First time with algae. SLAM process seems scary, help needed
- Thread starter sunny_az
- Start date
- Jun 24, 2021
- 7,508
- Pool Size
- 30000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60
- Jun 24, 2021
- 7,508
- Pool Size
- 30000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60
Add as often as you can, 2 hours is not too much. The more often you test and add chlorine, the faster SLAM works...
- Jun 8, 2019
- 4,576
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Have you tried an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test yet? What is your overnight loss from a test after dark to a test before dawn? That should give an idea of how close you are to complete too.
It was a loss of 6 ppm overnight. So I guess I have a ways to go yet.
- Jun 24, 2021
- 7,508
- Pool Size
- 30000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60
Will it help at all to lower phosphates in the pool? Or should I worry about that later once the algae problem is fixed?
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,770
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
No-
no reason to worry about it later either so long as you maintain adequate fc for your cya going forward
FC/CYA Levels
Thanks! Everyone here is so helpful. This process is so overwhelming, but all the advice has been great and makes it easier.
- Jun 8, 2019
- 4,576
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Yep - keep it going, and try to find anywhere that algae could hide. Inside ladders, niches behind removable lights, the skimmer throat, back of the weir door or the foam on it in the skimmer, etc. Gotta scrub those out and let the SLAM level chlorinated water get everywhere in them.
I had to bring it up to 30 on the chlorine for a few days but looks like the algae is finally gone! I hope! I let the chlorine come back down to 4.00. So I tested PH and showing 7.8. I add the usual amount of muriatic acid, still 7.8. Add twice as much as I normally do, still 7.8. And a third time, still 7.8. My pools likes to run high on PH but normally the MA brings it right down. Is this a side effect of slamming?
Also, when the chlorine got under 10 I tried using my regular comparison block to measure chlorine and it showed 1 which I knew couldn't be right. I used the FAS-DPD kit and it was 6.00. I've been testing the chlorine level using both kits and they never match up. Right now, the comparison block shows barely any chlorine, the test is only the faintest pink but the FAS-DPD test reads 4.00. Do the chemicals get old or expire? I'm not sure what to make of that.
Also, when the chlorine got under 10 I tried using my regular comparison block to measure chlorine and it showed 1 which I knew couldn't be right. I used the FAS-DPD kit and it was 6.00. I've been testing the chlorine level using both kits and they never match up. Right now, the comparison block shows barely any chlorine, the test is only the faintest pink but the FAS-DPD test reads 4.00. Do the chemicals get old or expire? I'm not sure what to make of that.
- Jun 24, 2021
- 7,508
- Pool Size
- 30000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60
No, it is your TA. If you pool likes 7.8, leave it there.
Comparison block basically tell you if you have chlorine, FAS-DPD tells you how much. Chemicals do get old. What is the date on the reagent?
I think the reagent is expired. I'm going to get rid of it. I don't trust it ever since I started using the FAS-DPD
Isn't 7.8 too high for PH ?
- Jun 24, 2021
- 7,508
- Pool Size
- 30000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60
Nah. Anything in the 7s is fine. Here is what happens. With a TA between 60-80, your pH will likely sit at 7.6, 7.8 maybe 7.9 or 8 and not rise much. If you have high TA, your pH tends to rise. So best course of action is to let pH rise to 8, then reduce with Muriatic. That will reduce TA and pH. After some number of cycles, your pH and TA will be in equilibrium. Different in each pool, but 60-80 TA and pH 7.6-8 and pH won't rise anymore.
So...let you pH rise to 8.0. Reduce to 7.6. Rinse and repeat, when the number of days it takes to rise to 8 slows, and your TA is 60-80, then let pH sit where it likes...7.6? 7.8? even 8...
- Jun 24, 2021
- 7,508
- Pool Size
- 30000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60
to be accurate, the pH rise will slow to the point it is manageable...some pools, the pH will not rise. Areas with High TA fill water and high evaporation rates may need to add muriatic quite frequently. You have high evap rates. Do you have a solar cover (likely not)? Test your fill water for pH, TA and CH. Report back...
You haven't shared your logs. PoolMath, home page, gear in upper right, scroll to the bottom and enable sharing with TFP. Make sure you are using the same login as TFP...
Be careful with your chlorine level. If your CYA is at 60, minimum-minimum chlorine is 5, but should be 7-9
Free Chlorine and Cyanuric Acid Relationship Explained
I'm sure you don't want to SLAM again shortly....
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,770
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
No solar cover.
PH = 8.0
TA = 100
Ch = 4.00
We're having a pool party today. 8-10 swimmers. I'm going to add more chlorine now to get it higher. Should I do muriatic acid later tonight after the party?
- Jun 24, 2021
- 7,508
- Pool Size
- 30000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60
Yes, is Ch your FC? Get that up to 10ppm with liquid chlorine. You will have high demand...you can even test during the day and add more to keep it up. 5-10 minute break is plenty time for it to mix. I'd get the pH down to 7.6 for the party, will be better on folks. Need 30 minutes for muriatic to mix before swim. Add chlorine and muriatic at least 15 minutes apart.