And.... Back where I started

[ORussell]

End of June I started a SLAM and finished with it July 15. Brushed and vacuumed every day, took out the ladder and cleaned every crevice with a toothbrush and paintbrush, cleaned the return jet and skimmer. Passed all 3 criteria for ending SLAM and even continued it an extra 3 days so I was sure I was done. Water was so incredibly beautiful.

Thursday I brushed and vacuumed but we had a cold spell here so no one has been in the pool since Friday. I left the cover on but tested every night and added chlorine to keep my fc at 7. The lowest it ever got was 5.5. CC was always 0 or def less than .5. Water stayed super clear. Sunday night I saw what I thought was some dirt at the bottom but the pool is close to pine trees and the little brown things they give off disintegrate in the water and collect in piles and so I just went on my merry way. Didn't check the pool Monday night since I was only adding chlorine every other day.

Last night the bottom of the pool was covered in algae. Absolutely covered except for a giant (almost the width of the pool) eyeball shaped patch of completely clear floor, where I assume the chlorine flowed after I would pour it in at night in front of the return.

The water was still completely clear. FC was 6.5 and CC was 0.

So now I've started the SLAM again. But where did I go wrong? Is it bad circulation? I was running my pump on low from 4pm till midnight every night. I'd add chlorine between 7pm and 9pm so at minimum it would have 3 hours to circulate.

Test results:
FC: 6.5 last night, 18.5 this morning
CC: less than .5
CYA: 40
Ph: 7.2
TA: 140

I was so proud of how beautiful the water was and I can't even bring myself to tell my husband we're back to square 0 again. Any help is so gratefully appreciated. I'll be over here crying in my coffee while I wait.

 

[Newdude]

I'll be over here crying in my coffee while I wait.

Sounds like a never ending cup of coffee to me. Take a sip, replenish with tears, more coffee. MmmmmmmMMMMmmmm cofffffffffeeeee

It’s been pretty wet in Ohio, right ? And your pump is off for 16 hours a day ? When rain happens the cold 0 FC water can have lots of time to fester on top of the cover, or along it’s edges. If you have extended storms, make sure to program the timer to kick on every 3 hours or so. If you get a pop up storm, get it mixed at your earliest convenience.

Aiming above target to drift back into target won’t hurt you either. It very well could make the difference.

keep up posted on the battle. It sounds like you have a firm grip on the process and probably won’t have too many questions, but we’re great for moral support too.

 

[mknauss]

AG pools seem to need either brushing or swimming more often. A robot or other auto vac system also works.

 

[ORussell]

Sounds like a never ending cup of coffee to me. Take a sip, replenish with tears, more coffee. MmmmmmmMMMMmmmm cofffffffffeeeee

At this point yes never ending and maybe mixed with some whiskey

It’s been pretty wet in Ohio, right ? And your pump is off for 16 hours a day ? When rain happens the cold 0 FC water can have lots of time to fester on top of the cover, or along it’s edges. If you have extended storms, make sure to program the timer to kick on every 3 hours or so. If you get a pop up storm, get it mixed at your earliest convenience.

I'm pretty sure we had no rain, or maybe just a small overnight shower during the time I left it covered, but Wednesday night I did add quite a bit of water from the hose since the level was pretty low and Thursday when we were in it for a while there was major cold spots so maybe that was when it started.

Thanks for the tips I'll add them to my book o' knowledge

 

[ORussell]

AG pools seem to need either brushing or swimming more often. A robot or other auto vac system also works.

Thanks that is good to know. I'll make sure to throw the kids in more often - they don't mind cold water as much as I do

 

[ORussell]

Also - I bought a new psi gauge this year and when the pump is on low the needle does not move at all - it just lays against the little stopper. When it's on high it's at 14. I can feel the water moving at what I remember to be a normal flow for low, but would that have anything to do with circulation problems? It was a different brand than what I had last year, maybe I should replace it again

 

[mknauss]

Low pressure at the filter is good if you are getting good water flow. The gauge is fine if it goes to zero with the pump off.

Just a matter of stagnation. Like I said, AG pools have the issue much more than in ground pools. AG Pump systems are not as robust, returns are minimal, etc.

 

[PoolGate]

I am very glad I have 3 bottom (floor) returns on my pool. That and running my VSP 24x7 makes sure I never have any dead or stagnant areas. Circulation for sure would help!

 

[ORussell]

Thanks everyone!