Help me prevent frequent slamming

[PoolStored]

Borates in a pool:

Borates in pool - Further Reading

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Borates - Why and How

Borates - Why and How Why Adding borates can improve your experience with your pool, but is completely optional. If you do plan to use borates, wait until everything else is settled down before adding borates, especially TA and PH. The only situations where we specifically recommend using...

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How to test:

New borate drop test at piscines-apollo vs. test strip

Thanks, SunnyBlues. You have been reading and learning a LONG time to remember all those experts. Thanks for your testimonial.

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[Katodude]

@Brazillianguy You are in Miami. The advice that people have given is great, but you will need to be more aggressive.

I forget who said, but someone said your problem is CYA and they are most likely right. The frequent pool use, pool temp, and heavy rains is causing your CYA to drop much faster than most people in the forum have to deal with. Ask me how I know. In Miami when you CYA will drop to 60 or below your SWG will struggle to keep up.

After your SLAM get your CYA to 80. Buy CYA in bulk. Shop around and find the 25lb boxes. I buy 2 at a time to save on shipping. I use over 30lbs of CYA a year.

Buy a big bottle of CYA test solution (I bought a gallon jug a couple of years ago, it was the same price as 16oz, I am going to replace it soon as it is now a couple of years old). Test CYA weekly. Just make it part of your regular tests.

Keep your FC at the high level of the range. I use 10% of my CYA as a minimum but prefer it to be around 12%.

Go to Leslies or Pinch a penny and buy a 2 X 2.5 gallon jugs for LC. Keep some LC at hand all the time. Superchlorinate takes too long, just dump some LC in the pool when you need to raise the FC and use the SWG to keep it there.

I think you mentioned it but when the pool is getting a LOT of use, be proactive and add a little bit of LC before the kids get in.

Test super frequently and you will learn your pool. For example, I can eyeball a 5 ppm FC add from a 2.5 gallon jug now. You will also learn how much FC your kids burn through after a day in the pool. It will become more automatic over time. But you need to learn how your pool reacts.

 

[matthewsunshineflorida]

I'd want to add that I'm also in Florida (Tampa, so similar rainfall but probably not quite as warm), and I would just say for me it was about being consistent while you learn how your pool reacts to chemicals/environment and, then over time, reduce testing as the tests stop surprising you. You'll find you can throw in a little CYA or acid between testing on busy days and be pretty close to accurately guessing the change at the next test.

Great info.. I really appreciate it… I just brought the orenda.. Have never used it before.. any tips? And you said about twice a year? How about the borates? How do you handle that?

Keep in mind these two aren't necessary, so a lot of TFP gurus understandably don't like to add unnecessary complexity/cost - but I believe they're cheap peace of mind that I only do twice a year. They do have scientifically valid methods of making algae outbreaks less likely if you slack off (and I'm far more lax than many here, but have never had algae). But the way I do it is I have a calendar reminder set for March and August to do borates, phosphates, and then clean the filter the next day or so.

The Orenda 10,000 comes with instructions based on the size of your pool. You can get the Taylor phosphates test to test phosphates before and after - I like to be able to understand how the chemistry changes after additions. Phosphates are algae food, so it seems to me if I happen to get sloppy or don't notice my salt levels are low or SWG isn't behaving - I'd rather not give the initial algae a 4 course feast to multiply 10 fold faster, you know?

For borates, you've already received the link to the test I use (which should really be a sticky in pool school IMO) - and it IS accurate. I added what the pool math app said to get to the ppm I wanted - and the test confirmed it within 5ppm or so. I get it from duda as a 55lb granular bucket (not powder). Once you get to your levels, you won't need much to top it off twice a year. Just occurred to me that maybe I should actually add it whenever I add CYA since they both reduce with dilution, but maybe at a rate half as much of CYA since CYA is slowly consumed but borates aren't - that way it won't drop as much between twice a year tests? Anyway, the benefits I found attractive include:

• pH buffer - Takes longer for pH to rise, but the same total acid to reduce it, so more each time, but with longer intervals. My understanding is that it's largely due to its contribution to a lower pH ceiling (Henry's law).
• Increases water silkiness, which contributes to it being an algaestat (makes it harder for algae to grab onto surfaces and harder for the cells to develop), an anti scaler, and why it allegedly reduces water tension making it appear to have more sparkle - but I really couldn't tell that one.
• Is deadly to insects, and could be poisonous to humans/pets at high doses. In my research, this risk is absurdly exaggerated at the levels in pools.

The other suggestions are good ones - you should probably keep your chlorine on the high side relative to CYA until you get the hang of it and go many months without outbreaks so that you don't have to keep fighting that battle. I'll say that I've never had a problem even under 5% FC/CYA, but I generally try to target 7.5% so that if I'm a little over or under, it's no big deal. If I'm ever low, I do a superchlorinate and then bump the setting higher - plenty to notch it up. I do keep a 2.5 of LC on hand too - great for either cleaning or emergency FC increases if your SWG ever stops because of low salt or malfunction. I use hair nets in my skimmer to extend filter life, so I put CYA in by just pouring it into the skimmer one solo cup at a time.

After your SLAM, I'd probably do the 10-12% for a while and slowly bring it back as your CYA and FC levels stabilize. The reason SWGs can get by with lower FC is primarily because FC is so stable vs LC going up and down every couple of days (and possibly also the contribution of super chlorination in the cell). Once you get that stability, you'll never go below the minimum and it will be able to easily maintain it at lower levels which is nice for those with sensitive skin like my wife.

 

[Brazillianguy]

@Brazillianguy You are in Miami. The advice that people have given is great, but you will need to be more aggressive.

I forget who said, but someone said your problem is CYA and they are most likely right. The frequent pool use, pool temp, and heavy rains is causing your CYA to drop much faster than most people in the forum have to deal with. Ask me how I know. In Miami when you CYA will drop to 60 or below your SWG will struggle to keep up.

After your SLAM get your CYA to 80. Buy CYA in bulk. Shop around and find the 25lb boxes. I buy 2 at a time to save on shipping. I use over 30lbs of CYA a year.

Buy a big bottle of CYA test solution (I bought a gallon jug a couple of years ago, it was the same price as 16oz, I am going to replace it soon as it is now a couple of years old). Test CYA weekly. Just make it part of your regular tests.

Keep your FC at the high level of the range. I use 10% of my CYA as a minimum but prefer it to be around 12%.

Go to Leslies or Pinch a penny and buy a 2 X 2.5 gallon jugs for LC. Keep some LC at hand all the time. Superchlorinate takes too long, just dump some LC in the pool when you need to raise the FC and use the SWG to keep it there.

I think you mentioned it but when the pool is getting a LOT of use, be proactive and add a little bit of LC before the kids get in.

Test super frequently and you will learn your pool. For example, I can eyeball a 5 ppm FC add from a 2.5 gallon jug now. You will also learn how much FC your kids burn through after a day in the pool. It will become more automatic over time. But you need to learn how your pool reacts.

That’s great advice thanks!!!

 

[Jimrahbe]

OK...

Time to get this thread back on track.

Let's focus on how to SLAM and how to maintain the proper CYA to FC relationship after the SLAM.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ghazestor]

I would guess that most people with this issue simply keep their FC too low for their water conditions. Pools with a SWG should have a higher CYA than 30 or the sun will likely play a larger impact on your FC swings. There is literally no down side to running at the higher end of the FC/CYA chart, especially if you're not testing frequently and the pool usage or weather is erratic.