FC/CYA/SWG Recs

[Texas Splash]

how adamant are we that it needs to be less than 1 opposed to 1.5?

It really is important. Lower than 1 ppm is ideal, but i ppm is the limit. Sorry.

 

[Texas Splash]

Being that close, it's all in the finer details now. Can you share a couple pics of your pool please? Perhaps from different angles so we can see everything?

 

[soccerballbmw]

Ah gotcha, thanks for the help. Sitting here hoping I didn't count an extra drop last night .

Sure thing, i'll take a few pictures now

 

[soccerballbmw]

 

[Texas Splash]

Well, first I must sasy that is a gorgoues pool and view. Nice way to wake up every morning. Also great that you have someone constantly guarding the pool. Woof!

I don't see any red flags that would suggest algae. Sometimes junk can accumulate under the drain covers, but let's give the SLAM a bit more time. I couldn't quite tell if you have a large light in the deep end. If you do, at some point you may need to remove it so that you can inspect the niche and let chlorine get in there. If you don't pass the nest OCLT, that may be the only other things to consider.

 

[soccerballbmw]

Thank you! The pup loves to sit around the pool, yet surprisingly has no interest in getting in. Certainly makes my life easier with her staying dry haha.

I have 2 micro brite lights, on in the shallow end and one in the deep end. I'll maintain the SLAM for another day and check back in. Thanks again

 

[Mdragger88]

Certainly a marvelous pool!!
The micro brites should be ok but for the drains you may want to take the hose & attempt to blast all around them to dislodge any potential funky stuff that has accumulated in there. Many are kinda like a bowl under there & some have the pipe protruding a little into the bowl which allows them to collect stuff.
I would do this with full main drain suction on so most of the grossness goes into the filter not into the pool.
Afterwards get a little liquid chlorine going through there.
Do you have an auto fill or an overflow drain?
Those are also places to check & scrub.
You’re on the tail end now. Let’s be sure you’re clear before going back to target fc levels
FC/CYA Levels

 

[sande005]

Early on you questioned the SWCG keeping up. The setting on it, of course, is a percentage of run time in a 24hr period. The other factor is pump run time. So if you only run the pump 12 hrs per day, that is the same as running the SWCG at 50%. If the pump is 12 hrs, and the SWCG is 50%, that's 50% times 50% or the same as running the SWCG at 25% for 24 hrs. Pump speed doesn't matter, as long as it is fast enough to allow the SWCG operate at all (may not be slowest possible, but pretty slow). So you have a couple of different ways to manage Cl production. The pump speed can be set depending on your other equipment, and how well skimmers, etc. are doing their jobs. Many of us run at the minimum to keep the Cl generating 24/7, keeping energy costs way down. I boost mine up for a couple of hours in the morning to get any floating overnight stuff cleared quickly, then have it fall to minimums for the remaining 20 hrs. But to the SWCG, it all is the same - pump running for 24 hrs.

 

[soccerballbmw]

This may be a dumb question, but do you guys know if the bubbler affects anything else? Meaning if i put the bubbler pressure all the way up would it decrease the pressure in the returns? I like to keep the bubbler fairly aggressive as it seems to cool down the pool more.

 

[mknauss]

If more flow is going to the bubbler, less will go to the returns. Depending on if you have a VS pump and if you adjust pump rpm.

 

[soccerballbmw]

Early on you questioned the SWCG keeping up. The setting on it, of course, is a percentage of run time in a 24hr period. The other factor is pump run time. So if you only run the pump 12 hrs per day, that is the same as running the SWCG at 50%. If the pump is 12 hrs, and the SWCG is 50%, that's 50% times 50% or the same as running the SWCG at 25% for 24 hrs. Pump speed doesn't matter, as long as it is fast enough to allow the SWCG operate at all (may not be slowest possible, but pretty slow). So you have a couple of different ways to manage Cl production. The pump speed can be set depending on your other equipment, and how well skimmers, etc. are doing their jobs. Many of us run at the minimum to keep the Cl generating 24/7, keeping energy costs way down. I boost mine up for a couple of hours in the morning to get any floating overnight stuff cleared quickly, then have it fall to minimums for the remaining 20 hrs. But to the SWCG, it all is the same - pump running for 24 hrs.

Thanks for the info, i'd have no problem running 24/7, when this process is over I'll probably ask you guys questions about pump speeds and all that. I appreciate all the help!

 

[Texas Splash]

do you guys know if the bubbler affects anything else? Meaning if i put the bubbler pressure all the way up would it decrease the pressure in the returns?

Depends on how it is plumbed. If it has it's own dedicate line (or valve control) you should have lots of flexibility. If it's shared with the jets, then yes, something will have to give.

The only other consideration is the amount of aeration they could produce which could over time increase the pH.

 

[Texas Splash]

So if you only run the pump 12 hrs per day, that is the same as running the SWCG at 50%.

Essentially yes. If the cell is on, it's on. It runs longer cycles when you increase the % output. People chose various ways to match the output to the pump run time based on their own desires. Me personally, my pump runs 24/7/365 because I like continuous water skimming, so I can go with a lower % output.

 

[soccerballbmw]

Thank you both. It does have its own valve control. Bubbler red circle. Both skimmers blue circle.

 

[soccerballbmw]

Depends on how it is plumbed. If it has it's own dedicate line (or valve control) you should have lots of flexibility. If it's shared with the jets, then yes, something will have to give.

The only other consideration is the amount of aeration they could produce which could over time increase the pH.

I did read about that on the forums. Pretty constantly adding acid for that reason. But my pool was averaging 91 degrees for over a week and turning it on seem to reduce it a few degrees at least. Could be a placebo affect, but I just assume aggressively moving water is harder to heat than standing water.

 

[Texas Splash]

Could be a placebo affect,

Ha. Wishful thinking? Our pool can become a bathtub as well. I like to lightly "mist" the water in the early morning hours to try and drag cooler air and lay it on the surface. It helps a little. I am Mr. Cheapo though. Here is my fancy cooling machine.

 

[soccerballbmw]

Ha. Wishful thinking? Our pool can become a bathtub as well. I like to lightly "mist" the water in the early morning hours to try and drag cooler air and lay it on the surface. It helps a little. I am Mr. Cheapo though. Here is my fancy cooling machine.

That’s a cool idea! Whatever works to keep us cool haha

 

[sande005]

Meanwhile, I get to listen to the gas meter try to spin itself apart. Pool stubbornly stays at 72-74, unless I heat. Had one day where it got to 86 air temp, and I heated the pool to 82. Yea, I swam, then turned the heater off. Two days later, we're back to the 74 water temp. I was kept awake during those two nights, as the $$$ bills from the cooling pool flew away....
Kinda silly having a pool in the far North, when we have 15,000 lakes!

 

[soccerballbmw]

ok im calling it. Last night tested at 25 now at 24 on one test and 23.5 on another. What are the next steps from here, letting the levels go down to normal levels? Do i keep the SWG off until then?

 

[Texas Splash]

Do i keep the SWG off until then?

If you are confident you passed the OCLT, then yes, leave the SWG for now until the FC gets closer to the 8-10 range. That's also when you can test your pH again.