Cloudy water

[Quiltincin]

Ok, so with the new 1,000 gallons, I added 7oz and while I meant to test within 30min I got side tracked and when testing just over 1 hr later I RAN OUT OF R-0871 Regent!!!

At 4:45pm
FC 10.8
added 7oz Chlorine

At 5:56pm
FC HIGHER than 12.6 I ran out of test regent and I've attached a pic of how pink the water still was...so maybe 15-20 more drops to get it clear, so maybe just maybe I was in the range of....???? 15.6 IF it took another 15 drops?????

Hmmm...It will not let me drop or upload a photo, which is odd, because I did it earlier in the thread! Oh well, it was still very pink and would have taken a lot more drops to go clear....

 

[Stoopalini]

What test kit are you using again?

my TF-100 Test Kit uses R-0871 reagent, but it’s one drop per 0.5 FC.
How many drops did it take for you to get a 12.6 reading? What is the amount per drop if it would be another 15-20 to clear the solution??

 

[Quiltincin]

Sorry, it's been a while. I'm using the Taylor 2006 kit. I was using the 25ml or .2 system, but realized that was crazy during slam so I have switched to the 10ml or .5 system to figure FC.

So I have been slamming the pool since 9/3 and have never reached the slam FC of 16. During the process I got new DPD powder reagent (made a difference), recalculated gallons in the pool and I was still only unable to each 16FC. I hit 15 once. I have added chlorine and tested again 30min later, no go, still usually at an average FC of 10.8 to 12.5.

Today I experimented, my FC was at 12, the pool math said to add 5.6oz so instead I added 6.2oz and 30 min later I got an FC of 15. ?That said here are the other parameters that can be effecting it...

We are in Northern CA, the fires caused a lot of smoke and not much sun for part of the time.
I swim almost daily - thats important because I tether swim and loose water daily from waves created during the swim. We tend to add about 1" of new water about every 3-7 days so this is pushing my CYA down. How often should I be testing CYA during SLAM vs regularly?

The pool has gone from cloudy to clear and now sparkling crystal clear and I have met all the parameters to complete the SLAM with the exception of the FC number. Because my CYA dropped during the slam and is now too low, I'm going to assume the slam is done and let the chlorine level drop and increase the CYA (it has fallen below 20) and watch closely to see what happens,.

One last question? Since we regularly top off the water, what is the easiest and safest way (product suggestions?) to add CYA to a vinyl above ground pool. I am not sure I want to deal with adding acid regularly to the pool....

 

[JJ_Tex]

The pool has gone from cloudy to clear and now sparkling crystal clear and I have met all the parameters to complete the SLAM with the exception of the FC number. Because my CYA dropped during the slam and is now too low, I'm going to assume the slam is done...

I'm not sure I'm following this statement. There are 3 criteria to end the SLAM:
CC is 0.5 or lower
You pass an OCLT
Water is clear

It sounds like you pass the 3rd criteria, but what about the other 2? If you do not pass those, you must continue the SLAM or you risk going backwards and letting the algae regain its foothold.

 

[Quiltincin]

I forgot to add current numbers
at 9:30am
FC-15

at 12:00pm
FC-10
CC-.5
PH->8
Alk-130
Cal Hardness-120-130 (2 drops dropped together)
CYA <20

My take away
Step 1-decrease PH ( I have this product? Leisure Time Spa Down)
Step 2 - Buy product to increase CYA, use tablets in the meantime since I have them
Step 3- keep the chlorine up til CYA is balanced, then let it fall to normal levels
*test daily- adjust numbers as needed-shock again once numbers for CYA and PH are balanced to see if I can get it up to the correct FC ppm per the current CYA.

Am I on the correct track here?

 

[JJ_Tex]

Its your pool and you can do what you want, but the advice I would give would be to stick with the SLAM until you can end by meeting the 3 criteria listed. Until then, only worry about your FC. Once you are done with the slam, then you can worry about pH and the other stuff.

Note, your pH test is invalid at FC > 10, so please do not make any pH adjustments now based on invalid tests.