Deep end water looking a little cloudier - worried!!

[Avitron]

Hi all,
First time pool home and pool owner here. Have been following TFP guidelines most of the summer (made the mistake ONCE of going to the pool store, they gouged me for a couple hundred bucks, learned my lesson the hard way - never again!) and have been having a *phenomenal* summer with the pool . Water has been crystal clear, chemistry has been well balanced and haven't had to SLAM. Over the last day or so, I noticed that the water in the deep end is a *little* bit cloudier than usual (pictures below, not sure how useful these will be but including just in case). Can still the bottom, haven't tried the quarter/can you see heads or tails test yet. I pride myself on maintaining crystal clear water and eyeball the pool obsessively every day, and I'm almost positive that it's just a little bit than more cloudy I'm used to. Shallow end looks fine. I even asked my wife who rarely goes in or looks at the pool and she agreed that it did look a little bit cloudier than she remembers. I vacuumed and brushed the bottom of the pool and didn't notice any chunks of stuff suggesting dead algae or other debris.
I run my pump 24/7. SWG generally set at 15-20% chlorine production.
Anyway, to get to the meat: here are the latest test results
FC 6
CC 0-0.5 (tested twice, the first time was 0, the second time *maybe* 0.5 either way I think suggests no issues here.
pH 7.4 (Has been fluctuating a bit between 7.4-7.5 the last few days, honestly hard to discern sometimes with the Taylor k-2006 kit)
TA 120
CYA 70
CH 300
Salt 3200 (tested with taylor k-1766 kit)

I am going to do a OCLT test tonight, and will post results in the morning; but I am eager to get initial thoughts from the forum. I have seen in some other threads that a little cloudiness in the deep end could suggest an early algae bloom, problems with algae hiding in the light niche or behind the ladder, etc. I hate the idea of having to SLAM, along with taking out the light fixture and/or the ladder - mostly because my work schedule is crazy through the end of the month and I'm not even sure I can devote the 2-3 days to do it right . Am I overthinking it? Why is the deep end looking different from the shallow end? I guess the OCLT will let me know how to proceed...
As always, thanks in advance for your input.

Shallow end:


Deep end:

 

[duraleigh]

You could take two paths....

1. Do an OCLT test to see if you lose more than 1 ppm FC overnight. If you do, SLAM (it should be very short)

2. Simply elevate your FC to about 13-15 (roughly twice normal) for 48 hours and see if that doesn't clear it up.

I think I would simply elevate FC but either method should work.

 

[Avitron]

Dave- thanks for your suggestions.
For path #2- Would you recommend increasing the SWG % chlorine production (to say 70-80%) in addition to dumping in bleach or just being diligent with liquid chlorine daily for the 48 hours?
thx

 

[duraleigh]

I wouldn't modify the SWG. Simply elevate with liquid chlorine.

 

[Avitron]

Quick update, if anyone is still out there-
Dave, I took your suggestion #2 and increased the FC to 17 for 48 hours, and the deep end definitely became more clear. Wife agreed, and now we both think I might just have been paranoid about the appearance of the pool.
I then did the OCLT with a starting FC of 14.5 (not sure if it's valid to do one with a starting FC this high but did it anyway) and there was NO FC loss overnight.
So, I guess problem solved!
For my own education, by elevating the FC to non-SLAM levels, is akin to a "mini-SLAM" or something along those lines? Just wondering the reasoning there.
Thanks again!

 

[mknauss]

Raising the FC above target just allows for more chlorine to attack organics. I use it all the time when the water does not look 'right'. Most times that is because the pH is too high, but also can be from a flock of birds making some deposits or a wind storm, etc. A quick hit with excess chlorine clears it up (or acid if pH is high).

If you wait too long and algae begins to bloom at all, then you need to do the full process called SLAM Process

 

[Avitron]

Thanks Marty, makes sense-- lesson learned. I have to say one of the most useful pieces of advice I found in pool school was to just look at the water every day as that can often tell you if something is wrong/needs attention.