How to balance?

[Beniger]

Hey guys - newer pool owner. Previously had a salt water pool and had very little trouble maintaining great water.

Chlorine, gunite pool finished about 9 months ago with Pebbletech finish.
21k gallons with spa
Live in DFW (TX)

Use the recommended Taylor system Taylor K-2006C.

Tried doing the SLAM over the past week and thought it was all under control, but came home after a weekend away to some light algae on the walls. No chlorine came up on the test.

FC = 0
CYA = 30
PH = 7.0
TA = 190
CH = 200

Where do I start? I added 1.5 gallons of 12.5% liquid chlorine and brushed the pool. I’d like to maintain myself, but the frustration is tough.

 

[curtisb]

Welcome! Sounds like you didnt keep up with the FC on the SLAM. The reason it has to be high, is too kill ALL the Algae. If it came back you never back..

 

[Texas Splash]

Welcome to TFP! Where do you start? ...... the SLAM Process. Here's how:
STEP 1 - Increase the FC to 12 and follow everything on that SLAM Process page. That's it! Your pH is already in a good starting position, and the low CYA helps allow you to maintain an FC of 12 as opposed to a higher CYA-to-FC ratio.

Do your best to maintain that FC of 12 and be sure to follow all the SLAM steps until you pass all 3 SLAM criteria. Good luck!

 

[Beniger]

Thanks for the feedback. I guess I didn’t do the SLAM long enough. A few questions:

-How long does the SLAM process typically take? (Trying to stock up on the right amount of Liquid Chlorine, so I’m not running to the store daily)

-My test this morning, my pH is up to 7.8 so I’m adding a gallon of acid to bring it back down. My question is on my CYA, using the K-2006C the dot really never disappeared, so I estimated CYA of 20. Do you think I should bring it up right away? I’m in TX and it’s hot and sunny, concerned the Chlorine is evaporating too quickly.

Thanks guys!

 

[Texas Splash]

Yes, increase the CYA to be sure you have a solid 30 at minimum. Also remember that the FC will show a false (temporary) high because the FC is over 10 during the SLAM. So no need to test or adjust the pH until after the SLAM. The SLAM duration can vary based on each scenario. For pools that are relatively clear, I would hope the SLAM would only take a few days to a week at most. For green swamps a bit longer. But it really varies.

 

[Beniger]

Do you guys check your chlorine/pH daily like the link here Basic Pool Care Schedule ?

My pool chlorine tends to drop quite a bit each day using just liquid chlorine. Is this normal? Do you guys really check daily and add chlorine daily? I travel often and am not around many times for up to a week. What would you guys suggest? I was hoping caring for my pool can be a little more hands off.

 

[jeffchap]

Also remember that the pH will show a false (temporary) high because the FC is over 10 during the SLAM.

Fixed it.

 

[IceShadow]

Do you guys check your chlorine/pH daily like the link here Basic Pool Care Schedule ?

My pool chlorine tends to drop quite a bit each day using just liquid chlorine. Is this normal? Do you guys really check daily and add chlorine daily? I travel often and am not around many times for up to a week. What would you guys suggest? I was hoping caring for my pool can be a little more hands off.

At first you test daily and add LC daily. As you start to get a feel for what the pool needs each day, the testing backs off and you can test every other day or 3 times a week or so. Liquid chlorine additions should be daily, or every other day at least. Typical FC usage is 2-4ppm per day to the sun at adequate CYA levels, and you need to add in the meanwhile.

Once you've been doing it for a year or two, the testing might even be able to be brought back to once a week or so. Personally that's what I do, and I'm able to add a gallon of LC at a time every 1-2 days - sometimes it doesn't need it every day. But I had to test a lot to get that feel for what my pool needs, and I always run the risk that my FC suddenly dropped for whatever reason and algae will take hold.

Pools are like pets - they need to be fed daily, whether you're playing with them or not.

The alternative would be a Saltwater Chlorine Generator (SWCG). It will create the chlorine for you, and is like adding an autofeeder for your pet to feed them without you doing it. Another option would be a Stenner pump or the like that has a larger chlorine tank and adds FC on a schedule.

 

[Bperry]

Do you guys check your chlorine/pH daily like the link here Basic Pool Care Schedule ?

My pool chlorine tends to drop quite a bit each day using just liquid chlorine. Is this normal? Do you guys really check daily and add chlorine daily? I travel often and am not around many times for up to a week. What would you guys suggest? I was hoping caring for my pool can be a little more hands off.

The water needs chlorine every day no matter what method you use. Lots of people and pool services use trichlor pucks, which dissolve slowly over time and are a bit less maintainence in the short term but long term they build up the CYA which makes the chlorine less effective. Once it gets high enough you either have to dump the water and start over or use insane amounts of chlorine to keep it sanitary. Using the liquid avoids the CYA build up, but is more hassle. Using a salt water chlorine generator makes it the least hassle and I’ve enjoyed mine so far.

 

[duraleigh]

Yeah, a salt water generator is your only realistic hope to ignore your pool for 7 days

 

[Mdragger88]

No matter the method of chlorination (manual dosing, automatic dosing, or swg) - you should test the fc regularly- at the least every few days.
Weather conditions change, bather loads vary, & equipment malfunctions. Regular testing helps make these slight dips/fluctuations just that, slight dips instead of green monsters or big problems. If your ph rises frequently then it should be tested frequently too & maintained as necessary.
There are some who have a quite stable ph like myself so I don’t test it as frequently as fc because it basically never moves.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure here.

 

[Bperry]

If it helps any, I’ve been getting away with testing once a week with the SWCG. My pH and FC are what I test. I was able to catch my FC drifting down a couple days ago and dosed it with liquid and turned up the generator another 10%. The pH is fairly stable but tends to rise every couple weeks. All the other stuff stays pretty stable.

 

[Beniger]

Thanks for the responses. I had a Salt Water pool at my last house for about 8 summers and did very little maintenance or testing and the water was great all the time. I'd run to Leslie's 2-3x a summer to get the water checked, do what they say, and didn't do anything in between other than occasionally add some acid. In our new home, the pool builder talked us into a regular chlorine pool due to salt being corrosive and tough on coping/pool equipment.

I had no idea a pool needed such regular testing/chlorine. Thanks for the answers, very eye-opening for me.

 

[jeffchap]

In our new home, the pool builder talked us into a regular chlorine pool due to salt being corrosive and tough on coping/pool equipment.

We hear this all the time, it's bunk. It's easy enough to add an SWG if you decide to.

 

[IceShadow]

Thanks for the responses. I had a Salt Water pool at my last house for about 8 summers and did very little maintenance or testing and the water was great all the time. I'd run to Leslie's 2-3x a summer to get the water checked, do what they say, and didn't do anything in between other than occasionally add some acid. In our new home, the pool builder talked us into a regular chlorine pool due to salt being corrosive and tough on coping/pool equipment.

I had no idea a pool needed such regular testing/chlorine. Thanks for the answers, very eye-opening for me.

It may or it may not. If you're driving on a road without other traffic but with intersections, you could close your eyes and just drive straight. You may or you may not hit a car you didn't see before you closed your eyes. Similarly, your pool could be just right without being tested, but how do you know?

Frequent testing and chlorine adjustment is driving with your eyes open. You know you're not going to hit anything.

 

[Beniger]

We hear this all the time, it's bunk. It's easy enough to add an SWG if you decide to.

Any suggestions on where to start? I have pentair Variable speed pump/motor and cartridge filters. I'd love to price what all i would need to convert. I loved my SWCL pool and the ease of maintenance.

 

[mknauss]

Do you have automation? Easytouch, Intellicenter, etc. Please add that to your signature.

 

[Beniger]

Do you have automation? Easytouch, Intellicenter, etc. Please add that to your signature.

I'm so sorry, I have no idea if I do or what that is. I use the Pentair App to control everything including pump run schedule.

 

[mknauss]

If you use an App, you have automation. Go out to the pool equipment pad. Look for the box with Pentair on it. Open it. Take a picture of it and post it here.

 

[Beniger]

If you use an App, you have automation. Go out to the pool equipment pad. Look for the box with Pentair on it. Open it. Take a picture of it and post it here.