Desperate -- pool party tomorrow. Cancel party? Floc? Yes, I HAVE BEEN SHOCKING!
- Thread starter singerteacher
- Start date
continuation of Desperate - pool party thread
Here are my numbers and picture.
FC 15
CC 0
pH 7.4
TA 150
CH 160
CYA 40
Swim? Yes or no?
- - - Updated - - -
Here are my numbers and picture.
FC 15
CC 0
pH 7.4
TA 150
CH 160
CYA 40
Swim? Yes or no?
- - - Updated - - -
Re: continuation of Desperate - pool party thread
I would, assuming you can see the bottom in the deep end, but get that floater out of there since your CYA is already at 40ppm.
I would, assuming you can see the bottom in the deep end, but get that floater out of there since your CYA is already at 40ppm.
Hard to say from that photo, but if you can see the floor at the deep end I would say swim, just add some peroxide to lower the FC a bit first, don't over do it since a lot of FC will be used up during the party. Also keep the filtering with DE going.
I would swim if you can see the bottom.
It is safe to swim when
PH is between 7.2 and 7.8
chlorine is above minimum and below shock level for your CYA
Water is clear
Shock level for 40 CYA is 16 so you are right at shock level. If there is a puck in that floater get it out and hope the chlorine drops a couple of ppm overnight.
It is safe to swim when
PH is between 7.2 and 7.8
chlorine is above minimum and below shock level for your CYA
Water is clear
Shock level for 40 CYA is 16 so you are right at shock level. If there is a puck in that floater get it out and hope the chlorine drops a couple of ppm overnight.
I took out the floater. Thanks for the reminder. Yes, I could see the bottom, so the party happened! And there was much rejoicing. 
FC 12.0, CYA 38 after the party. Pool even more blue, thanks to the kicking/jumping/splashing, which sent pollen into the floor drain and skimmer.
Thanks so much to everyone for their help. I will never battle pollen without DE again. What a learning experience!
Lastly: the before/after pictures (24 hours apart, with and without DE) are pretty striking. Maybe I should post them?
FC 12.0, CYA 38 after the party. Pool even more blue, thanks to the kicking/jumping/splashing, which sent pollen into the floor drain and skimmer.
Thanks so much to everyone for their help. I will never battle pollen without DE again. What a learning experience!
Lastly: the before/after pictures (24 hours apart, with and without DE) are pretty striking. Maybe I should post them?
I am still not convinced that your only issue was pollen and you do not need to continue the ShockLevelAndMAINTAIN Process.
I was actually thinking the same thing. What if ...? So, I'm going to bring it back up to shock level for the night. Plus, it's supposed to rain again, which means another dump of pollen into the pool! And, the sunscreen/dirt/etc in the pool from kids, eating up chlorine. I'll also be continuing the DE in the filter.
Better safe than sorry, I think.
Better safe than sorry, I think.
YES! please post before and after pics! You know what they say...if you dont have pics, it didnt happen!
Okay! Here is right after adding DE, but before it has a chance to clear the pool. 
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Here is approximately 24 hours later, just before the pool party.
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Here is approximately 24 hours later, just before the pool party.
Here's what I did:
1) With FC around shock level, I added DE to my sand filter via my skimmer until it went up 1 psi. The DE did a great job of catching the pollen, and after 3-4 hours, my psi went up by 4, so I backwashed (removing the DE - backwash was yellow) and then re-added the same amount (for me, 2/3 cup of DE). This happened again after another 3-4 hours -- high psi -- so I backwashed and re-added DE again.
2) Overnight, it had cleared significantly. There was only a little pollen in the wrinkles/seams on the bottom -- but my psi had gone up by 6. So, I quickly backwashed and added DE again. Then, I vacuumed v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y. Twice while vacuuming, my pump slowed and chugged, so I backwashed and re-added DE again. After fully vacuuming, I backwashed and added DE one last time.
1) With FC around shock level, I added DE to my sand filter via my skimmer until it went up 1 psi. The DE did a great job of catching the pollen, and after 3-4 hours, my psi went up by 4, so I backwashed (removing the DE - backwash was yellow) and then re-added the same amount (for me, 2/3 cup of DE). This happened again after another 3-4 hours -- high psi -- so I backwashed and re-added DE again.
2) Overnight, it had cleared significantly. There was only a little pollen in the wrinkles/seams on the bottom -- but my psi had gone up by 6. So, I quickly backwashed and added DE again. Then, I vacuumed v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y. Twice while vacuuming, my pump slowed and chugged, so I backwashed and re-added DE again. After fully vacuuming, I backwashed and added DE one last time.
A testament to DE additions to a sand filter!
I would keep at your slam. Have you ever tested for metals?
I would keep at your slam. Have you ever tested for metals?
DaninFLA
0
You could/should maybe do a OCLT just to be sure that nothing else funky is going on before you let the FC come back down.
If you absolutely have to use flocculent (this is one of those cases), I would recommend Leslie's Alum. Best floc around, IMO.
Just a note as to why I use the puck/floater: My CYA is low again. Went from 40 to less than 30 for no apparent reason (although I do have to backwash the pollen out of the filter regularly). The pucks work for my pool.
Good plan. A few ppm drop per month is normal and backwash and rain over flow also drops it.
- Jun 12, 2011
- 3,765
- Pool Size
- 19500
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pureline Crystal Pure 60,000
I addition to using DE in your filter, using skimmer socks really helps remove pollen from the pool, and it's a lost easier to rinse out a sock, than to backwas the filter.