Yes, we have removed all the debris and I have been checking for more every 2 days or so. I have not used any of the chemicals you mentioned since I started using this method several years ago. I just have never had it stay green for so long- usually I saw a visual change of some sort in 2 days. This morning I lost 2 FC overnight so I know it's not "done" yet, but if I understood correctly, I was reading in the forums that the high chlorine can some times cause cloudiness even when all the algae is gone and the SLAM has worked. Is that true in some cases?
Advice on length of time to commit to SLAM
- Thread starter Ltaylor3
- Start date
- Jun 1, 2018
- 14,001
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Good to know about no potions
High fc doesn’t cause cloudiness.There may still be cloudiness due to dead algae that has not all been filtered out but the slam should not end until all 3 end of slam criteria have been met.
To refresh-
For a successful SLAM Process
you need to continue to MAINTAIN Slam level fc for your cya as often as possible (multiple times per day is best- the more often you test & replenish slam level fc the faster the process goes) until you meet ALL 3 end of slam criteria-
You are done when:
CC is 0.5 or lower;
You pass an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
AND
the water is clear.
(Crystal Clear w/no algae dead or alive)
*Check & scrub every nook & cranny where algae may hide (light niches, steps, drain covers, ladder handrails, skimmer throats/weirs, etc.)
*Run slam level water through all water features & lines for at least a couple hours a day during the SLAM Process.
*Brush & or vac daily (this breaks up biofilms that algae uses to protect itself from chlorine)
*Backwash/clean filter when pressure rises 25%over clean pressure.
We are about 5 days into being very consistent with SLAM. I am brushing daily and vacuuming roughly every 2 days at this point and getting very small amounts of leaves that have only ended up there in the past 2 days. It's hard to know if I'm hitting every nook and cranny because I can't see anything, but I'm doing as thorough a job as possible.
I don't understand why there has been very little, if any, visual change to the pool after this long. I had been working on the SLAM prior to the five days, but wasn't able to brush and add liquid chlorine more than twice per day and that wasn't enough.
I have a new question - I had to add water yesterday because the level was getting low. Is that going to interfere with other levels that I can't check due to the SLAM?
I don't understand why there has been very little, if any, visual change to the pool after this long. I had been working on the SLAM prior to the five days, but wasn't able to brush and add liquid chlorine more than twice per day and that wasn't enough.
I have a new question - I had to add water yesterday because the level was getting low. Is that going to interfere with other levels that I can't check due to the SLAM?
Good to know about no potions
There may still be cloudiness due to dead algae that has not all been filtered out but the slam should not end until all 3 end of slam criteria have been met.
To refresh-
For a successful SLAM Process
you need to continue to MAINTAIN Slam level fc for your cya as often as possible (multiple times per day is best- the more often you test & replenish slam level fc the faster the process goes) until you meet ALL 3 end of slam criteria-
You are done when:
CC is 0.5 or lower;
You pass an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
AND
the water is clear.
(Crystal Clear w/no algae dead or alive)
*Check & scrub every nook & cranny where algae may hide (light niches, steps, drain covers, ladder handrails, skimmer throats/weirs, etc.)
*Run slam level water through all water features & lines for at least a couple hours a day during the SLAM Process.
*Brush & or vac daily (this breaks up biofilms that algae uses to protect itself from chlorine)
*Backwash/clean filter when pressure rises 25%over clean pressur
- Jun 1, 2018
- 14,001
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Not enough to cause an issue. Probably very negligible.
If your fc happens to drop below 10ppm you can check your ph - otherwise let it ride.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 14,001
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
No, I'm on city water. My big issue at this point is that I'm scheduled for spine surgery next Tuesday and I thought I would have this under control by then. I can't do all this after.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 14,001
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
I understand- but there’s really no rushing the process except testing & adding fc more frequently.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 14,001
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
It can be hard to see improvement but the corner will turn!
Place your pool pole in the same place every day at around the same time & take a picture. This can often help you to see the slight differences instead of just noticing the green or cloudy .
Place your pool pole in the same place every day at around the same time & take a picture. This can often help you to see the slight differences instead of just noticing the green or cloudy .
I need more guidance. My pool is blue, but super cloudy and had been for several days. I followed the instructions on the site to add DE to the filter on Sunday and still no change. This SLAM has been going for weeks now and I'm feeling frustrated.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,964
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
clambert1273
Gold Supporter
- Jun 13, 2013
- 1,493
- Pool Size
- 12000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool Edge-40
It really depends on effort & how bad to start. I will say in my case. I started on 4/22 and am still SLAM today but I'm close to completing. Mine spent a good week in the blue/cloudy phase where I couldn't see anything in the pool. It was like the great abyss. At about 9 days is when it turned to clear. I had to keep brushing as much up as I could and letting the filter do it's thing.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 14,001
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
The de must be replenished every time you backwash as it gets washed away.
Are you backwashing when pressure rises 25% over clean pressure?
Still Maintaining slam level fc for your cya?
FC/CYA Levels
I am maintaining slam and yes, I followed the instructions on this site when adding DE and have not backwashed since.
Also, because I have been in SLAM for several weeks, the CYA could have lowered naturally, but I haven't checked it since starting because it's not accurate during SLAM
clambert1273
Gold Supporter
- Jun 13, 2013
- 1,493
- Pool Size
- 12000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool Edge-40
You can check CYA & recommended to do so if needed. It's accurate during PH test is not
I started 3 weeks ago and it was green cloudy, but very minimal debris. It has recently turned green. I was checking it every 2-3 hours during the day until mid week last week and then every 3-6 hours. It's still being brushed daily and vacuumed regularly. Nothing is in the pool that could be collecting algae.
- Jun 8, 2019
- 4,576
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Yes it is. Also, I run the pump 24/7. Would it help to actually shut it off for a bit?
I will check it. my guess is that it's about the same because the FC has been dropping much between water tests.
- Jun 8, 2019
- 4,576
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Nope, you want it running until it’s clear.
But what you could try is this:
Deep Cleaning a Sand Filter
This post will walk you through the anatomy of a sand filter, and then provide a video at the end for how to deep clean your sand filter. The filter used in the photos and videos is a Hayward S180T top mount sand filter. The images are of a similar filter. Obviously not all filters are...
www.troublefreepool.com
It could be that even backwashing your filter is a bit gunked up, and this will flush everything out. Just be careful not to damage the laterals at the bottom.
Also as mentioned be sure you are scrubbing EVERYWHERE you can. If algae is hiding somewhere from your SLAM-level water like inside a ladder, or a light niche, or the skimmer mouth / weir door / weir door foam, it will keep shedding dead algae into the water.