First Taylor Test - Very High Chlorine?

[proavia]

If the reagent leaked out during shipment, contact the seller to replace it or get a new bottle somewhere.
The CH of the fill water will determine if the autofill is plumbed to water softener or not.

 

[mknauss]

Seems that most of it leaked out in shipment of my new test kit.

Email [email protected] and they will send a replacement.

I assumed you had a tf100. Sorry.

 

[bradde]

I tested the pH and TA of the autofill water. I can't run a CH test because my R-0012 bottle is empty. Seems that most of it leaked out in shipment of my new test kit.

Autofill Water
pH - 8.0
TA - 90

New set of Pool Water Tests
pH - 8.0
TA - 90ppm
CYA - 90
CH - 300

Overnight FC Tests
Evening - 25
Next Morning - 23.5

Based on my OCLT do I need to SLAM again?

Most of my tests show as being at the edge of the recommended range, so it doesn't seem like I need to do anything else, except maybe add muriatic acid to lower the pH.

Please let me know if I am on track here.

 

[Bperry]

Based on my OCLT do I need to SLAM again?

Most of my tests show as being at the edge of the recommended range, so it doesn't seem like I need to do anything else, except maybe add muriatic acid to lower the pH.

Please let me know if I am on track here.

It’s not really SLAM again, it’s continuing the current SLAM. The SLAM should not stop until the overnight loss is 1ppm or less. That said some of the really high FC levels can drop faster the higher they are so you might double check that you measured chlorine at night when there was no sun at all and long enough after the last chlorine addition. Then check it again really early in the morning before there sun comes up.

 

[proavia]

Re-read the SLAM Process and follow the steps exactly as written.
No shortcuts, nothing additional.

Consistent, repeatable testing is key - don't rush it.

 

[aussieta]

once again
fc greater than 10
ph test is not reliable
do not add acid
repeat after me
sorry for sarcasm
have not had my coffee yet
but this needs to be remembered

 

[Mdragger88]

@bradde ,
If you are loosing fc overnight (when there is no sun shining) something organic is consuming it.

I am reluctant to SLAM as I have already done that twice within a few weeks

That may be so but your poolmath logs show you recently let fc drop below minimum for your cya thus inviting algae to proliferate once again. It is also possible that your previous slam was not complete.


For a successful SLAM Process
you need to continue to MAINTAIN Slam level fc for your cya FC/CYA Levels
as often as possible until you meet ALL 3 end of slam criteria-

You are done when:

CC is 0.5 or lower;
You pass an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
AND
the water is clear.
(Crystal Clear w/no algae dead or alive)

*Check & scrub every nook & cranny where algae may hide (light niches, steps, drain covers, ladder handrails, skimmer throats/weirs, etc.)
*Run slam level water through all water features & lines for at least a couple hours a day during the SLAM Process.
*Brush & or vac daily (this breaks up biofilms that algae uses to protect itself from chlorine)
*Backwash/clean filter when pressure rises 25%over clean pressure.

After passing ALL 3 end of slam criteria be sure to maintain fc above minimum for your cya at all times to prevent algae from coming back.

 

[mgtfp]

As aussieta said, pH test is not valid right now.

Even after the SLAM, I would recommend to maintain FC around 13-14 for a while because you mentioned that you had yellow algae. That can be quite persistent. Ideally you'd follow the SLAM by a mustard algae SLAM for a day, but at CYA 90, I wouldn't recommend that. See if you can pass the OCLT after a normal SLAM (you just failed now, so I'm optimistic there), but then maintain the "Yel/Mstrd Min" for a while, that is listed in Chem geeks FC/CYA-chart (link in the text under the normal chart).

Anyway, where I want to get to is that you might not be able to test pH the standard way for a while, so I would recommend to buy a bottle of distilled or deionized water and follow the distilled water method described here:

2.2 Testing pH When FC is > 10

That allows you to test pH with FC up to about 20.

 

[proavia]

Unless you plan on draining or exchanging a good portion of your pool water......

Since your FC is not yet to SLAM Process level, I would recommend letting the FC get below 10 and adjusting the pH as stated in the SLAM Process.

After you get the pH in line, you will need to increase FC to 35 - given your CYA of 90 - and maintain it there until the SLAM Process is complete.
Remember, this isn't a one time shock with FC - you need to MAINTAIN the FC at the SLAM Process level until you meet ALL three criteria.

 

[bradde]

Thank you all for the help and guidance. I am picking up some liquid chlorine today and will start the SLAM process according to the instructions.

I understand that I need to SLAM until I meet 3 criteria. The water has been clear for at least a week now.
CC is 0.5 or lower;
You pass an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
AND
the water is clear.
(Crystal Clear w/no algae dead or alive)

I will log new test results into PoolMath before I start the SLAM.

 

[proavia]

Did you wait until the FC dropped to 10 or less, test pH and adjust pH to 7.2?
If you didn't you can't test/adjust the pH again until the SLAM Process is complete and FC drops below 10.

How did your CYA go from 90 to "75"?
BTW - if the CYA test shows between 70 and 80 (or any of the lines on the test vial), you round up - so your CYA is 80.
Fill the CYA test vial to 100, see the dot, fill to 90, see the dot, fill to 80 - don't see the dot - CYA is more than 80 and less than 90 - round UP to 90. Don't stare to see the dot - glance and look away, glance again. You can pour the reagent/water mix back into the bottle and run the test a few times to get an average.

I'm assumimg you turned the heater off since your water temp has dropped 20 degrees in 3 days.

Consistent, repeatable testing is key.
Don't rush - slow and steady wins the race.
Be the tortoise not the hare.

 

[bradde]

I haven't done anything yet, basically because I'm not 100% sure about what I should be doing.

One post in this thread said:
fc greater than 10
ph test is not reliable
do not add acid

But now I'm being told to lower the pH before I slam. According to the app I would add muriatic acid to do that.

Also, if I need FC to be below 10 before I slam, how can I lower it? Just wait?

Using the round up method, my CYA is 80. Thank you Gene for all of the info on how to run the CYA test and log the results.

Yes, I did turn my heater (heat pump) off because it wasn't keeping up anymore. We have had some steady mid to upper 30 degrees lows, and highs in the mid to upper 50's here in AZ.

Sorry for my confusion or misunderstanding.

 

[mgtfp]

You can use the distilled water dilution method that I mentioned above to test pH with FC up to 20.

Distilled water contains basically no Alkalinity. Because your pool water does, it will buffer any pH difference of the added distilled water, and the pH will remain pretty much unaffected.

Because distilled water also contains no chlorine, a 1:1 dilution will half the FC, and therefore enable the pH test up to an initial FC of up to about 20.

I wouldn't dilute more than 1:1, at some point the pH will get affected.

 

[proavia]

I haven't done anything yet, basically because I'm not 100% sure about what I should be doing.

How did your FC go from 23.5 to 30?
Did you add any chlorine or is this testing error?

To get an accurate pH, you can use the distilled water method described by @mgtfp or you can allow the FC to come down on its own to 10 or less (which may take some time based on less UV this time of year).

The SLAM Process suggests adjusting the pH to around 7.2 and then start the SLAM Process.

 

[bradde]

I measured pH using the distilled water method, but it still looks like my pH is at 8.0.

Where do I go from here?

 

[mknauss]

With your TA of 90, you are safe to add acid to lower the pH by 0.4 points (8.0 to 7.6), then circulate and do the distilled water test again. Do that until the test show you are in the 7's. At that point, ignore the pH until the SLAM is over.

 

[bradde]

With your TA of 90, you are safe to add acid to lower the pH by 0.4 points (8.0 to 7.6), then circulate and do the distilled water test again. Do that until the test show you are in the 7's. At that point, ignore the pH until the SLAM is over.

Sounds good. Thank you!

 

[bradde]

Sorry for my continuing confusion here. I've read the document on the SLAM process and looked at the Chlorine/CYA chart. In the chart I select the SLAM tab and it says that for my Target FC is 16 based on my CYA number of 40. So should I start the slam by adding a gallon of chlorine near the return jets and re-test FC in the morning?

 

[mknauss]

If that amount of chlorine will raise the FC to 16 ppm, yes.

 

[mgtfp]

The sooner you start the SLAM and the more vigilant you maintain the SLAM FC, the sooner you'll be done with it.

I'm a bit confused, your last FC reading from 15 hours ago is 40ppm, so you are well and truly in your SLAM already. Have you added any chlorine, is your SWG running?

The process is to test FC and use PoolMath to calculate how much liquid chlorine to add to get to SLAM FC. Repeat as often as feasible throughout the day to ensure that you maintain SLAM FC as constant as possible.

So, now that your pH is down, test FC. If still above 16ppm, then leave it. If below 16, then add enough chlorine to get to 16. You can test and redose before going to bed, not sure what time it is in your time zone right now

Then start again in the morning. Until you pass all three SLAM exit criteria.

SWG should be off during the process.

If your FC really was up to 40ppm (and based on the 30ppm reading from 5 days ago, FC might have been quite for while), I'd actually suggest to let FC come down to SLAM and then do another OCLT, you might be done already.