First time poster. Just found this site a few weeks ago. Opened our AG in mid-May. Skimmer basket would explode out every time filter was turned off so Google search led me to here and I learned about air leaks. Had to turn the motor off and wait a week until we could find the leak. Pool was pond-ish before this, but quickly turned to cloudy blue, which it has stayed at for two weeks. Read more on your site (unfortunately not before dumping several bags of shock into the pool) and have purchased a Taylor 2006 kit, but for some reason it's not prime 2 day shipping and could arrive between the 9th and 14th... until then I've been using the dreaded test strips. Before this weekend, they were showing no FC in the pool until this weekend when I threw in a bunch of shock, and now that I know better, bleach. Do I just keep dumping bleach in until the test kit arrives? It smells really chlorine-y/bleachy yet the strips are reading only minimal FC. I know it needs SLAM most likely, but don't have the kit yet to determine accurate CYA. So do I just turn the motor off and let it sit until the kit arrives. It makes me sick to think of all the money we've probably wasted on shock and bleach this year and worry about continue to waste and/or damage to the pool if I keep going and don't wait. Or do I just keep going with bleach until it arrives? Thanks for all your advice and helping this newbie out.
Continue or wait?
- Thread starter Ckcollins15
- Start date
Flying Tivo
TFP Guide
- Jan 24, 2017
- 3,100
- Pool Size
- 7500
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Just add 1 gallon of bleach a day until you get your test kit. Then you can start from there. Would be nice to review pool school and SLAM.
Felipe
Felipe
- Jan 4, 2016
- 5,392
- Pool Size
- 44000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
Welcome to TFP! Good to have you here 
I hope your kit arrives sooner than expected, and in the meantime you can very safely add a gallon of 8.25% bleach each day. That will stop it from getting any worse, and then when you get the kit you can adjust the CYA and SLAM the pool.
When I started out, I gained a lot from the thread TFPC for Beginners which I linked in my signature.
That link along with ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry are good places to start, but it sounds like you've already done a lot of the initial reading here, which is much appreciated!
Here's the SLAM procedure, and be sure to follow the written instructions. There's also a video which gives a visual idea of how it works. SLAM Process
You'll be amazed how easy a pool is to look after once the algae is truly annihilated
I hope your kit arrives sooner than expected, and in the meantime you can very safely add a gallon of 8.25% bleach each day. That will stop it from getting any worse, and then when you get the kit you can adjust the CYA and SLAM the pool.
When I started out, I gained a lot from the thread TFPC for Beginners which I linked in my signature.
That link along with ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry are good places to start, but it sounds like you've already done a lot of the initial reading here, which is much appreciated!
Here's the SLAM procedure, and be sure to follow the written instructions. There's also a video which gives a visual idea of how it works. SLAM Process
You'll be amazed how easy a pool is to look after once the algae is truly annihilated
Kit finally arrived
My Taylor 2006 came this afternoon and I did my first test. I dumped a bunch of shock in my pool on Saturday (today is Wednesday) and have been dumping a gallon of pool chlorine in the pool every evening. Here are the readings I got, if I did everything right:
FC=4.6
CC=0.6
PH=7.1
TA=80
CH=380
CYA=40-50 (closer to 50)
What should I do next, and more accurately, when I leave town tomorrow for a long weekend, what should I tell hubby to do? Since I'm the one home all summer (school teacher) maintaining the pool is generally my gig.
My Taylor 2006 came this afternoon and I did my first test. I dumped a bunch of shock in my pool on Saturday (today is Wednesday) and have been dumping a gallon of pool chlorine in the pool every evening. Here are the readings I got, if I did everything right:
FC=4.6
CC=0.6
PH=7.1
TA=80
CH=380
CYA=40-50 (closer to 50)
What should I do next, and more accurately, when I leave town tomorrow for a long weekend, what should I tell hubby to do? Since I'm the one home all summer (school teacher) maintaining the pool is generally my gig.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 52,087
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Re: Kit finally arrived
While your CC is slightly elevated, those numbers aren't too bad really. So that begs the question ..... how does the water look? Is it crystal clear or hazy? Any chance whatsoever of algae? If not, then you might consider simply elevating the FC to about 10 for a day or so (with bleach) to see if that helps lower the CC to 0.5 or less. Then simply maintain the FC in the 6-8 range and never let it go below 4.
If you do have concerns about algae or cloudiness, then a SLAM would be in order (link below). Based on a CYA of 50, the SLAM FC level would be "20". Hope that helps.
While your CC is slightly elevated, those numbers aren't too bad really. So that begs the question ..... how does the water look? Is it crystal clear or hazy? Any chance whatsoever of algae? If not, then you might consider simply elevating the FC to about 10 for a day or so (with bleach) to see if that helps lower the CC to 0.5 or less. Then simply maintain the FC in the 6-8 range and never let it go below 4.
If you do have concerns about algae or cloudiness, then a SLAM would be in order (link below). Based on a CYA of 50, the SLAM FC level would be "20". Hope that helps.
Re: Kit finally arrived
If you do need to SLAM, its going to take some extra attention, so since you're going away you may just want him to keep doing your gallon a day routine until you return. Then you can properly get SLAM done. However, if you're hubby is up to task you can get him set up to start the process for you.
However, if you don't need to SLAM then you can show him how to test FC once a day and have him add the needed amount each day to keep FC level in the target.
If you do need to SLAM, its going to take some extra attention, so since you're going away you may just want him to keep doing your gallon a day routine until you return. Then you can properly get SLAM done. However, if you're hubby is up to task you can get him set up to start the process for you.
However, if you don't need to SLAM then you can show him how to test FC once a day and have him add the needed amount each day to keep FC level in the target.
Re: Kit finally arrived
It is still a bit cloudy. Today is the first day I could see the bottom.
It is still a bit cloudy. Today is the first day I could see the bottom.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 52,087
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Okay, I see where in your first/other thread, the water was green, so you definitely need to SLAM. Good thing is your pH is perfect, so simply increase the FC to 20 and you're on your way.
Now that we have the info from both threads, let's keep it all together on this one. If you have any questions about the SLAM, please let us know.
Now that we have the info from both threads, let's keep it all together on this one.
If you have any questions about the SLAM, please let us know.
- Jan 4, 2016
- 5,392
- Pool Size
- 44000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
Yeh, I'd say if you want to retain control of the pool, rather than share it with hubby, keep doing what you're doing and start the SLAM when you can focus on it. You'll be wanting to top up chlorine 5 or 6 times on the first day, maybe more.
If you want to learn it together at the same time, then by all means go for it. The sooner the better is never wrong when it comes to needing to get a SLAM underway.
By the way, switch to the 10 ml sample for FC and CC. Each drop will equal 0.5 ppm FC (rather than 0.2)
If you want to really conserve, or you're running low, and only while you're up around 20, you can do a 5ml sample and each drop = 1 ppm FC.
If you want to learn it together at the same time, then by all means go for it. The sooner the better is never wrong when it comes to needing to get a SLAM underway.
By the way, switch to the 10 ml sample for FC and CC. Each drop will equal 0.5 ppm FC (rather than 0.2)
If you want to really conserve, or you're running low, and only while you're up around 20, you can do a 5ml sample and each drop = 1 ppm FC.
I ordered the same kit from amazon and the same thing happened to me! I ordered another one from VMInnovations (also prime) and it shipped 2 days and amazon refunded the first one (so now I'm getting another free and one before the weekend!)