Can't move past SLAM - now what?

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QuiltinMom

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Mar 24, 2013
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Central Iowa
I don't know if I have ever moved out of SLAM. I just can't ever get the water to be clear and sparkly. It always has a haze and not real clear.

Pump turned on July 1st and has run 24/7 ever since. We started with cleaning out and digging out everything we could get. It wasn't as bad as I expected. We have also been running the robot frequently and it is not finding much stuff on the bottom either.

I haven't kept very good details of all of the chlorine I have dumped in, but when I have added anything else, I have tried to keep better notes. I am going to just include some days, not all of them. Some of them I forgot to start a new log entry and actually changed some of my test results.

SLAM Goal of 12

July 2nd
FC 0.0
PH 7.2
TA 190
CYA 10
added 3 gallons bleach 12.5%

July 5th
FC 1.5
PH 7.5
TA 150
CYA 10
added 2 3/4 gallong bleach 12.5%

July 8th
FC 5.0
PH 7.5
TA 150
CYA 10
added 1.9 gallons bleach 12.5%
added 2lbs baking soda
added 4lbs stabilizer

July 15th, backwashed before testing (haven't backwashed since adding above baking soda and stabilizer)
FC 0 (we were gone over the weekend and just found a chance to run tests)
PH 6.0
TA 180
CYA 20

Now the app is wanting me to add 344oz bleach, 71lbs washing soda and 2.4lbs dry stabilizer.

HELP!!! Just want to have a clean sparkling pool for the hot week we are supposed to have this week. Where do I go from here? I feel like I am further off then I was before I started.

THANKS for any suggestions. Feel like I spend more time trying to get everything balanced then the kids do enjoying the pool.
 
Mom.... I don't see any entries for a SLAM in those dates? To do a proper SLAM process you need to test and re-dose *at least 3 times a day*, not every 3 days. A SLAM process goes faster the more often you test during the day. We've had some who test almost hourly, they're so eager to get it over with.

You're going too many days between dosing either way. Remember that chlorine is a consumable item. It has to be replenished daily.

Maddie :flower:
 
YippeeSkippy said:
Mom.... I don't see any entries for a SLAM in those dates? To do a proper SLAM process you need to test and re-dose *at least 3 times a day*, not every 3 days. A SLAM process goes faster the more often you test during the day. We've had some who test almost hourly, they're so eager to get it over with.

You're going too many days between dosing either way. Remember that chlorine is a consumable item. It has to be replenished daily.

Maddie :flower:
Click to expand...
I just didn't include ALL of my testing and results. Most of them I didn't record in the app. I have been testing fairly often, just haven't been good about recording my results. I understand the process will go more quickly if I test more often, but some of us don't have the luxury of testing every hour. In fact, I thought you were supposed to wait at least 2 hours after adding something. Maybe I misunderstood.
 
All you need to be testing is the FC and CC during the SLAM process.
You set your pH once before you start.

With a TA of 150ppm (which is pretty high), why did you add more baking soda on the 8th?
What did you add between the 8th and 15th that was acidic that would lower you pH that much?

I think you need to take a step back and slow down and understand what you are adding to the pool and why.
 
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You can test about 30 minutes after you add chemicals if your pump is running. You should be running your pump full time anyway if you're doing SLAM. And, while Jason did answer this already, yes you should absolutely be doing the CC test after you do the FC test.

I'd suggest to use the Pool Math app to it's fullest and record every test you do, as well as additions. I used to keep track on (gasp!) paper... that was far less fun than just using the the app :~}

Do you happen to have any solid chlorine tablets floating or in the skimmer basket? That can lower pH, but it will also add CYA with a quickness. I put one tablet into the skimmer last Friday because I wanted to lower pH and raise CYA a little. By Sunday early evening, pH had gone down to 7.3 (from 8.2) and CYA up from 18 to 30. Puck removed, since I accomplished what I wanted and now we're back to bleach only.
 
jblizzle said:
All you need to be testing is the FC and CC during the SLAM process.
You set your pH once before you start.

With a TA of 150ppm (which is pretty high), why did you add more baking soda on the 8th?
What did you add between the 8th and 15th that was acidic that would lower you pH that much?

I think you need to take a step back and slow down and understand what you are adding to the pool and why.
Click to expand...
I am wondering if I have my goals set wrong. Guess I need to go back and read up some more. Just haven't had time to spare to find the info I need. I probably put the wrong goals in the app so it gave me wrong instructions. Back to the drawing board, I guess.

The only things I have put in the pool is the bleach, the baking soda and the stabilizer. Nothing else, no pucks, no nothing. I don't know what happend to the PH. The kids have swam a couple of times, but we haven't put any other chemicals in. Any idea what would affect it so much?
 
Some is testing error. A pH of 6 with a TA of 180 does not pass a reasonable test. And the pH testing methods in the TF100 cannot test a pH of 6.
 

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