Algae collection worse after algaecide

[gingrbredman]

First, that is great you are committed to resolving this. I cannot recall a time where someone started a SLAM, stuck with it, and it did not work. Some took longer than others, and a lot of patience tested, but it will work.

what is the recommended FC to keep my pool at so that I never have to do this again? I know it depends on the CYA but the toggle on pool math says between 2 & 8. That’s a pretty big difference. Also keeping in mind that my salt cell apparently is too small for my pool so I guess I need to do stuff to compensate?

Once you get through this, you follow the FC/CYA chart as you mentioned. In Georgia, in the summer, you likely want your CYA closer to 70, so looking at the chart, for a SWCG pool, your range is 3-5. You want to aim for the higher end, never towards the lower end, which is a cliff you dive off and head towards another algae outbreak. So lets say you want to be around 5 for example.

Your cell does appear to be under sized, and running it at 100% output, 24 hours a day gets you about 3.5 chlorine per day. In the Georgia summer, you could burn that off each day, so you will need to supplement with liquid chlorine. Using Pool Math, and assuming you need another 1ppm of chlorine per day to keep you on the higher side, you will need about a 32 ounces per day, on top of your cell output. 3.5 from the cell and 1 from the liquid gets you about 4.5 addition of chlorine per day. In the middle of summer in Georgia, you can burn off up to 5, so you will need to keep up on the testing to make sure you keep up on the demands.

In short, once you get through this, daily, or every other day once you get the hang of it, and daily chlorine doses will keep your pool in the proper sanitization range and keep the algae at bay.

 

[Bethany1983]

First, that is great you are committed to resolving this. I cannot recall a time where someone started a SLAM, stuck with it, and it did not work. Some took longer than others, and a lot of patience tested, but it will work.


Once you get through this, you follow the FC/CYA chart as you mentioned. In Georgia, in the summer, you likely want your CYA closer to 70, so looking at the chart, for a SWCG pool, your range is 3-5. You want to aim for the higher end, never towards the lower end, which is a cliff you dive off and head towards another algae outbreak. So lets say you want to be around 5 for example.

Your cell does appear to be under sized, and running it at 100% output, 24 hours a day gets you about 3.5 chlorine per day. In the Georgia summer, you could burn that off each day, so you will need to supplement with liquid chlorine. Using Pool Math, and assuming you need another 1ppm of chlorine per day to keep you on the higher side, you will need about a 32 ounces per day, on top of your cell output. 3.5 from the cell and 1 from the liquid gets you about 4.5 addition of chlorine per day. In the middle of summer in Georgia, you can burn off up to 5, so you will need to keep up on the testing to make sure you keep up on the demands.

In short, once you get through this, daily, or every other day once you get the hang of it, and daily chlorine doses will keep your pool in the proper sanitization range and keep the algae at bay.

Wow thank you!!! For future reference, when my cell eventually dies, is it possible to get a bigger cell or am I always stuck with this one? Will the electrical unit on the wall have to upgrade as well and not just the cell itself?

 

[Bethany1983]

Also is there any reason why I couldn’t just keep a chlorine floater or something in my pool to help with that maintenance?

 

[mgtfp]

Also is there any reason why I couldn’t just keep a chlorine floater or something in my pool to help with that maintenance?

Because the chlorine used in the floaters is Trichlor, which is chlorinated CYA. Using them regularly raises CYA to unmanageable levels.

I reckon that for the rest of the season (after your SLAM) you might get mainly along with your SWG as the UV load is decreasing now towards winter, but you'll have to run pretty much 24/7, which is not ideal with your single speed pump. Not just non-stop noise, but also quite energy-hungry.

For next season you should think about a larger SWG. Maybe also a variable speed pump, but once your SWG can produce the required chlorine in just a couple of hours, that's not that essential anymore.

And use winter to have a good read through the Pool Care Basics, do you're prepared for next season.

 

[Bethany1983]

I did it!! Haha! I did it! Imagine if I had given up yesterday like I said. Lol. No cholorine loss overnight. No algae. I think the pool is clear but I can’t tell cause the pump and vacuum is on. Thank you all so much! Now I can’t swim today on Labor Day since the FC is 22 but that’s ok

 

[duraleigh]

Thank you all so much! Now I can’t swim today on Labor Day since the FC is 22 but that’s ok

If your CYA is 50 or more, you can swim anytime you want.

 

[gingrbredman]

If your CYA is 50 or more, you can swim anytime you want.

5 days ago, according to your pool math logs, your CYA was 50. Your chlorine is right up at SLAM level still, but is safe to swim.

That question does get asked a lot. Can I swim during a SLAM. The answer is always, if you can see the bottom (for safety) and you are at SLAM chlorine levels in relation to the CYA, and you can swim.

Nice work sticking with it! Now keep up with the easy part, you will be glad you do.

 

[Bethany1983]

Oooh ok. CYA is still 50 as of a day or two ago, however I ran out of the liquid in the big bottle that you add to the cylinder so I didn’t have enough to test the cya accurately today. I’m guessing it’s still 50

 

[deanr]

It'll be fine. No need to test CYA frequently, it doesn't change very quickly...

 

[C&HSewell]

I did it!! Haha! I did it! Imagine if I had given up yesterday like I said. Lol. No cholorine loss overnight. No algae. I think the pool is clear but I can’t tell cause the pump and vacuum is on. Thank you all so much! Now I can’t swim today on Labor Day since the FC is 22 but that’s ok

Told you there is NO THINKING you would do it, you WOULD DO IT. These guys know their stuff and if you just follow through with their recommendations, it will work. Congrats.