How many gallons per day did you use yesterday and the day before? If it was two, then I'd stick with two. Keep in mind your FC loss is lessening. Above all, do not worry about your pool while you are out of town!!!
Disgusted and Confused on What to Do Next
- Thread starter mkaklis
- Start date
OK, thanks.
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I put in 6 Tuesday but only 3 yesterday, and I plan on putting in 2 right before I leave (midday). Then there will be none until tomorrow evening.
And believe me, the last think I want to do is to think about this pool while gone.
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I know I want to start lessening the amount of bleach since I have put in so much over the last week that I am starting to worry about my liner and equipment!
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All that matters to your liner and equipment is the FC level. Once chlorine is used it turns to salt. It would take over 400 gallons of bleach just to get your salt levels to something comparable to pools using a SWG.
Well, then it makes sense that, if chlorine is turned to salt when used and salt damages equipment. So, since I have so much chlorine in there I would guess that would not be that good. Anyway, I will have my neighbor put in 3 gallons Friday and 3 gallons Saturday. Thanks.
I wouldn't worry until you'd put in about 500 or 600 gallons since you filled the pool.
Update on pool readings: I got back in town Sunday and put in a gallon of bleach. Neighbor put in 3 gallons Friday and 3 gallons Saturday. Sunday night at 9:30 I read the FC and got 15 with a CC of 0.5; Monday morning at 6:30 FC was 11 and CC of 0.5. Put in another gallon of bleach at 7:00 pm and at 8:30 pm got a reading of FC 12 and CC 0.5; this morning at 6:30 am I got a FC reading of 10 and a CC that was less then 0.5. If tonight I take the reading and it is only 2 points difference after putting in another gallon of bleach tonight then I feel my slamming process should be done and I should just continue to maintain. However, my other readings on Sunday when I got back were CYA 75; TA 170; and PH 7.5; so the TA and CYA still seem a bit too high. Any suggestions on what I should do next? I did notice there isn't any algae and the water is crystal clear but there is still a couple lightish grayish spots here and there in the bottom.
You really need to get to less than 1.0 ppm loss overnight. It's possible to get to 0 ppm loss overnight. I know it can be frustrating, especially when the process seems to be going backwards (i.e., OCLT worsening as time goes on). If you keep going it WILL break through one night without warning. Don't give up now or you will have wasted all of that bleach and effort.
I just finished a SLAM and my water was so clear that you couldn't even see the beam from the pool light, but I was getting spots of mustard algae. The SLAM took 5 days despite water that looked perfect, and the OCLT was worse towards the end rather than better. Then, one day it just stopped dropping at night at all.
I understand what you are saying but it has been 2 weeks that I have been doing this and I have gone through so many gallons of bleach in this two weeks that both financially and timewise it is costing me more then ever and with that much bleach in the pool I just can't see letting my grandkids swim in it. We have not been able to use this pool in months. I figure that if this doesn't work after all this time, bleach and effort then the only thing left is to empty the pool at the end of the summer and start all over again for next summer. In the meantime the water is clear, the spots are minimal and the maintenance of daily bleach seems to be working.
There is no reason to not use your pool. Just wait for one of the times when you let it get below your slam level and jump on in. After the fun, just bump it back up. Remember there really isn't that much chlorine in your pool because it being used to fight the algae. And then there's the buffering effect of the high CYA.
I guess you are right, but it just seems impossible that I have already put in 70+ gallons of bleach since I started this process and it is going to take more???? Just doesn't seem logical. Are you suggesting that I still keep the FC at shock level (28)? I know the SLAM instructions say CC 0.5, OCLT loss of FC 1.0 or less and water clear, but last night I had FC 12 and this morning FC 10, which seems really close enough to me.
I guess you are right, but it just seems impossible that I have already put in 70+ gallons of bleach since I started this process and it is going to take more???? Just doesn't seem logical. Are you suggesting that I still keep the FC at shock level (28)? I know the SLAM instructions say CC 0.5, OCLT loss of FC 1.0 or less and water clear, but last night I had FC 12 and this morning FC 10, which seems really close enough to me.
It is your pool....................you can do what you want BUT..................TFP has helped THOUSANDS of pools turn from green to clean using our proven methods.
We have found that there are three things that have to be done to call a SLAM done:
-CC less than .5
-Clear water and pool bottom
-less than 1 FC loss on the OCLT
IF these three things are not met chances are that you will have to start all over again it starts to go green again.
I am sorry
Kim
We have found that there are three things that have to be done to call a SLAM done:
-CC less than .5
-Clear water and pool bottom
-less than 1 FC loss on the OCLT
IF these three things are not met chances are that you will have to start all over again it starts to go green again.
I am sorry
Kim
Mkaklis, I am sending you POP -- pool-owner patience -- because in fairness to your pool, it had a rocky start this season with all the pool store chemical soup
I'd like for this Slam to put an END to all the shenanigans for you, so my hope is that yes, you hit it hard and finish up fast, but correctly, and then going forward, NEVER have trouble again!!! So pass that test and then stay on the maintenance with the cya:chlorine chart and I think you'll be golden.
I am on my fourth season of a trouble free pool, opening clean, and never having to shock since finding this site and learning what I have learned. I know that while the price of bleach may be gettin old for you, the thing that is truly priceless is what you are learning.
One more thing -- do not worry about the cumulative amount of chlorine you have used. It turns into water and a tiny bit of salt...which will make your water feel nice. Your grandchildren are perfectly safe in your pool with FC just under shock/slam value, clarity, and low ccs.
That's because its high ccs that create the "chlorine problems" some react to...not the free chlorine. With the slam, you are oxidizing those ccs, or chloramines -- breaking them down, which makes your pool BETTER to swim in, not worse!
I'd like for this Slam to put an END to all the shenanigans for you, so my hope is that yes, you hit it hard and finish up fast, but correctly, and then going forward, NEVER have trouble again
!!! So pass that test and then stay on the maintenance with the cya:chlorine chart and I think you'll be golden.I am on my fourth season of a trouble free pool, opening clean, and never having to shock since finding this site and learning what I have learned. I know that while the price of bleach may be gettin old for you, the thing that is truly priceless is what you are learning.
One more thing -- do not worry about the cumulative amount of chlorine you have used. It turns into water and a tiny bit of salt...which will make your water feel nice. Your grandchildren are perfectly safe in your pool with FC just under shock/slam value, clarity, and low ccs.
That's because its high ccs that create the "chlorine problems" some react to...not the free chlorine. With the slam, you are oxidizing those ccs, or chloramines -- breaking them down, which makes your pool BETTER to swim in, not worse!
Mkaklis, I am sending you POP -- pool-owner patience -- because in fairness to your pool, it had a rocky start this season with all the pool store chemical soup
I'd like for this Slam to put an END to all the shenanigans for you, so my hope is that yes, you hit it hard and finish up fast, but correctly, and then going forward, NEVER have trouble again
I am on my fourth season of a trouble free pool, opening clean, and never having to shock since finding this site and learning what I have learned. I know that while the price of bleach may be gettin old for you, the thing that is truly priceless is what you are learning.
One more thing -- do not worry about the cumulative amount of chlorine you have used. It turns into water and a tiny bit of salt...which will make your water feel nice. Your grandchildren are perfectly safe in your pool with FC just under shock/slam value, clarity, and low ccs.
That's because its high ccs that create the "chlorine problems" some react to...not the free chlorine. With the slam, you are oxidizing those ccs, or chloramines -- breaking them down, which makes your pool BETTER to swim in, not worse!
I will try but my POP is about to fizzle out for sure
The more often you can keep your SLAM level (and never let it fall below) the quicker you will complete it. You've come this far, don't give up now!!
Sending encouragement your way. Remember that you are VERY close to the finish line. You have used 70+ gallons of bleach. say $3/gallon for $210. If you had pool store advice? Hundreds+ of dollars and you would not be safe and sanitary still. Hang in there!
While I agree overall with what everyone said, I did not pass the overnight test and stopped my slam. Every night I have some leaves, needles (waiting for HOA to approve removal of 6 trees), and rolly polly bugs enter the pool. I figured with all that organic going in nightly, there is no way I will hit 0-1 ppm loss overnight. That and I don't get up before the sun. When I hit 2 ppm loss overnight I called it over.
If you don't have organics entering the pool, perhaps you should stay the course. Up to you. Your pool.
If you don't have organics entering the pool, perhaps you should stay the course. Up to you. Your pool.
Thanks for the encouragement but the price here is more like $4/gallon and I have been buying at a rate of a dozen/day. So it is starting to mount up, and that plus the dollars already spent this summer through the pool store before I went to this - I think this summer is close to $1000 so far. But I will keep trying.
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Last night I put in 1 gallon bleach; this morning went from 12 to 8 FC; so I put in 4 gallons this morning; guess I'll go back to the store for more bleach. :?
There may be a less expensive source. Target sells 8.25% bleach for $2.94 and Walmart has a similar price.
If you have to add 12 gallons of bleach per day, something else is going on. Is this a former baquacil pool?