This morning my FC was zero. my CYA is 30. Im in the process of dissolveing 2lbs of conditioner to get the CYA up. I called a different pool store today and they recalculated my pool at 21000 gal?? Which when I calculated the slam amount its only 1 gallon difference. They told me to check for phosphates. Never had a problem with this before. Could this have eaten all of that chlorine??
Zero Chlorine after slam
- Thread starter hughes215
- Start date
Welcome to the forum,
SLAM is a process and not something to be done in a night. Do you have one of the test kits we recommend, and what does your water look like? Mixing our advice with the store won't get you anything but confusion with mixed suggestions.
SLAM is a process and not something to be done in a night. Do you have one of the test kits we recommend, and what does your water look like? Mixing our advice with the store won't get you anything but confusion with mixed suggestions.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 52,018
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Welcome! Golden rule - Avoid the pool store for testing, advice, or products. You simply won’t get the advice/service you deserve and you will waste money on products your pool doesn’t need. Do not add anything to your pool other than what is advocated by the TFP site or its experts if you truly want to follow the TFPC method. You’ll have a happier pool, spend less time maintaining your pool, and probably save some $$ in the process. The following are short articles from this site that you will see linked in my signature below: Pool School, Recommended Levels (for YOUR pool), PoolMath Calculator, SLAM, and the Chlorine/CYA Chart.
FYI, here's a little excerpt about TFP's "SLAM":
SLAM is the term used when we “Shock” our pool to a higher “Level” of Free Chlorine (FC) and “Maintain” it that way until 3 objectives are met:
1. Water is clear
2. You do not lose any more than 1ppm of FC overnight (that's the OCLT)
3. CC (Combined Chlorine) is <.5
** You MUST meet ALL 3 items above to properly do a SLAM. Simply “spiking" the FC higher than normal isn't SLAMming, therefore there’s a good chance your algae will return.
As Patrick already emphasized - you MUST get one of the recommended test kits.
That's the only way to confirm the readings above that we need to see.
FYI, here's a little excerpt about TFP's "SLAM":
SLAM is the term used when we “Shock” our pool to a higher “Level” of Free Chlorine (FC) and “Maintain” it that way until 3 objectives are met:
1. Water is clear
2. You do not lose any more than 1ppm of FC overnight (that's the OCLT)
3. CC (Combined Chlorine) is <.5
** You MUST meet ALL 3 items above to properly do a SLAM. Simply “spiking" the FC higher than normal isn't SLAMming, therefore there’s a good chance your algae will return.
As Patrick already emphasized - you MUST get one of the recommended test kits.
That's the only way to confirm the readings above that we need to see.
Welcome! 
If it's not too late to stop you, don't add any more conditioner. 30 CYA is ideal for the Shock Level And Maintain process. What you did was just add a lot of bleach. You probably hit Shock Level but forgot the Maintain.
Sadly, we need some answers from you before we have answers for you.
1) Do you have a test kit?
2) What does the water look like?
3) Can you follow written directions?
If it's not too late to stop you, don't add any more conditioner. 30 CYA is ideal for the Shock Level And Maintain process. What you did was just add a lot of bleach. You probably hit Shock Level but forgot the Maintain.
Sadly, we need some answers from you before we have answers for you.
1) Do you have a test kit?
2) What does the water look like?
3) Can you follow written directions?
I have the test kit that is sold at Leslie's. My pool is green, just opened yesterday. Im beginning not to trust the advise from the pool stores. After learning so much from this site, I've realized how many unnecessary products I was advised to purchase! And they wont even discuss the use of household bleach!
You will need to order a kit most likely then. You have to have the correct one for Chlorine testing and stores almost never have it. I'm not sure what kit you mean, but I am sure you will have to order a FAS/DPD Kit at minimum.
They don't make money on bleach, thus they don;t want to talk about it.
I will tell you, it didn't turn green overnight and it will take time to clear. But, we can teach you how to get it sparkling and keep it that was for a lot less money than the pool store.
Not much credence is given to pool store testing around here. While you would think that a "professional" would be the best, unfortunately in most cases it is quite the opposite. Between employees who blindly trust the word of chemical sales representatives and high school kids working in the pool store for the summer you end up with poor results from their testing. But, what can you do?? We base our pool care system on accurate testing and only adding what the pool needs, when it needs it. To do that you need your own accurate test kit. If you can tell us exactly which Leslies kit you have we can advise what you need to order to get ready to test your water.
While you wait for it to get delivered, you have a homework assignment. Start with Turning Your Green Swamp Back into a Sparkling Oasis
I will tell you, it didn't turn green overnight and it will take time to clear. But, we can teach you how to get it sparkling and keep it that was for a lot less money than the pool store.
Not much credence is given to pool store testing around here. While you would think that a "professional" would be the best, unfortunately in most cases it is quite the opposite. Between employees who blindly trust the word of chemical sales representatives and high school kids working in the pool store for the summer you end up with poor results from their testing. But, what can you do?? We base our pool care system on accurate testing and only adding what the pool needs, when it needs it. To do that you need your own accurate test kit. If you can tell us exactly which Leslies kit you have we can advise what you need to order to get ready to test your water.
While you wait for it to get delivered, you have a homework assignment. Start with Turning Your Green Swamp Back into a Sparkling Oasis
Can you recommend Where do I order the pool strips? I have more questions.
1. Someone at the pool store recommended I test for Phosphates. That maybe it ate all the cholrine overnight? Do you think that could be the case?
2. Should I not be surprised that the chlorine was zero? like you said...its a process!
3. I thought that since CYA is on the low end having a higher CYA would help protect the chlorine from the sun?
1. Someone at the pool store recommended I test for Phosphates. That maybe it ate all the cholrine overnight? Do you think that could be the case?
2. Should I not be surprised that the chlorine was zero? like you said...its a process!
3. I thought that since CYA is on the low end having a higher CYA would help protect the chlorine from the sun?
n240sxguy
Well-known member
Phosphates are algae food. Chlorine kills algae. Phosphates don't do anything to chlorine. Forget you ever heard the word phosphate.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Proper Chlorine levels and dead, or non-existent algae make Phosphates irrelavant. Don't worry about them.
TFTestkits.net. Get the XL option, too, since you're clearing up a green pool.
Want to learn something horrifying? The manufacturer of Phos-free even says not to put it in a pool with algae! I''m not lying! Click on Instructions and read the last line: "Important: Algae must be treated prior to testing and lowering phosphates." And Leslies wants to sell you some now? All it will do is turn your pool milky.
Not at all surprised. A green pool can go through bleach almost as fast as you can pour it at the very beginning of the process. That's why the SLAM instructions say to test every couple hours. Eight hours is too long.
It does. And you do need it higher after you clear the algae completely. Shock level for 30 CYA is 12. For 50 CYA, it's 20. That's a whole lot of bleach. We've guided hundreds of people through this. We say 30 for a reason. And besides, Leslies probably got the test results wrong anyway. You don't want to be buying bleach this way, do you?
LOL!! you guys rock!! I left the CYA soaking in a sock today in the skimmer Gonna rush home and whip it out. But I turned the pool off before I left for work since there was no chlorine to push around. At least I dont have to worry about going to test my water for Phosphates!! Straight to walmart for more bleach!! The battle wages on!!
Gonna rush home and whip it out. But I turned the pool off before I left for work since there was no chlorine to push around. At least I dont have to worry about going to test my water for Phosphates!! Straight to walmart for more bleach!! The battle wages on!!
Toss the sock in a bucket and save it. You can add it back later once the pool is sparkly clear.LOL!! you guys rock!! I left the CYA soaking in a sock today in the skimmer
I was also told the calcium was low @ around 150 and I need to add 17lbs of calcium hardness? But then the clerk said I dont have to worry about it now that it can wait? How important is this?
Not at all important. Vinyl pools don't need calcium so they were setting you up for a later sale.
Pool stores are evil!! I'm in the process of slamming. Yesterday my pool went from brown to cloudy pool. Its looking good and this morning it held the chlorine, but its a guess since I dont have the correct tester yet. After the pool is clear do I continue to add chlorine to maintain normal levels or switch to powder shock?
When you say you dont have the correct tester yet, do you have it on order?
Stop reading this and order it!!! You are just setting yourself up for failure until you do. It will ship very fast. I bet you will have it by the end of the weekend.
Bleach is the only thing you will ever need for chlorine.
You really need to thoroughly go to Pool School.
Don't read it once. Read it over and over until you understand it thoroughly. Know what household chemicals to add for what situation. Know how to SLAM and do an OCLT. Know everything about CYA and Chlorine.
Use Pool Math Calculator to do all your calculations.
Stop reading this and order it!!! You are just setting yourself up for failure until you do. It will ship very fast. I bet you will have it by the end of the weekend.
Bleach is the only thing you will ever need for chlorine.
You really need to thoroughly go to Pool School.
Don't read it once. Read it over and over until you understand it thoroughly. Know what household chemicals to add for what situation. Know how to SLAM and do an OCLT. Know everything about CYA and Chlorine.
Use Pool Math Calculator to do all your calculations.
You are already on the right track! Finding TFP and asking questions! Well done!
The powder shock and chlorine pucks add CYA to your pool. Too much CYA is a bad thing. It is a fine tuning thing. You want this _ _ much CYA so that you do not need as much bleach. If you have too little CYA the sun will burn off your bleach. If you have too much CYA you will need more bleach to fit off algae.
The line for the pool math is a wonderful tool. Make sure to play with it until you understand it. If you do not understand how it works let us know and we can walk you through it.
There is a LOT of info. here. Just take a bite at a time and chew it up until you are ready for your next bite.
Let us know when your test kit comes in!
Kim
The powder shock and chlorine pucks add CYA to your pool. Too much CYA is a bad thing. It is a fine tuning thing. You want this _ _ much CYA so that you do not need as much bleach. If you have too little CYA the sun will burn off your bleach. If you have too much CYA you will need more bleach to fit off algae.
The line for the pool math is a wonderful tool. Make sure to play with it until you understand it. If you do not understand how it works let us know and we can walk you through it.
There is a LOT of info. here. Just take a bite at a time and chew it up until you are ready for your next bite.
Let us know when your test kit comes in!
Kim
I want to order the test kit ASAP. Should I get FAS/DPD for only chlorine or the full kit? Can I use the strips for all the other test...Alkanline, CYA etc?
Also my water test at the pool store today showed Chlorine >5, CYA 10. Should I start adding CYA now?
Also my water test at the pool store today showed Chlorine >5, CYA 10. Should I start adding CYA now?