Help! High CYA/Switching to this from pool store testing and chemocals

[mgtfp]

I meant maintain slam level as thorough as possible. Maybe test a few times during the day and top up chlorine again.

 

[mgtfp]

It's okay to use the pool, just trying to work out if there's a bather load that contributes to the chlorine loss.

 

[Ilovemylife1129]

So I test all together probably 4-5 times a day and I test and add that last time in the evening after the sun goes down and test again and and then I’m the morning before the sun comes up which means I have to get up at 5:30am to tear. So I don’t think it’s the swimming but I could be wrong. I’ll keep at it.

 

[mgtfp]

Sounds like you're doing everything right, just keep it up. I don't think it's the swimming either - as long as you're not throwing a big party each night with everyone "marking their territory" in the pool, that would create some chlorine demand

 

[Ilovemylife1129]

So last night when I tested FC was 17.5 and this morning it was 16. But last night I wasn’t sure if I miss counted by one so it could have been 18.5. Either way even at 17.5, that is a drop of 1.5 ppm! So here is to hoping today is the day!!!

 

[mgtfp]

Nearly there

 

[Rossterman]

You might want to pull and clean the filter. Sometimes they get alge growing on them

 

[Ilovemylife1129]

Ughhhh!!! Last night FC 19.5(I must have guesstimated a little over a quart wrong) and this morning FC 18!!!! And everything else has been good for a week. CC 0-0.5 and clear water.
I did clean the filter once each of the past so days so maybe that is making the difference. My husband suggested it might be affecting it.

 

[Ilovemylife1129]

Hopefully tonight is the last night

 

[mgtfp]

So close...
Keeping my with you that this will be the last day. Incredible how persistent these little green buggers can be. There's only one answer to that: Be more persistent than them and keep cool

You're doing great!

 

[Ilovemylife1129]

So on Thursday we are going away until Sunday and I thought I’d be done SLAMMING but not I’m worried I won’t be. Any thoughts on what to do if it’s not done yet? I don’t have anyone that could test for me multiple times a day. Will I have to start over when I get back?

 

[Ilovemylife1129]

Also we have had copper in our water probably from running a heater. The pool store has shown copper in our water. Should I still treat that? I think it was .4 the last time? I normally used Jacks the magic blue stuff. Should I continue to use that? Also is there a way to test in the future for copper myself?

 

[mgtfp]

It's probably a good idea to keep your FC at SLAM level anyway until you leave, even if you pass the OCLT next night. You want to have as little algae as possible left when you leave. If possible, avoid slipping too low in FC while you are away, after you did all this work. Do you have a neighbour who could just pour in some chlorine each day? Otherwise, bring it a bit above SLAM before you leave, and hope for the best

Do you have a cover? That would help FC losses due to UV.

Regarding copper: Below 0.5ppm, it usually doesn't create problems. Have a read through the wiki article on copper:

Copper in Pool Water - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Ilovemylife1129]

Great thank you! I could have my Dad pour in some bleach every day. Can you recommend how much a day? I have 12.5% bleach.

 

[mgtfp]

That would be the best option. Would be a bummer to go back to square one when you get back. Main goal for those few days is to not slip below your target FC for your CYA (you are at CYA 40, right? So FC should not get below 5ppm). If you still fail the last OCLT before you leave, then ideally your dad kept it as close as possible to SLAM, but main goal is to not undo what you have achieved so far and to keep it simple for your dad. And as long as your FC stays above target-FC, you should be OK when you get back.

You currently have 1.5ppm loss over night (over 10 hours?), that is all due to algae. Over 24h that would be a total loss due to algae of about 3.6ppm. During the day, you will have additional losses due to UV. How much, depends on amount of sunshine, temperature, CYA-level and FC-level. It will probably be about 2-3ppm per day, i.a. about 5ppm total. So, if the over night loss stays where it is, your dad will probably have to add about 110-120 oz of 12.5% bleach per day. Does that match roughly what you were adding recently?

Let's hope that you pass the next OCLT, then you'd only have to deal with UV daytime losses.

Could you post the results and times of your FC-tests and how much chlorine you were adding over the last one or two days? From there we should be able to extract a best guess how much chlorine to add.

 

[Ilovemylife1129]

I passed the OCLT!!!!!!!! Last night my FC was at 18 and same this morning!!!!!!! At 8:30 last night my FC was 16 but I added what I thought was about 2 cups just because it had been about 3 hours and usually I have to add at that long. I tested again at 9:30 and my FC was 15 which I thought how did that go down that fast from me adding but maybe I counted drops wrong time before so I had to add only a little as my FC was 15 and my SLAM level is 16. I must have added a little too much by guessing from the bottle and tested again around 10:45 because I was now 18. This morning FC was 18, and CC .05, and clear water!!!!! It’s a miracle
I do have the pool math app. Are you able to look at my logs from there? I think I did forget to put in last night when it was 15?! But other then that for the week maybe only one other time when it was probably 15 ad well.
But given I passed the OCLT, how much would you recommend he put in?
I am in canonsburg, PA. I’ll post a pic of the weather for the next few days.

 

[Ilovemylife1129]

 

[Ilovemylife1129]

And I just saw your last post asked over 10 hours at night. The sun goes down here around 9:00 and starts coming up by 6:00am so I was never having 10 hours. Probably more like 7 1/2-8. By the time I test and add and test again starting around 9:00PM and then wake up at 5:30 and test. And last night a little less because I had to add again Around 10:30 because I was lower then my SLAM level from 9:30. Does that make a difference?

 

[mgtfp]

Well done, just in time

Means your dad won't have to maintain slam level. I can't see your PoolMath logs, I think you still have to tick a box somewhere in the settings do they get uploaded.

I'll have a closer look later, still have a work call to do.

 

[Ilovemylife1129]

I think you can click on my name and then poolmathlogs.