Just started SLAM #3 this season...what am I doing wrong?

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Sunday update: Looks like one more day of the SLAM. Water is nice and clear! Doubt I officially passed the OCLT because I tested last night at 8:30, was down at 14, added bleach to get to 16 and went to bed. This morning at 6:30: FC 15. And of course lots of caterpillar poop and a couple offending caterpillars on pool floor 😆.

CYA this morning was down to 30 and it was at 40 when I started SLAM on Thursday (hence the 16 target).

Am having a tough time holding on to my CYA because I top off pool almost every day. Added more stabilizer

I know this is TFP blasphemy but until we replace liner and do major reno this fall I’m wondering if pucks might actually help me get through the rest of the season?

In the meantime I’m amusing myself with new liner/paver research and all the great photos here on TFP!!!
 
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Mike1162 said:
Nobody here will condemn you for using pucks (trichlor) if CYA is low. Where's the leak & have you tried patching it?
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Hi! I’ve patched a couple of small liner leaks but I think it’s in the return lines somewhere. Also some evaporation I’m sure because it’s so hot and our water temp is 80.

I should wait to put pucks in skimmer baskets until after SLAM is complete right?

And when I do I have no idea how many pucks to use!
 
Mike1162 said:
Put the pucks in a floater not the skimmer. I'd start by putting 2 pucks in & see how long they take to dissolve. When their half dissolved add another puck. You could use them during the slam but not when doing the OCLT.
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Oof I don’t have a floater. I just read about how the skimmer is bad/damaging unless you run pump 24/7, which makes sense. Could I switch to lower speed and run all the time and use skimmers? It’s only going to be about 5-6 more weeks and then we’re renovating the whole shebang.

I think I’ll wait to finish slam. Is the 2 puck amount What you’d recommend to maintain FC 7 for the pool? I have no sense of how quickly/effectively they work compared to liquid. I think the old pool company put like 3-4 in each skimmer for the week (which is maybe why we have a leak somewhere now!)
 
Katodude said:
Evaporation wont cause you to lose CYA, and a temp of 80 wont cause much degradation. Also if you are SLAMing nothing wrong with CYA being 30 instead of 40.
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Hi! I meant evaporation as part of the reason I have to top off every day (plus a suspected leak!)

Ah and yes I see how for a SLAM the low CYA is no biggie. I’ve just been finding that when I’m dropped down to 30 (which has happened a couple times this summer), I lose FC too fast and I’ve fallen below target a few times (which led to my July 4 algae problem and SLAM.). 40 seems to work better
 
For 33,000 gallons 2 pucks will not make much difference. Buy a $10 floater and fill it up. If you are doing a full drain as part of the renovation in about 6 weeks letting your CYA drift up wont be a big deal.

Your pool will still require regular testing to make sure you stay in the proper parameters.
 
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Jellwood said:
Oof I don’t have a floater. I just read about how the skimmer is bad/damaging unless you run pump 24/7, which makes sense. Could I switch to lower speed and run all the time and use skimmers? It’s only going to be about 5-6 more weeks and then we’re renovating the whole shebang.

I think I’ll wait to finish slam. Is the 2 puck amount What you’d recommend to maintain FC 7 for the pool? I have no sense of how quickly/effectively they work compared to liquid. I think the old pool company put like 3-4 in each skimmer for the week (which is maybe why we have a leak somewhere now!)
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I mean I will finish SLAM first and wait to use pucks!
 
Katodude said:
For 33,000 gallons 2 pucks will not make much difference. Buy a $10 floater and fill it up. If you are doing a full drain as part of the renovation in about 6 weeks letting your CYA drift up wont be a big deal.

Your pool will still require regular testing to make sure you stay in the proper parameters.
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Gotcha. Thanks. Fill the floater and keep testing!
 

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But finish your SLAM first. Also as I read all these threads people seem very eager to be finished with the SLAM. I think a pretty good rule of thumb is to run your SLAM for an extra day or two even after you pass all three criteria. Think about it as insurance. It should be very easy to keep those levels since there is nothing to kill anyway.
 
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GAH! Monday morning update: SLAM continues as I totally failed the OCLT: FC 14.5 at 8 pm and 12 at 7 this morning. Sun was up but not directly on pool. Water is clear. I’ve been brushing and using robot.

CYA is hovering around 35 which I know I should round up to 40.

Question: if I’m using FC 16 slam level is it safe to swim at that “rounded up” CYA? it is SO HOT today.

Also dilemma: I’m still thinking I have major algae in my light niche but my husband doesn’t want me messing with it (even with breaker off).
 
The light comes out as an assembly with the cord attached so your not really exposed to the wiring. Only draw back I have found is getting the screw started without dropping it while holding the light back in place :)

My understand from the expert folks here is as long as your under the SLAM level it's OK to swim
 
Morning! Thanks. SLAM swimming: that’s what I’ve read too but I was nervous since I’m working with a rounded up CYA.

The light fixture is really old, like the rest of the pool, and we’re both nervous to go in there. That said, I really want to solve this algae problem once and for all!!!
 
Jellwood said:
Morning! Thanks. SLAM swimming: that’s what I’ve read too but I was nervous since I’m working with a rounded up CYA.

The light fixture is really old, like the rest of the pool, and we’re both nervous to go in there. That said, I really want to solve this algae problem once and for all!!!
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If it's old the screw might break off :(
 
Jellwood said:
What’s also weird about the blobs is that they keep seemingly “appearing” out of nowhere. There’s no vegetation dropping into pool. The floor will be clean and then an hour later I see a few more blobs here and there. I hit the deep end ones with the brush to break them up and scoop the shallow end ones with the net.
Will reread ABCs!
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Could it be bird poop? I had trouble for awhile with bird poop
 

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