- May 3, 2014
- 62,702
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Do you SLAM after a lot of rain water?
- Thread starter CoolHome
- Start date
I'm sorry if I'm being dense. I understand about keeping on with the SLAM process. What I'm not understanding is how to tell if I'm doing it at the right level? I thought my chlorine would be dropping rapidly during this as it killed algae and I'd have to be adjusting it back up a lot, but the biggest drop was 2.5ppm and that took 36 hours. Maybe that's normal though? I've been believing my CYA was 50 but this has been making me doubt my readings, however I'm out CYA reagent to double check until Weds.
I went ahead and added more chlorine to get it to 28ppm now. I really don't know if that amount is warranted or if 20 was actually fine. I won't go higher. I probably won't test until midday tomorrow or later. At this point I can only do one test a day, if this chlorine doesn't go down I might be lucky to get two more tests out of the reagent I have left!
- May 3, 2014
- 62,702
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Hard to say. Yes, normally FC is consumed. Once you get your refills, you will have a better handle on your CYA level and also be able to do a OCLT.
The FC/CYA chart in Pool School tells you how much chlorine to use. Have you seen it? Are you following it?
Yes, I'm trying to follow it. 20ppm was SLAM level based on 50 CYA, when almost nothing was consumed I raised it to 24 based on 60 CYA, but I lost nothing yesterday at that level. Last night I tried 28 based on 70cya. There's no way my CYA is over 70! I'll test this afternoon.
I noticed this morning I seem to have a leak in one of the intake hoses. Right around where they T in together. Could that be causing problems? Other than some water loss that is.
By the way, let me say a big thank you for the help! I feel like this pool is drowning me and I've only ever been in it once! I've only had one up for two weeks and have spent most of that time dealing with problems. The timing was bad for when it went up and our vacation. I didn't know. I'm hoping there can be some actual enjoyment of it soon and not just angst. 
Call your CYA 60, stop being troubled by it, and SLAM your pool by replenishing chlorine to the 24 mark.....it's that simple.....no need for angst.
We would all like these issues with pools to be totally black and white but they are not. assuming 60 for you CYA is just fine.....dose FC to 24.
Could you supply a pic (taken today) of your pool water please? Could you also retest and post
FC
CC
pH
We would all like these issues with pools to be totally black and white but they are not. assuming 60 for you CYA is just fine.....dose FC to 24.
Could you supply a pic (taken today) of your pool water please? Could you also retest and post
FC
CC
pH
Here are a couple of pictures, taken just now of the pool. Also the filter from this morning. Is that algae? It looks a bit like captured iron but maybe less red and I mostly see that if I put a sock over the return jet, then the filter catches it too. Yesterday's brand new cartridge had none of that. This cartridge from last night is a week old, so maybe the water doesn't flow through it as well?
I was planning on waiting until later to test as I only have just over a third of the .75oz bottle R-0871 left and that has to last me until Friday. Since I chose to SLAM to 28 last night and going on my trend of not dropping it could possibly use 58 drops to test right now. I will do it now if it will be helpful, otherwise, I thought it might be best to conserve and wait until it was more likely it dropped enough to boost? I was thinking around 5 or 6pm.
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WilliamD
Bronze Supporter
Cool Home, I would just follow what duraleigh stated and trust the system...and let the chlorine do it's job. The normal progression is green to less green to hazy white (this occurs as the algae and organic matter dies off) and finally to clear as your filter does it's job. Vacuum up all that residue from the bottom (you'll see) brush pool and keep rinsing off your filter as necessary. It will get better! All the Best!
P.S. I finished SLAM in rain and we had a LOT of rain.....had to partially drain pool three times and not a problem.
P.S. I finished SLAM in rain and we had a LOT of rain.....had to partially drain pool three times and not a problem.
Thanks for the assurance William and an explanation of what the progression looks like. I don't have a vacuum yet, its on order and if I'm lucky it will come tomorrow. I've been brushing and skimming like crazy though. Should have some super muscular arms when this is all done!
Bazinga! Yes, your pool is less green....making progress.
Vacuuming and brushing are an essential part of the SLAM. I am a bit surprised you attempted to SLAM without a vacuum but that's water under the bridge. Meanwhile, I see enough from your words and good pictures so no need to re-test but let me say this........It is really essential you get your ducks in a row in order to have a successful SLAM. Not enough reagents and no vacuum make the SLAM almost impossible to complete. Are you running the pump 24/7?
If it was my pool, I would continue to maintain SLAM value chlorine and get a vacuum and get adequate reagents and then start the SLAM again. The SLAM works EVERY single time you follow the SLAM article precisely.
Yay! I'm glad it looks like progress!
I didn't know I was going to have to SLAM. I've only had the pool up for two weeks. I bought the test kit after I was having problems with my well water and iron. Got it clear pretty quick, but had a vacation planned already the weekend after I got it up (I had a neighbor adding chlorine but I just hadn't had time to learn enough yet to have gotten that part right apparently.). I also hadn't had time to find a vacuum that would work with my particular pool from the time I got it up until I had to leave, and didn't want to order additional reagant that might come while I was gone and have it sit in the heat. After I came back I ordered more reagent and a vacuum because I knew I'd need them eventually but they just haven't come yet. I live in the country so running to the pool store for supplies isn't an option. I originally thought the cloudiness was from my iron again like originally but was advised on here after asking about whether I should SLAM because of the 4-5 inches of rainwater I got that I should SLAM because I had algae, so I started it. I'm new to this and didn't realize I could wait until all that stuff came, also didn't know that my chlorine wouldn't be dropping and I'd be using so much reagent for one test! I know there is a lot of information on here, but that's just it. It's a lot all at once when you start with zero knowledge and just because I read it once doesn't mean it sunk in. When I bought the pool I was trying to find information and coming up short, I didn't know what else to do but jump in. It wasn't until I had a very specific problem that I could search that this forum came up and the information started making some sense.
Believe me, if I'd known all this stuff beforehand there is a lot I'd have done differently, starting with not opening my pool right before vacation! It made the week up to that needlessly stressful, got used three times and now I have a new problem, didn't gain any useful time from getting it up sooner but sure gained extra work!
Sorry, was trying to edit to say pump has been going 24/7. Don't know why it did this and I can't delete it.
Tested and FC has dropped from 28:
FC: 18
CC: 0
PH: 7.4
So I tested last night and added chlorine right around 9pm, so it has been roughly 21 hours and FC dropped 10ppm. Which is my biggest drop yet! Not sure if that's good or just a sign that I used way more chlorine than needed for my CYA levels. I'm going to put some muriatic acid in to bring PH back down to 7.0 again (might as well try to get my high TA, currently 200, down while we can't use the pool) then in a half hour boost the chlorine back up to SLAM level. Debating doing a higher level of 28 again since I can only test once a day ( which should get me to Friday and fresh reagent) unless that is a total waste that will only burn off faster? Same difference?
Why don't you leave your FC as suggested? The SLAM works but don't just "shoot from the hip" expecting precise results.
It's your pool and you manage it any way you want but that doesn't seem to work out well for you heretofore.
It's your pool and you manage it any way you want but that doesn't seem to work out well for you heretofore.
Speaking of shooting...ouch! I think I'm bleeding! 
Ok, I will stick with 24. I'm curious if it will only fall to 18 again in the same time frame. I won't touch the PH again.
Ok, I will stick with 24. I'm curious if it will only fall to 18 again in the same time frame. I won't touch the PH again.
Homemade filter for the win!
Thought I'd update. It's been a trying week. I got lucky and had everything I needed arrive on Weds: vacuum, R-0013 and even the R-0871 which wasn't supposed to arrive until Fri. Even keeping the SLAM level perfect and vacuuming and brushing constantly didn't seem to be helping, in fact it was almost looking worse again. I decided to try a clarifier to see if it would help the filter. It turned the water a nice milky color. The filter was trapping more but it still wasn't making a dent. I finally decided the little filter that comes with the pool just isn't up for the task and I've ordered a much larger sand filter but it won't be here for at least a week. I'd hoped I could make it through this year with the stock filter. I had planned to get a bigger one next year if I wanted to repeat this experiment which was feeling less and less likely, but at this point I realized it was either get it or write off the money I had already spent which was significant.
I was also really wondering how much of the cloudiness was still mostly from iron and was thinking of bringing the FC to 0 and adding sequestrant to see how much it would clear. My husband took pity on me at that point and helped me create the bucket filter, thinking whether it was iron or dead algae we'd catch more that way then will the little pump filter. We got it set up about 9pm last night and the change overnight was amazing! Its blue this morning and we can see to the bottom on the sides and out to about 4 ft from the sides. I'm letting the FC drop to normal. I've been passing the overnight loss test for the past few nights with the only problem being the pool wasn't clearing.
Here are my morning's test result. PH went up a ton overnight due to aeration, but having lowered it a bunch earlier this week seems to have really helped my TA which was 250 at the start of this.
FC - 18.5
CC - <.5 (pretty sure if I'd done the 25ml test I'd have .2)
PH - 7.8
TA- 175
CH - 260
CYA - 50-60 (still having trouble with this one, dot seems to disappear at a glance right on the 50 line so figure FC range of 5-8)
Wish I'd gotten a picture of the pool last night, with the clarifier in it it was looking much cloudier than my before picture below which was from Thursday:
