Could low CYA be affecting my SLAM?

[oimamlion]

Filled our 16x32 Intex AGP from our creek and began SLAM 5 days ago. I would say there is probably progress, but the water is still quite green. I think it lost most of it's brownish color. I completely understand this may take awhile with the creek water and all, but could my CYA being too low affect it at all? We aren't losing any chlorine overnight and only dropping from 12 to 8.5 was the lowest during the day. We've had virtually no sunshine. Typically, it would only drop by 1 or 2 ppm every 2-4 hours. The CYA test is so hard for me to interpret, but every time I checked, I got 30. I feel like it should be lower because I calculated the amount of Cyanuric Acid to add when the pool was only half full using only half full volume. Should I go ahead and add more to see if I can get a more discernible result to the CYA test?

Let's just say that my CYA level is really 15. Would that affect my SLAM? Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[JohnT]

Not likely. Actually the SLAM is more effective at low CYA because the chlorine is more available. It’s just harder to keep chlorine in the pool because you have both algae and sunlight consuming it.

 

[duraleigh]

If you get 30 on your CYA test, then call it 30. don't second guess. If you calculated a dose of 15, recheck you math and make sure there are no errors. If you are positive you dosed to get to 15, then call it 15 despite your test result.

It sounds to me like you have killed most of the algae and are now waiting on your filter to clear the pool. Intex pumps are infamous for being completely inadequate and clearing your pool may take a VERY long time because Intex pumps and filters are such poor performers.

Once your pool is all sorted out, I would get rid of as much Intex equipment as I could.

Too late now but do NOT start another thread.......keep all your future info right here so everyone can read you whole "story"

 

[oimamlion]

If you get 30 on your CYA test, then call it 30. don't second guess. If you calculated a dose of 15, recheck you math and make sure there are no errors. If you are positive you dosed to get to 15, then call it 15 despite your test result.

It sounds to me like you have killed most of the algae and are now waiting on your filter to clear the pool. Intex pumps are infamous for being completely inadequate and clearing your pool may take a VERY long time because Intex pumps and filters are such poor performers.

Once your pool is all sorted out, I would get rid of as much Intex equipment as I could.

Too late now but do NOT start another thread.......keep all your future info right here so everyone can read you whole "story"

Perfect. Thank you! I started second guessing that maybe I had done something wrong and didn't want to find out later. From all I've read, I didn't think low CYA would affect it, but wanted to ask to be sure. I did order a Dolphin E10 today. Hopefully that will help, and if not, we need something either way. The other options are just too time consuming with work, special needs kiddo, large property to maintain, etc., etc. What do I need? More HP, more GPH?

 

[Pretz]

You may benefit from turning off the pump and let the creek plant sediment (brown water) settle. Manually vacuum and clean filter, for several days (don't clean filter for several days lol) in a row

 

[oimamlion]

If you get 30 on your CYA test, then call it 30. don't second guess. If you calculated a dose of 15, recheck you math and make sure there are no errors. If you are positive you dosed to get to 15, then call it 15 despite your test result.

It sounds to me like you have killed most of the algae and are now waiting on your filter to clear the pool. Intex pumps are infamous for being completely inadequate and clearing your pool may take a VERY long time because Intex pumps and filters are such poor performers.

Once your pool is all sorted out, I would get rid of as much Intex equipment as I could.

Too late now but do NOT start another thread.......keep all your future info right here so everyone can read you whole "story"

Thanks to the Dolphin E10, we can finally see the bottom of the pool! Next question: just how clear before doing the OCLT? Are we talking beautiful blue? We are still green.

Also, while I have your ear, when adding the powder for the FAS-DPD test, just how precise should the powder be. I ask because it's obviously more difficult than drops to get just right...

Thank you,
Angela

 

[IceShadow]

Thanks to the Dolphin E10, we can finally see the bottom of the pool! Next question: just how clear before doing the OCLT? Are we talking beautiful blue? We are still green.

Also, while I have your ear, when adding the powder for the FAS-DPD test, just how precise should the powder be. I ask because it's obviously more difficult than drops to get just right...

Thank you,
Angela

You want it clear and blue before stopping SLAM, so not sure it’s worth the OCLT until that point.

For the reagent, if you see a single grain of undissolved power, it’s perfect. None and too little, lots and too much.

 

[oimamlion]

You want it clear and blue before stopping SLAM, so not sure it’s worth the OCLT until that point.

For the reagent, if you see a single grain of undissolved power, it’s perfect. None and too little, lots and too much.

Thank you! I'm sure we are still losing FC overnight, so you're right. We are close, though. Thank God! We've been SLAM'ing for 2 weeks as of tomorrow. I think the difficulty in brushing and vacuuming this beast of an AGP was holding us back.

Thanks for the info on the test. I'll have to pay closer attention to that.

 

[duraleigh]

Actually, the FAS/DPD powder measurement is quite easy. If your solution turns pink, you have enough powder.....period. There's a couple of caveats to that but not worth going into.

One well-rounded dipper will work in 99%+ of the tests

If the solution does not turn pink, you almost always have NO chlorine

 

[oimamlion]

If you get 30 on your CYA test, then call it 30. don't second guess. If you calculated a dose of 15, recheck you math and make sure there are no errors. If you are positive you dosed to get to 15, then call it 15 despite your test result.

It sounds to me like you have killed most of the algae and are now waiting on your filter to clear the pool. Intex pumps are infamous for being completely inadequate and clearing your pool may take a VERY long time because Intex pumps and filters are such poor performers.

Once your pool is all sorted out, I would get rid of as much Intex equipment as I could.

Too late now but do NOT start another thread.......keep all your future info right here so everyone can read you whole "story"

We are finally getting clearer every day, thanks mostly to Rosie the Dolphin E10 robot. At this point, we are fairly blue, but kind of milky/cloudy. Any tests worth running to make sure we don't have another problem, or just keep SLAM'ing? Have not performed the OCLT yet, but are typically only losing 1-1.5 ppm per night with the solar cover on.

 

[oimamlion]

Discovered some algae where the ladder sits and along the seams last night. Brushed it up, and we are clearer than we have ever been this morning. Planning on running the OCLT tonight. I have a feeling we won't quite pass, but I'm dying to know after somewhere near 3-4 weeks of SLAM'ing, partly because I would love to add salt and move forward, and partly because we are using at least a gallon and a half of chlorine daily. I'm sure this is because our CYA is not actually 30. IF we pass, do I bring up the CYA before adding salt?

 

[duraleigh]

I'm sure this is because our CYA is not actually 30. IF we pass, do I bring up the CYA before adding salt?

What IS your CYA? I would suggest you bring it to about 40-50 for an Iowa Summer.

 

[oimamlion]

What IS your CYA? I would suggest you bring it to about 40-50 for an Iowa Summer.

When we tested before starting the SLAM, it was 30, but I never really thought that was correct because we added it when half full using that volume with a target of 30 for the SLAM. Are you saying I should target 40-50 during SLAM or after? I was thinking 70-80 after we are done SLAM'ing.