Help with first SLAM after AA treatment

[Reba33]

We acquired our pool a month ago, and are learning quickly that pools do need TLC. We discovered we had a brown stain throughout the entire pool, after getting rid of green algae in the corners with Super AlgaeBomb 60 from the pool store. So we bought a TF-100 kit, did AA Tuesday, and the stain almost completely disappeared. The pool was still crystal clear, as it always had been, although FC was around 0. But overnight the water became cloudy, unable to see bottom of pool. We weren't sure if we should SLAM because AA instructions said not to slam for 2 weeks, but we decided algae was worse than stain. We assumed it was algae ready to bloom? So, we brought the FC up to 14 yesterday (CYA had been 40), and it is still at 14 today, but the cloudiness is still there. We ran out of bleach, so we put in the remaining 2 chlorine tablets left over by the previous owners. That's probably why the FC hasn't gone down? What should we do at this point to get rid of the cloudiness? We have 8 lbs. of citric acid, ProTeam Metal Magic and Polyquat 60 coming in the mail. Should we keep putting in chlorine, maybe try and bump the FC up to 16? Thanks so much for any help with this, as we are struggling to keep up with all of these issues.

Rebecca

24,300 gal., sand, vinyl

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

Sounds like you just need to have patience, continue to SLAM and let the filter work at removing the cloudiness. Did you add a metal sequestrant already to prevent the stains from coming back with the higher FC levels?

Post up a full set of test results to see if there is anything else going on.

 

[Reba33]

Thanks, Jason. I will send the test results later today.

 

[Reba33]

Finally got around to testing the water:

FC-14
CC-.5
TA-120
CH-420

I didn't test CYA because I understood it would not be accurate while slamming. It was 40 before starting the SLAM. Could the cloudiness be from high calcium, rather than algae? Every time we got tested by the pool store the calcium level went up. They had us put in 20 lbs. of CalciumPlus because the reading was 187 when we acquired the pool, but it's crept up until it's now at 420.

We put in 1 gallon of bleach tonight, hoping to raise the FC to our recommended shock level of 17. As far as our numbers look, should we keep up with the SLAM tomorrow? Thanks for any help!

Rebecca

24,300 gallon, sand, vinyl

 

[jblizzle]

Let the FC drop below 10ppm and test the pH, lower it to around 7.2, then continue SLAM.

Cloudiness could be due to the CH if the pH is too high.

Btw, the CYA test would be valid, but no need to test it if you recently did.

 

[Reba33]

Before we started the SLAM, our PH was always between 6.8 and 7.4 - over the past month. Do you think we should still lower the FC below 10ppm and test the PH again? Is it possible that the PH shot up during AA or SLAM? The SLAM does not seem to be clearing up the cloudiness at all in the last 2 days. If the cloudiness is due to the PH, do we still SLAM to clear it up? Thanks for helping us get our pool in working order. We can't even use it until we get rid of the cloudiness!

Rebecca

 

[jblizzle]

Have you tried DE in the filter? See article in Pool School.

 

[Reba33]

Good morning! I tested our water this morning and the results were-

FC - 14
CC - .5
TA - 110
CH - 500
CYA - 40

I am pretty upset that the pool store had us add 20 lbs. of calcium three weeks ago, when our reading was 245. It has been climbing ever since. I am planning on adding 1 gal. of bleach to get our FC up a little past shock level (16) and then test later this morning. But I don't know what to do about the calcium. Should I wait to partially drain the pool until the cloudiness is all gone? It is somewhat better this morning. We can see the bottom of the deep end again! Thanks for all your help, Jason. Much appreciated.

Rebecca

 

[jblizzle]

Why are you going to partially drain? You CH is not terribly high and can be dealt with by keeping the pH a little lower.

 

[Reba33]

The reason I was going to partially empty the pool was because I understood it to be the only way to bring down the CH. I am glad to hear that 500 isn't too high, and can be adjusted by adjusting the PH. I will try and do that as soon as we are done with our SLAM. After adding 1 gal. of bleach 5 hours ago, our numbers now are:

FC-21
CC-1

The pool is getting noticeably less cloudy, so I won't add any more bleach until our FC gets down to 16, which is our shock level. Should I add a sequestrant from the pool store, since I haven't gotten the Polyquat60 yet? Any advice as to what I could ask for? They only carry PoolLife chemicals. I'm afraid if I wait for the Polyquat60, the stains will start coming back. Right now we can't see any, although the pool is still somewhat cloudy at the deep end. We added 34 oz of Metal Free on the 14th, when we were doing AA, but haven't added anymore sequestrant since then. Thanks again for all your help.

Rebecca

 

[jblizzle]

Why do you need Poly 60? That is an algeacide and not generally recommended.
You should be adding one of the recommended sequestrants to keep the metal in suspension.

The pH does not lower the CH, it can just be held lower to help prevent calcium scaling.

 

[Reba33]

My mistake. I meant that I would use ProTeam Metal Magic to prevent the stains from returning. I also ordered the Polyquat60 because I read this in the AA treatment:

"High ph along with high chlorine will precipitate any metals that are not sequestered out of the water and on to the surface of the pool again. If this happens take the ph back down to 7, or 7.2 and add more sequestering agent. This should lift the stain off. You can add polyquat 60 to the water before starting the stain treatment to avoid getting algae while the chlorine is low."

I thought I might want to have it on hand in case I needed to do a stain treatment again.

This morning my pool is still a bit cloudy, and my CC has risen to 1, so I will be checking every hour to keep the FC at or above 16 until the pool clears completely. I am planning on doing an overnight FC test tonight, if the pool clears today and the CC goes back down. I guess I'm still wondering if I should put in more sequestrant, even though the stains haven't yet returned. I would have to get something at the pool store because the ProTeam Metal Magic hasn't come yet in the mail.

Thanks for all your help. I really don't want to be dependent on the pool store, but it's taking a minute to get a grasp on all of the chemistry involved.

Rebecca

 

[jblizzle]

The sequestrant is tricky because you never really know if you have added enough until you see that it was too low.