I opened to a swamp 24 days ago and it is now sparkling clear. That is the good news. The TFP method alone did not get the whole job done - that was my experience.
This is our second year with the pool and loving it. Being in a wooded area and with a mesh cover, we open to swamp. Last year, the SLAM was well into it's second week and still cloudy so I caved and used FLOC, vaccumed up the mess and a couple days later pool was clear. This year I promised myself I would stick religiously to TFP method.
Open May 01 and immediately raised to and above shock level, checking every hour or so and maintaining. 24-48 hrs. later pool was a cloudy blue. I couldn't have been happier.
It was only slightly better a week later. I posted on the forum and was told to stay the course, so kept the levels up and it made slight progress day by day but still couldn't see the main drain by end of week 2. Was told to deep clean the sand, so did that. Next few days cleared further and was able to see the main drain through the cloudiness.
Started adding DE to filter and only difference I saw was that the pressure spiked and needed to backwash after an hour or so. Still cloudy blue.
By end of 3rd week I was pulling out my hair and considering vacuuming out the sand and replacing with filterglass media at a cost of $300. I needed to get this pool clean.
Wife was telling me to flocc or use clarifier but I refused to go to the pool store. Well, today was day 24 and it was still cloudy. I went to the pool store and they showed a lower FC and CYA then I had but they told me that my chemistry looked ok and it was a filter problem. Wife was insisting on clarifier, but I refused.
I bought another bag of sand (thinking my level was too low) and added that in. Also dumped in two more bottles of 10% bleach. When it was still cloudy, I went to a different pool store and they sold me a bottle of clarifier for $16.99
Resigned and feeling guilty, I added the dose of clarifier to the pool and to the skimmer and went off to work. Came back 5 hours later and guess what? The pool is sparkling clear. Beautiful. Perfect!!
So how long does SLAM take? I would think that if at the end of week 2, certainly week 3, you are not clear then it is time to use a clarifier or flocc. They are not too expensive (much cheaper than the cost of maintaining SLAM levels and running filter 24/7 for 4+ weeks) and they get the job done. Fast.
So next year, the plan is to close in a way that won't open to swamp (will be on this forum soon learning how that is done - any tips are welcome). But if we do open to swamp, I am going to SLAM for a week or two and then add the clarifier. Save me weeks of aggravation and money.
All told, I invested:
And here we are
Thank you to kimkats and everyone on this amazing forum for all the advice, information, and encouragement. This is by-far the most friendly and useful website on the world wide web. The SLAM method definitely works, but I learned that pool store products aren't always the enemy - sometimes they are useful supplements to finish off a SLAM that just won't progress.
Thank you to my dear wife for being right and insisting that I buy clarifier instead of standing on principle. If it was up to me, I would still be SLAMing and waiting for this sand filter to do the job come September.
Looking forward to learning how to close properly and never open to swamp again.
Now I am going for a dip in the sparkling oasis
...see ya


This is our second year with the pool and loving it. Being in a wooded area and with a mesh cover, we open to swamp. Last year, the SLAM was well into it's second week and still cloudy so I caved and used FLOC, vaccumed up the mess and a couple days later pool was clear. This year I promised myself I would stick religiously to TFP method.
Open May 01 and immediately raised to and above shock level, checking every hour or so and maintaining. 24-48 hrs. later pool was a cloudy blue. I couldn't have been happier.
It was only slightly better a week later. I posted on the forum and was told to stay the course, so kept the levels up and it made slight progress day by day but still couldn't see the main drain by end of week 2. Was told to deep clean the sand, so did that. Next few days cleared further and was able to see the main drain through the cloudiness.
Started adding DE to filter and only difference I saw was that the pressure spiked and needed to backwash after an hour or so. Still cloudy blue.
By end of 3rd week I was pulling out my hair and considering vacuuming out the sand and replacing with filterglass media at a cost of $300. I needed to get this pool clean.
Wife was telling me to flocc or use clarifier but I refused to go to the pool store. Well, today was day 24 and it was still cloudy. I went to the pool store and they showed a lower FC and CYA then I had but they told me that my chemistry looked ok and it was a filter problem. Wife was insisting on clarifier, but I refused.
I bought another bag of sand (thinking my level was too low) and added that in. Also dumped in two more bottles of 10% bleach. When it was still cloudy, I went to a different pool store and they sold me a bottle of clarifier for $16.99
Resigned and feeling guilty, I added the dose of clarifier to the pool and to the skimmer and went off to work. Came back 5 hours later and guess what? The pool is sparkling clear. Beautiful. Perfect!!
So how long does SLAM take? I would think that if at the end of week 2, certainly week 3, you are not clear then it is time to use a clarifier or flocc. They are not too expensive (much cheaper than the cost of maintaining SLAM levels and running filter 24/7 for 4+ weeks) and they get the job done. Fast.
So next year, the plan is to close in a way that won't open to swamp (will be on this forum soon learning how that is done - any tips are welcome). But if we do open to swamp, I am going to SLAM for a week or two and then add the clarifier. Save me weeks of aggravation and money.
All told, I invested:
- 24 days AND NIGHTS
- 70+ bottles of bleach (10%) $240
- Filter running 24/7 for 24 days $100??
- DE
- One bag of sand $10
- One bottle of clarifier $16.99
- 4 oz. R-0871 reagent
And here we are

Thank you to kimkats and everyone on this amazing forum for all the advice, information, and encouragement. This is by-far the most friendly and useful website on the world wide web. The SLAM method definitely works, but I learned that pool store products aren't always the enemy - sometimes they are useful supplements to finish off a SLAM that just won't progress.
Thank you to my dear wife for being right and insisting that I buy clarifier instead of standing on principle. If it was up to me, I would still be SLAMing and waiting for this sand filter to do the job come September.
Looking forward to learning how to close properly and never open to swamp again.
Now I am going for a dip in the sparkling oasis


