Just received K-2006 kit, uh oh

[NickeBadare]

2nd year of pool, but had a falling out with pool installer (they messed up the grading in my yard leading to flooding) so now taking on pool chemistry duties myself.

Here are my numbers:
FC 0 (never turns pink), I have been running the SWG at 40-60% with the pump going at half speed 24/7, just turned it up to 100%
pH 7.2 (1 drop of the R-0006 made it go to 7.5)
TA 30
CH 50
CYA ? (the solution is not cloudy at all, I can see the black spot when the tube is full, so < 30?)

I used the pool math thing so it seems I need to add, bleach, washing soda and baking soda, and some stabilizer for the CYA?

Would very much appreciate if someone can look over my numbers before I start adding chemicals.
Thanks!

 

[Derb22]

Is your pool cloudy? First order would be to check for ammonia. Add enough bleach to get to 10 PPM FC. Retest in 30 minutes. If you have 5 PPM of free chlorine you are good to proceed with SLAM. IF YOU HAVE LESS THAN 5 PPM FC then Keep adding bleach every 30 minutes and retesting until you hold at least 5 PPM FC. Once you do the next step is to SLAM. Add enough CYA using sock method to get to 30 PPM and then use pool math to SLAM pool. You will be shooting for a FC of 12 until you pass the three testS. Clear water. No CC and pass the OCLT TEST.

 

[karendino]

You are done with SLAM when:
CC is 0.5 or lower;
You pass an OCLT (ie overnight FC loss test shows a loss of 1.0 ppm or less);
And the water is clear.

 

[RobertScalchi]

What DERB22 said. But hold off on adding the washing soda or borax to raise pH. You want the pH at 7.2 for a SLAM. You can bump the TA to 90 later with the baking soda. Balance out the PH later well. Dont know if CH is relevant in a fiberglass pool, so you can just leave that as well. Start with the CYA to 30 and the FC to 10ppm and see if it will hold. You need to SLAM at 12ppm once yoy verify CYA is 30 ppm after 24 to 48 hrs.

 

[kellyfair]

How does your water look right now? Do you have a salt kit and if so, what is your salt level?

I would turn off the SWG for now and use liquid chlorine until you get your pool in order. Save some wear and tear on your salt cell.

 

[NickeBadare]

Is your pool cloudy? First order would be to check for ammonia. Add enough bleach to get to 10 PPM FC. Retest in 30 minutes. If you have 5 PPM of free chlorine you are good to proceed with SLAM. IF YOU HAVE LESS THAN 5 PPM FC then Keep adding bleach every 30 minutes and retesting until you hold at least 5 PPM FC. Once you do the next step is to SLAM. Add enough CYA using sock method to get to 30 PPM and then use pool math to SLAM pool. You will be shooting for a FC of 12 until you pass the three testS. Clear water. No CC and pass the OCLT TEST.

It's not cloudy, but not super clear either. I added chlorine to bring the FC to 10, tested after 30 min and it was still 10, CC was 0.04. I don't have any CYA at home so that will have to wait till tomorrow.

- - - Updated - - -

How does your water look right now? Do you have a salt kit and if so, what is your salt level?

I would turn off the SWG for now and use liquid chlorine until you get your pool in order. Save some wear and tear on your salt cell.

I don't know if I have a salt kit Will leaving the SWG not help maintain the chlorine level?

 

[kellyfair]

How did you get CC of .04?

Yep, you need to get some CYA into that pool and start SLAMming.

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SWG can’t keep FC up to SLAM level on its own. Since you’ll be using liquid chlorine anyway, I would use only that and save the wear and tear on the salt cell.

 

[Derb22]

No Ammonia that’s good. To start the slam use pool math to add CYA to 30. ( sock method is best - Hint: for your pool it’s 40 oz. of CYA ) then use liquid chlorine or bleach to get to a SLAM FC level of 12. Test as early as every hour if possible and continue bringing FC back to 12 as soon as possible. Once you Have clear beautiful water, less than .5 CC and can pass the OCLT test you will be good to go. While you are SLAMMING the pool do not run your SWG, don’t test for anything other than FC and CC, ( just waste the reagents) run pump 24/7 and only backwash if pump pressure goes up 20-25% over normal and if you add the CYA with the sock it is perfectly ok to start the slam now knowing the CYA will read the correct amount in 24-48 hours.

 

[NickeBadare]

No Ammonia that’s good. To start the slam use pool math to add CYA to 30. ( sock method is best - Hint: for your pool it’s 40 oz. of CYA ) then use liquid chlorine or bleach to get to a SLAM FC level of 12. Test as early as every hour if possible and continue bringing FC back to 12 as soon as possible. Once you Have clear beautiful water, less than .5 CC and can pass the OCLT test you will be good to go. While you are SLAMMING the pool do not run your SWG, don’t test for anything other than FC and CC, ( just waste the reagents) run pump 24/7 and only backwash if pump pressure goes up 20-25% over normal and if you add the CYA with the sock it is perfectly ok to start the slam now knowing the CYA will read the correct amount in 24-48 hours.

A bit confused by the SLAM instructions, you're suggesting add CYA to 30, but this page Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart says recommended CYA level is 70 or 80. I got that link from this page Pool School - SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain
It also says the FC shock level is 24, but you guys in here say 10 or 12.
I bought some CYA at Wallyworld, I have added chlorine to get FC to 10, turned off the SWG, but not sure what to do next. Which numbers am I aiming for when it comes to CYA and FC to do the SLAM?

 

[mknauss]

For SLAM, it is best to have your CYA at 30 or 40 ppm. Allows for lower FC levels. After clearing the pool and passing the three criteria for a successful SLAM, you would then raise your CYA to 70 ppm for the use of the SWCG.

While SLAM'ing, you are treating your pool as a non-SWCG pool. The fact there is salt in it is immaterial.

Take care.

 

[NickeBadare]

For SLAM, it is best to have your CYA at 30 or 40 ppm. Allows for lower FC levels. After clearing the pool and passing the three criteria for a successful SLAM, you would then raise your CYA to 70 ppm for the use of the SWCG.

While SLAM'ing, you are treating your pool as a non-SWCG pool. The fact there is salt in it is immaterial.

Take care.

Thanks for the quick response! Do I wait to do the OCLT until all the CYA is dissolved (I read it can take 24-48 hours to dissolve)? I have a Variable speed pump, if I run it on 100% 24/7 will that speed things up?

 

[mknauss]

You do not need to wait on the CYA to dissolve to do a OCLT. Though with a little help your CYA should dissolve very fast.
Add the CYA by using what we call the sock method. Get an old sock (no holes) and put the measured amount of CYA you need. Tie the sock closed and either suspend it in front of a return (hang it from your brush pole works with something weighted on the deck) OR if it still allows flow thru the skimmer, place the sock in the skimmer. Every 15/20 minutes give the sock a squeeze to speed up the process or just leave it alone, your choice. Please DO NOT follow the directions on the container of CYA to just pour it into the skimmer and don't just toss the sock in the pool as the CYA is acidic and can bleach/stain pool finishes.

I would run your VS pump at low rate (on mine I use 1200 rpm). No need to run at high speed.

Take care.

 

[NickeBadare]

Thanks so much, sacrificing an old T-shirt for the cause and sticking it in the skimmer

 

[NickeBadare]

Last night:
FC 17
CC 1
This morning:
FC 14
CC 0.5

The CYA sock is about 75% dissolved. I forgot to mention that I have a Dolphin robot in there who's been running constantly and I forgot to empty it last night. I did so this morning and there was a little bit of organic material in there, grass, leaves and some hair. Could that affect things? I also noticed a little bit of algae on one of the returns.
Do I keep adding chlorine and try to keep it at 16-18 all day and then to another OCLT in the morning?

 

[mknauss]

You follow the Maintain part of SLAM Process. Keep your FC at SLAM level as often as possible.

Brush the areas that can hide algae. You found one, the return.

The minor organic material in the robot is not significant.

Take care.

 

[tim5055]

Last night:
FC 17
CC 1
This morning:
FC 14
CC 0.5

The CYA sock is about 75% dissolved. I forgot to mention that I have a Dolphin robot in there who's been running constantly and I forgot to empty it last night. I did so this morning and there was a little bit of organic material in there, grass, leaves and some hair. Could that affect things? I also noticed a little bit of algae on one of the returns.
Do I keep adding chlorine and try to keep it at 16-18 all day and then to another OCLT in the morning?

At this point you are in SLAM Process mode because you failed the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. Don't go out of your way to do another Overnight Chlorine Loss Test until you think the SLAM Process may be ending (clear water and low CC).

Keep teh pool at full shock level as much as you can and brush it down once a day.

If yo haven't done so, turn off the SWCG during the SLAM Process

 

[NickeBadare]

You follow the Maintain part of SLAM Process. Keep your FC at SLAM level as often as possible.

Brush the areas that can hide algae. You found one, the return.

The minor organic material in the robot is not significant.

Take care.

Thanks a lot, the help in here is really outstanding.

- - - Updated - - -

At this point you are in SLAM Process mode because you failed the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. Don't go out of your way to do another Overnight Chlorine Loss Test until you think the SLAM Process may be ending (clear water and low CC).

Keep teh pool at full shock level as much as you can and brush it down once a day.

If yo haven't done so, turn off the SWCG during the SLAM Process

Thanks, my water has been pretty clear all along, and I did turn off the SWCG before I started. Really appreciate the help.