Best strategy

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dsilchenstedt

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May 24, 2015
94
Corpus Christi tx
So I want to keep my FC 5 or higher. I can only add chlorine in the evening right before sundown. If I take the chlorine up to 18 or 20 at 8pm then by 5pm the next evening it is right around 5 give or take 2ppm. So if there a better way to manage my chlorine if I can only add in the evening around 8pm? Am I doing right by taking it up to shock level every evening to make it till the next evening and not drop below 5ppm?.?
 
That's a lot of FC to lose in a day or so. Something is eating your chlorine. You have the right test kit and you have SLAMmed before, so this may another opportunity to excel. :) Have you done an OCLT lately? Perhaps post all of your readings for us this evening so we can double-check with you?
 
The SLAM went great. The water has never been this clear even before the green spell.
I wasn't able to get a good OCLT since the pool is at my dads so I guess technically I didn't complete the SLAM thoroughly. I know I'm not losing much at night because I added enough chlorine to be around 18 (wasn't able to test after adding) and the next morning around 8am it was right around there but I haven't done a truly accurate/precise OCLT.
Today: 7pm
FC 4
CC 0
Ca 50
TA 110
CYA 40
pH 7.5

I figured for a Texas summer day in direct sunlight that was just the way it was but if that isn't the case I will attempt to do a truly accurate OCLT tomorrow night/morning. I'd love to save some money/time/effort and decrease the chlorine abuse on my equipment.
 
Yeah, I'm losing a little more than I'd like here near San Antonio, but what you are losing is too much. Hopefully you can get more accurate numbers this morning. It is quite important to get as accurate as you can ... as long as you are using either the TF-100 or Taylor K2006. :)
 
All the above data is accurate and I will get an accurate OCLT tomorrow morning. I guess until I get that you guys can't really help. Nothing in the data above jumps out at me as being problematic.?.? This evening once the sun gets off the water I will add and wait an hour before collecting FC. Then in morning before sun hits the surface I will check FC and compare. What would be considered normal loss for a pool my size in South Texas that's in direct sun from 830am till 7pm
 
dsilchenstedt said:
I wasn't able to get a good OCLT since the pool is at my dads so I guess technically I didn't complete the SLAM thoroughly. I know I'm not losing much at night because I added enough chlorine to be around 18 (wasn't able to test after adding) and the next morning around 8am it was right around there but I haven't done a truly accurate/precise OCLT.
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I think this has identified where the problem is. As Woody points out, a SLAM is continuous until all 3 criteria are passed. Stopping early is a recipe for algae to remain in the water.

The other bad thing you have going is your low CYA. With as much sun as you get, I would expect to have the CYA at at least 60. But, don't raise CYA until you are sure you have passed a good OCLT.

I would expect that with your pool 5 ppm loss per day may be acceptable, but not 13.


dsilchenstedt said:
You miss understand...I am not slamming but doing an OCLT to figure out and diagnose why i'm losing so much (13-15ppm) free chlorine in a day.
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I thought in this post you were doing a SLAM? Algea

Did you end it with all 3 criteria met?
 

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tim5055 said:
I thought in this post you were doing a SLAM? Algea

Did you end it with all 3 criteria met?
Click to expand...

I want to say I completed the SLAM but I only did a half attempt at OCLT so I can't say "yes". I will do a very accurate OCLT to make sure no organics are eating away at my FC. Once that is confirmed I will increase my CYA to 60. I apologize for starting this conversation with out a true set of data (OCLT) but I will get this done this evening/tomorrow morning and come back to this conversation prepared.

I feel like I just called the Dr for a possible issue with my patient but didn't gather vital signs before placing the call and now the Dr is rolling his eyes telling me to call him back when I have the proper data. ~student nurse
 
06/15/2015:
6pm
FC 4.5, added 17oz to take it up to 8
pH between 7.8 and 8.2, added 9oz to get it to 7.5

8pm
FC 8
pH between 7.2 and 7.5

06/16/2015
FC 8
Pool has 0.25" to .5" of rain water in it.

OCLT 0 = pass
Pool crystal Clear = pass
CC 0.5 (turned ever so slightly barely recognizable to the eye) = pass

Now I can say with confidence that I did in fact complete the SLAM thoroughly. So with this more accurate OCLT Data I will say with confidence "The SLAM went great."

Now that concern is out of the way we can move forward.
730am 6/16/15
FC 8
CH 50
TA 90
CYA between 40 and 50 (I don't quite have a refined eye for it yet)

I'm not sure why my FC is burning off 13-15ppm. We jack our chlorine to 18 at 7pm nightly because by the time 7pm the next day we are at 4ppm. If we aren't losing any at night then that means we are losing that between the hours of 830am and 800pm daily. With my data provided I don't see the reason why?.? Thanks you for your patience earlier.
 
I had to review your notes on this thread, but I need to confirm something you just said .... Last night you made sure your FC was at "8", and it stayed there overnight until this morning correct? Plus, you pass the CC and OCLT requirements. SLAM complete! So earlier in this thread you felt you were losing 13-15 ppm (daily) of FC. Now that you have completed the SLAM, are you sure that's still the case? Certainly that much loss would be a concern, but since you just confirmed the SLAM completion, maybe you should see how today goes? It's at 8 now, see what it looks like mid-day or this afternoon. Or if you're worried about it dropping too much, add enough bleach to take you to say ... 12, then check later.

Also, we're about to get pounded by more storms today. :)
 
Well, only two things cause large drops in FC, organics and UV. You have eliminated organics so it has to be the sun. It is time to get a handle on the CYA test and begin slowly bringing that level up. Loosing that much FC per day I'm going to guess you are loser to to 40 mark than you are the 50 mark. I would add 4 oz (by weight) of CYA which should raise your CYA about 8 to get you closer to 50.
 
Texas Splash said:
I had to review your notes on this thread, but I need to confirm something you just said .... Last night you made sure your FC was at "8", and it stayed there overnight until this morning correct? Plus, you pass the CC and OCLT requirements. SLAM complete! So earlier in this thread you felt you were losing 13-15 ppm (daily) of FC. Now that you have completed the SLAM, are you sure that's still the case? Certainly that much loss would be a concern, but since you just confirmed the SLAM completion, maybe you should see how today goes? It's at 8 now, see what it looks like mid-day or this afternoon. Or if you're worried about it dropping too much, add enough bleach to take you to say ... 12, then check later.

Also, we're about to get pounded by more storms today. :)
Click to expand...

I completed the SLAM as far as keeping chlorine at shock value a few days ago and haven't changed anything since. The issue was I didn't have a true OCLT result and that is what I got last night. So now my SLAM is officially complete. Hope that makes sense. So waiting to see what happens wouldn't be beneficial, plus, the storm clouds are blocking the sun pretty darn good today :) .

tim5055 said:
Well, only two things cause large drops in FC, organics and UV. You have eliminated organics so it has to be the sun. It is time to get a handle on the CYA test and begin slowly bringing that level up. Loosing that much FC per day I'm going to guess you are loser to to 40 mark than you are the 50 mark. I would add 4 oz (by weight) of CYA which should raise your CYA about 8 to get you closer to 50.
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Sounds like a plan!! I will find an old sock and add 4oz by weight of dry cya to my skimmer, then wait a week and retest. Over the course of this week my FC should start to maintain a little to a lot better. we'll see. Thanks guys and I will keep you posted. Texas is already hot and I am loving this stormy weather...again.
 
There is no way you should lose 13-15 FC per day with 40 PPM of stabilizer, and a SLAM-clean pool. I agree with Tim that it must be much lower. See what the Cya increase does for you and report back please.
 

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