First Test Kit Results

[kenyanelson]

Good Morning. Going through the SLAM process. I was a little off because I added additional chlorine last night because we were having heavy rains. Typically every time it rains my pool turns dark green so I was really scared. I was just preparing myself to start the SLAM process all over again. I got up and the pool still looked good. Question during SLAM do I need to keep my pH between 7.2 and 7.4 during the entire SLAM? The pool is cloudy. It's going to rain the rest of the weekend. I've been testing everything every day then testing chlorine several times during the day to keep at 16. My CYA is 30 now so do I switch to the 12 or alter something else? Thanks

 

[Bperry]

Good Morning. Going through the SLAM process. I was a little off because I added additional chlorine last night because we were having heavy rains. Typically every time it rains my pool turns dark green so I was really scared. I was just preparing myself to start the SLAM process all over again. I got up and the pool still looked good. Question during SLAM do I need to keep my pH between 7.2 and 7.4 during the entire SLAM? The pool is cloudy. It's going to rain the rest of the weekend. I've been testing everything every day then testing chlorine several times during the day to keep at 16. My CYA is 30 now so do I switch to the 12 or alter something else? Thanks

During a SLAM you ONLY test for FC and CC. You adjusted the pH to 7.2 at the start and you’ll assume the pH is ok until the SLAM is done. The pH test results are not valid when the FC is above 10ppm so that’s why you don’t bother testing it.

 

[JJ_Tex]

+1 on only testing FC until your pool is clear. Keep at it and hopefully in the next few days or a week, you will have a clear pool and we can start to test for and worry about the other stuff (but your numbers look pretty good already, besides the algae).

 

[Newdude]

I was a little off because I added additional chlorine last night because we were having heavy rains. Typically every time it rains my pool turns dark green so I was really scared

Stahp.

Old Kenya with old Kenya issues took a hike. Buh Bye old Kenya

Pool pro TFP Kenya knows her FC can handle anything the universe throws at it, because she's testing actual levels now, and knows how they correlate to one another.

 

[kenyanelson]

I definitely do now and have much more confidence. I'm not worried about the rain now. Just crazy that I paid two different pool cleaning companies $200+ dollars a month for a year plus more to clean the filters. Granted it was mandatory to maintain the pool warranty but I definitely feel better knowing how to maintain myself and what to test for.

 

[Flying Tivo]

Just crazy that I paid two different pool cleaning companies $200+ dollars a month for a year plus more to clean the filters

More money for pool toys!
Now would be a good time to fill in your signature under your profile. Have a look at mine an others.
U R doing great!

 

[kenyanelson]

More money for pool toys!
Now would be a good time to fill in your signature under your profile. Have a look at mine an others.
U R doing great!

Thanks. I did fill it in the first day. Maybe I didn't do it right.
11,665K gal, Plaster, Jandy VS Plus HP 2.70 variable speed pump (2), Jandy Pro Series CV460 sqft cartridge filter, inflor Cleaning system, spa, Jandy JXi400P Pool & Spa Heater, vacuum manually on occasion with suction from skimmer port.

 

[kenyanelson]

Thanks. I did fill it in the first day. Maybe I didn't do it right.
11,665K gal, Plaster, Jandy VS Plus HP 2.70 variable speed pump (2), Jandy Pro Series CV460 sqft cartridge filter, inflor Cleaning system, spa, Jandy JXi400P Pool & Spa Heater, vacuum manually on occasion with suction from skimmer port.

OK. I just added the signature. I had it under an 'About Me' section thinking that was it

 

[Flying Tivo]

Any progress?

 

[kenyanelson]

I just took new test this morning. It rained over the weekend and did not turn green again. It seemed clearer this morning. I could see the drain plug and leaves. I ran out of chlorine and bought more yesterday. Just figured I would need to start over. I did Muriatic Acid to get it back to 7.2 and brushed so now it's cloudy again. I just put chlorinating liquid in like 20 minutes ago. Had an extensive conversation with pool builder. They are having their team come check drainage, plumbing, crack in pipe on the water feature. He's also having his team come clean the pool, vacuum and clean the filters. He showed me how to open the tablet chlorinator and some other one for mineral. I think that is that copper thing you replace every 6 months but I didn't know it was there and not sure anything was ever put in it. He adjusted the levers that I messed up and told me where they should be. He's also going to have them check and adjust inflor system to have more suction. I didn't expect all that but grateful. I think they were shocked at my test kit and how much work I had done on my own. When I brushed there was still a lot of algae coming up. Hoping when they clean and vacuum and show me how to do it that will help me keep everything maintained better since I understand the chemicals.

 

[Bperry]

I just took new test this morning. It rained over the weekend and did not turn green again. It seemed clearer this morning. I could see the drain plug and leaves. I ran out of chlorine and bought more yesterday. Just figured I would need to start over. I did Muriatic Acid to get it back to 7.2 and brushed so now it's cloudy again. I just put chlorinating liquid in like 20 minutes ago. Had an extensive conversation with pool builder. They are having their team come check drainage, plumbing, crack in pipe on the water feature. He's also having his team come clean the pool, vacuum and clean the filters. He showed me how to open the tablet chlorinator and some other one for mineral. I think that is that copper thing you replace every 6 months but I didn't know it was there and not sure anything was ever put in it. He adjusted the levers that I messed up and told me where they should be. He's also going to have them check and adjust inflor system to have more suction. I didn't expect all that but grateful. I think they were shocked at my test kit and how much work I had done on my own. When I brushed there was still a lot of algae coming up. Hoping when they clean and vacuum and show me how to do it that will help me keep everything maintained better since I understand the chemicals.

You don’t want to replace the mineral thing or the copper.

 

[JJ_Tex]

He's also having his team come clean the pool, vacuum and clean the filters. He showed me how to open the tablet chlorinator and some other one for mineral. I think that is that copper thing you replace every 6 months but I didn't know it was there and not sure anything was ever put in it. He adjusted the levers that I messed up and told me where they should be. He's also going to have them check and adjust inflor system to have more suction. I didn't expect all that but grateful.

There are a lot of scary parts of this section. A couple of key points:
- Pool Builders build pools, they don't know how to maintain them so please don't assume they are water chemistry "experts" or have magic chemicals.
- As such, don't let them add anything to your pool as it will likely not be aligned with the SLAM protocol, and may even be some quick fix chemicals like copper algaecides, floculants, clarifiers that can cause more harm. Lets keep your issue only algae and not introduce other issues like staining, gummed up filter, etc.
- Take a picture of your chorinator and mineral cartridge for us. I would assume its some sort of Nature 2 "mineral" system, but post up and we can tell you for sure how to bypass or remove those.

 

[kenyanelson]

Thanks. I didn't think so. Before I found TFP I saw videos saying that it reduces your amount of chemicals but I just searched articles and topics in this forum and it said not to use.

 

[kenyanelson]

Ok. I used Claffey Pools in Southlake and they do have a service division where they clean pools but I wasn't within their service range so initially they recommended someone and that didn't go well then I got someone else and it still didn't go well then I decided to bet on myself with the help of TFP. I'm not worried about them cleaning the pool. I just want to understand the equipment and have them fix issues I'm concerned about prior to my one year warranty. Here's a picture on the left is the chlorinator and the right is for mineral treatment. We opened chlorinator and there were no tablets or mineral...both were empty. He said you could wait until it warmed up. I didn't know how to get the caps off so he showed me. I also wanted to make sure there were no tablets because it could increase CYA and I was focused on SLAM. I didn't realize the SLAM process could take weeks so read more on the forum from people and figured I'd have a better chance if I could vacuum daily while doing SLAM and that might make the progress better.

 

[ajw22]

Thanks. I didn't think so. Before I found TFP I saw videos saying that it reduces your amount of chemicals but I just searched articles and topics in this forum and it said not to use.

Please read...

Alternative sanitizers and "chemical free" pools--The Truth!

Pool owners frequently seek out "Chemical Free" alternatives to pool water sanitization. Many claims in favor of these systems and methods have been made (usually by the manufacturers of such systems) often without adequate scientific proof of their efficacy. Let's take a look at them and see...

www.troublefreepool.com

Copper in Pool Water - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[kenyanelson]

Really good articles. Very thorough. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Flying Tivo]

You are letting your FC drop below SLAM level. The sooner you raise the levels the faster the SLAM will go.

 

[kenyanelson]

Yes. I did realize initially I was supposed to keep it at the SLAM level. I was testing but maybe not enough then checking overnight levels. I thought it was holding chlorine because it wasn't vacuumed. I was brushing but it would settle. I let it sit like 3 days adding chlorine but not at SLAM and then I as able to start seeing bottom of the pool. When I brush it gets cloudy again.

 

[kenyanelson]

OK. I just tested FCand it's 7 ppm and pH down to 7.2 as I was trying to restart SLAM since I thought I messed it up. Do I just add the additional chlorine to get it to 16 then test how often to ensure it stays there?

 

[ajw22]

.Do I just add the additional chlorine to get it to 16

Yes

then test how often to ensure it stays there?

Two or three times a day if you can.