Disgusted and Confused on What to Do Next

[mkaklis]

See How to Clean a Cartridge Filter and note the warning that you need to first clean to remove oils, etc. before using acid.

I have already read over "How to Clean a Cartridge Filter" twice and understand that you have to clean to remove oils, etc. before cleaning with the acid. My question is whether it will do more good or more harm at this point of the slam process since nothing else seems to be working to keep the chlorine from getting swallowed up so quickly.

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Yes +1, do NOT use muriatic acid on a cartridge filter until you read this
Pool School - Maintenance and Cleaning of Pool Filters

and this
Re: How to clean a cartridge filter

What is the clean filter pressure after cleaning and then again next time after cleaning? This is the way to measure the effectiveness of cleaning your cartridges.

Read both, thanks. The pressure is always the same on my gauge before and after I clean filter with hose, within 1 or 2 points.

 

[duraleigh]

at this point of the slam process since nothing else seems to be working to keep the chlorine from getting swallowed up so quickly

I am not going to read this entire thread but how long have you been SLAMing?

 

[pooldv]

You can probably wait longer to clean your filters, the normal recommendation is to clean after the pressure rises 25%, or you notice a drop in water flow from the pool returns.

 

[MarianParoo]

I'm just wanting to review a bit the history and where you're at now in case any other posters ave some ideas...

You slammed actively from roughly the 17th to the 23rd, then were away for five days, getting home Sunday, and you've been slamming since.

Sometime during the first slam, you discovered your CYA was more like 75, not 50, so you increased your Slam level to the correct level for 75. Which knda means you were below true slam level fr several of those days....

In spring you did 3 Asorbic Acid treatments, added metal out and metal control, but we don't know the brand name o know whether it was phosphonic acid or EDTA.

Before you had your TFP kit, your ch test turned purple which indicates metals. With the tft100 kit, You were able to identify a ch reading of 220 ish.

In addition to high chlorine use (although with your cya at 75 when normally we slam at 30 cya, I actually don't think 70 is excessive in that sense because it takes twice as much) you reported losing more FC at NIGHT than during the day.

Two weeks from posting this thread, your cloudy water has cleared, but you haven't passed the OCLT. Slight staining is coming back.

Here you go, Dave.

 

[mkaklis]

I am not going to read this entire thread but how long have you been SLAMing?

I think somewhere between two and three weeks at least and somewhere between 70 to 80 gallons of bleach

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You can probably wait longer to clean your filters, the normal recommendation is to clean after the pressure rises 25%, or you notice a drop in water flow from the pool returns.

Haven't noticed either of those happening and truthfully when I cleaned the filter today it was pretty clean; couple of grayish spots but mostly white.

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Here you go, Dave.

Although I was away 4 days (not 5) I had someone come and put in three gallons of bleach in two of those days and I put enough in on the day I left and the day I returned so no days went by that bleach was not put in.

 

[mkaklis]

Yesterday I brushed pool completely and today brushed again, under steps I did notice a bit of dirt at the bottom with some discoloration so again I raised steps and cleaned under and brushed all over. Last night at 8:20pm FC was at 33; this mornign at 7:00 am it was at 29 so I did not put additional bleach in as I wanted to swim and get in it to brush well and clean filter. At 11:30 am FC was at 18; I just took the reading again after swimming and getting everything clean again and the FC is still at 18. I am going to take all other tests while the FC is still at 18 just to see what my readings are, then I will put in bleach per Pool Math for tonight. Will post all other tests readings shortly.

 

[mkaklis]

Okay, my readings are as follows (I think I am finally getting the hang of some of these tests)

CL - Orange - off the chart, expected with the amounts of bleach I'm sure.
Ph - 7.5
FC - 18
CC - 0
CH - 150
TA - 150
CYA - 75 - 80

I am going to put in 2 gallons of bleach tonight and see what I have in the morning.

 

[pooldv]

The PH test is not valid when FC is above 10, so no need to test that. Also, the OTO yellow drop chlorine test only reads to 5 so no need to test that either. The FAS/DPD chlorine test is the one to do daily. And it is good to validate the CYA every 4 or 5 days.

How does the water look? Better?

 

[mkaklis]

The PH test is not valid when FC is above 10, so no need to test that. Also, the OTO yellow drop chlorine test only reads to 5 so no need to test that either. The FAS/DPD chlorine test is the one to do daily. And it is good to validate the CYA every 4 or 5 days.

How does the water look? Better?

Ok, thanks. I have been doing the FAS/DPD chlorine test several times a day, whenever I put in bleach. The water looks great. It is crystal clear and has been for some time now; just have not been able to keep from losing chlorine. I just took another test and FC is 30 after putting in 2 gallons at 7:30 when the FC was 18. I will see what it reads in the am early.

 

[MarianParoo]

So we have 30 FC, 0CC to start the night. Hopeful thoughts being sent your way!!!

 

[mkaklis]

So we have 30 FC, 0CC to start the night. Hopeful thoughts being sent your way!!!

Yep, FC30 at 11:30 pm; hopefully won't be too far off of that in the early am but if it goes anything like it has been going I have lost anywhere from 3 to 13 overnight. Thank you for the hopeful thoughts sent my way.

 

[duraleigh]

What's that FC report this AM? No need to report anything else.....focus on FC.

 

[mkaklis]

What's that FC report this AM? No need to report anything else.....focus on FC.

Sorry I am just getting back to this but had an appointment this morning. This morning at 6:00am FC was 25. I put in 1 gallon of bleach, then at 10:00am I tested again and got FC37. Seemed strange to me that it shot up that high with only 1 gallon of bleach 4 hours earlier.

 

[Accident]

So it took 74 drops to clear. I think it would be impossible unless there is another chlorine source.

You should get 5ppm per gallon.

 

[Mike1162]

Some of your numbers just don't make sense. I'm afraid this makes your testing suspect. You might want to try testing the same sample twice & see if you get identical results. Try to go through the test quickly & hold the reagent bottle vertical. A speedstir may help you get more consistent test results.

 

[pooldv]

Well, there are really only two possibilities. Someone snuck in and added chlorine to your pool or testing error. Or I guess what you added could have been higher strength than labeled. I'm going with option 1.

 

[pabeader]

you are using the 10ml sample, right? you really don't need the accuracy of the 25ml at this point.

 

[mkaklis]

So it took 74 drops to clear. I think it would be impossible unless there is another chlorine source.

You should get 5ppm per gallon.

I know. I am about to take it again to see what I get.

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Some of your numbers just don't make sense. I'm afraid this makes your testing suspect. You might want to try testing the same sample twice & see if you get identical results. Try to go through the test quickly & hold the reagent bottle vertical. A speedstir may help you get more consistent test results.

I have a speedstir and take it exactly the same each time. How would I test the same sample twice? The R-870 makes the 10ml sample pink and I put in 1 drop of R-871 at a time until it clears, then I put in 5 drops of R-00003 to see if it turns pink again and if it does I put in drops of R-871 until clear again (this has been only 1 drop sometimes no drops as it stays clear.

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Well, there are really only two possibilities. Someone snuck in and added chlorine to your pool or testing error. Or I guess what you added could have been higher strength than labeled. I'm going with option 1.

Could be an error; I do make mistakes. Hopefully that is all it was.

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you are using the 10ml sample, right? you really don't need the accuracy of the 25ml at this point.

Yes, using the 10ml, not 25ml

 

[pabeader]

glad I never had to SLAM at that level!! I would never be able to keep track of that many drops. I'm like, 1, 2, 3, 4, squirrel, fly, bird.

 

[mkaklis]

Ok, I just took another test and FC is 22. Seems the test I took at 10:00am I must have miscounted somehow; just not sure. Anyway the FC22 makes more sense since it was at 25 at 6:00am this morning and I added 1 gallon of bleach. So It has a loss of 3 since 6:00am and it is very hot out. Will probably go in and brush more and change filter again, then add more bleach per PM tonight.