After two weeks of SLAMing pool I'm frustrated and disheartened, am I on the right path?

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paulgyro

Active member
Aug 9, 2019
31
Gilbert, AZ
Hi all! Since June I've been fighting recurrent green algae growth. About to weeks ago I found the SLAM method and thought I'd give it a try.

As the subject says I've been SLAMing for 2 weeks now but I can't pass an overnight FC loss test, for example last night I lost 10 ppm of FC. On top of this I'm spending about $30 a day on liquid chlorine (8 gallons of 10% strength) so $420+ at this point. I'm getting very weary at this point and am going broke. Please share your wisdom TFP community!

Before I go any further let me share the conditions of my pool current.

Appearance: Looks amazingly clear and clean for the last week. Wish I and the kids could swim.
Water Test this AM:
FC = 11 (was 21 when I tested before bed)
CC = 0.5 (good right?)
CYA = 70
ph = 7.1
TA = 130
CH = 250

I've been testing the pool at 6am and then again at 6pm. I have been adding Chlorine in the AM, noon (assuming FC lose because of the AZ sun), and PM. In the AM and PM always add what Pool Math say plus some. For example if it asks for 1.7 gallons I just put in 2.

I brush and run my robot every day as well as empty skimmer and pump baskets. Also I've back washed twice during this process. Pump is running 24 hours a day (high during the day and low at night)

One other tidbit I'd like to share is I've been getting a lot of air/gases/bubbles when shortly after I shock hard and over night. At a couple of point the water looked light carbonated at the surface. Very strange.

Anyway that's enough for now. Thoughts? Should I continue or change course?

Paul
 
Welcome to the forum!
Is your CO2 dispense automated? CO2 does not reduce TA.
As far as the SLAM, maintaining it at your SLAM level of 28 ppm will help speed it up. It is safe to swim at FC levels up to SLAM level.
 
mknauss said:
Welcome to the forum!
Is your CO2 dispense automated? CO2 does not reduce TA.
As far as the SLAM, maintaining it at your SLAM level of 28 ppm will help speed it up. It is safe to swim at FC levels up to SLAM level.
Click to expand...
Yes the co2 is automated but I have it disconnected currently.

I always target the 28-30 when I add using the dosing from Pool Math, are you suggesting I add more often then the 3 times a day I have been?
 
If you are finding your FC dropping by more than 2-3 ppm each time you are testing, then yes, test and add more often. The closer you keep the FC to 28 ppm , the quicker the SLAM will go.

You had a dramatic FC loss overnight for a clear pool. Check light niches, skimmer, weir doors, ladders, etc for hidden algae.
 
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Ok so I'll take your advise and start adding chlorine 5 times a day, up from my current 3.

I also took your advise and looked at a my pool to try and find where algae could be hiding. I came up with two place.

1) My pool auto fill/leveler can and feed pipe.
2) Another strange can and pipe that seems to do nothing other then contain a pipe the leads from the can to the pool.

While both looked dirty I didn't see algae. I took a long dryer brush and started cleaning the pipes which caused some nasty stuff to come out into the pool. I then thought it wise to dump some liquid chlorine into both cans/pipes. A reaction started right away and boy did some nasty green stuff come out into the pool! I dumped a full gallon into each can. This might be the source of all my trouble!

I don't see how I could clean them any better at this point, any further advise?

Paul
 
Would the item you mention in #2 be tied to your floor pop up cleaning system? Do you run that?

No lights?
 
mknauss said:
Would the item you mention in #2 be tied to your floor pop up cleaning system? Do you run that?

No lights?
Click to expand...

No, it's not connected to the pop-ups, just a pipe in the can that goes down down, makes a 90 degree and ends up in the pool. I asked the company the resurfaced my pool last year and they had no idea what it was. I'm serious thinking about plugging this pipe on the pool side.

My pop-ups run whenever the pump is running, the water exists the pool through the skimmer basket return and enters the pool again through the pop-ups.

I do have one small light the looks ok, i would need to jump in the pool to get a closer look.

Paul
 
OK -- sounds like you hit the spots with hidden algae. Will be interesting if that resolves the overnight loss.
 

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Also if you are going through that much chlorine, you may want to consider buying in bulk. You can buy a drum from some cleaning supply places. It will save you some money, and time from constantly going back to buy new chlorine.
 
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Looks like I might have finally won the battle. Pool passed the over night FC loss test with CC at 1. Do I just keep maintaining my target SLAM FC until the CC is at 0.5 now? What do I do post SLAM? Just let the FC come down before I start swimming again and maintain the high side of the target FC?
 
You state you passed the OCLT. The CC of 1 is unusual so go one more day at SLAM level, I did not catch that earlier. Be sure you clean your test vial with alcohol as sometimes CC shows up when using a dirty vial.

Once you see 0.5 or less CC, then follow the target range.
 
mknauss said:
You state you passed the OCLT. The CC of 1 is unusual so go one more day at SLAM level, I did not catch that earlier. Be sure you clean your test vial with alcohol as sometimes CC shows up when using a dirty vial.

Once you see 0.5 or less CC, then follow the target range.
Click to expand...

Morning all! Passed the OCLT once again. Cleaned test tubes prior to testing. CC=1 again. Boo! Keep slamming?
 
CC typically comes from non- algae sources. Normally ammonia based items.

Anything odd dropping into the pool? Bird droppings?

It does not makes sense to have CC for this long.
 

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