Long SLAM now this

[Sierra54]

We opened the pool Memorial Day weekend to a nasty green swamp. Used the tf-100 and adjusted pH as needed and proceeded to SLAM with 12.5% liquid chlorine. After about 2.5 weeks we passed the ONCLT for 2 consecutive nights.

Our issue is that we are still getting a dusting of what I hope is dead algea on the pool floor. I vacuum it everyday and everyday it comes back. Short of vacuuming it to waste, would something like GLB clear blue help clump this up so my sand filter can catch this so I could then backwash it. It looks like a light brownish streak on the pool floor. The water has been crystal clear since 1.5 weeks into the SLAM.

Thank you;

 

[mknauss]

If that is reoccurring, you did not pass the three criteria for a successful SLAM. I suspect you need to follow the SLAM Process

 

[Sierra54]

If that is reoccurring, you did not pass the three criteria for a successful SLAM. I suspect you need to follow the SLAM Process

Well Crud. I did also pass the CC with < 0.5. I already brought the stabilizer up to 70.

The water remains clear, CC remains < 0.5 at 3 days out.

I'd hate to start slamming this thing again.

 

[mknauss]

Crystal clear water is the first criteria to pass for a successful SLAM. The fact you have recurring dead algae is a sign you do not have crystal clear water.

Up to you. With a sand filter sometimes getting all the fines out can take time. Did you do the DE addition at the end of the SLAM?

 

[Sierra54]

No DE, the sand filter is about 7 years old with original sand. That's why I was thinking that the filter just wasn't catching all the "dead algae".

Worth it to try the GLB clear blue clarifier and possibly algymicin 2000 I have lying around or would that just be a bandaid? Or add some DE and see if it picks it up.

Thank you,

 

[IceShadow]

Older sand actually works better than newer sand. Backwashing doesn’t get all the gunk out though, just most of it. Opening your filter and doing a deep clean once a year or so is a good idea, and if your SLAM is stalled, highly recommended.

 

[Sierra54]

Older sand actually works better than newer sand. Backwashing doesn’t get all the gunk out though, just most of it. Opening your filter and doing a deep clean once a year or so is a good idea, and if your SLAM is stalled, highly recommended.

I restarted the slam as my cya wasn't as high as I expected after adding some stabilizer. I'm still getting a dusting of algea along the seams and pockets in the liner. The water remains crystal clear. I'm planning to do a deep clean of the sand filter at this point. Do I need to pick out something to clean the sand or just pull the top off the filter and flush it with a garden hose?

Thanks.

 

[IceShadow]

See here:

Deep Cleaning a Sand Filter

This post will walk you through the anatomy of a sand filter, and then provide a video at the end for how to deep clean your sand filter. The filter used in the photos and videos is a Hayward S180T top mount sand filter. The images are of a similar filter. Obviously not all filters are...

www.troublefreepool.com

If the pool is clear, that’s likely less about the filter and more about hidden spots algae could still be hiding, as a heads-up.

 

[Sierra54]

See here:

Deep Cleaning a Sand Filter

This post will walk you through the anatomy of a sand filter, and then provide a video at the end for how to deep clean your sand filter. The filter used in the photos and videos is a Hayward S180T top mount sand filter. The images are of a similar filter. Obviously not all filters are...

www.troublefreepool.com

If the pool is clear, that’s likely less about the filter and more about hidden spots algae could still be hiding, as a heads-up.

Thanks. Not sure what more I can do then. I am keeping the FC above slam level with liquid chlorine before and after work and running the swg at 85% while at work to maintain the levels. I drop it to 0% after work and I vacuum as needed and brush every inch after work and before bed. I am getting around the drains, skimmers, wet deck, steps, bubblers and lights. No ladder.

No matter what I do, I am getting lines of algea at the liner seams every morning and when I get home from work. At this point I'm ready to keep it well above slam levels for a couple days and see what happens. Any harm in this?

Our weather has been near upper 90's for a few weeks with all day sun. I consistently leave FC at about 3-4 above slam level in the am and come home to 3-4 below slam level after work. With the swg running at 85%, I'm surprised to be losing so much FC. The salt cell was replaced last year and the plates looks perfect. I've never had an issue like this. I opened the pool Memorial Day weekend and it was a swamp with strings of algea but it went to clear in just over a week.

Edit: Before bed I vacuumed and brushed it again and added chlorine to bring it above slam levels by about 5. Woke up this morning to no algea along the seams. I bumped the swg back up to 80% to maintain the FC levels while at work. Hoping it looks the same when I get home later today so I can do an ONCL test soon.

 

[Pzzl]

Are there lights in this pool?
I had the same issues you are having and finally followed the directions to remove the lights. Back side of the lights looked like a swamp monster.

I’m guessing the culprit is hidden areas that are breeding this

 

[Sierra54]

Are there lights in this pool?
I had the same issues you are having and finally followed the directions to remove the lights. Back side of the lights looked like a swamp monster.

I’m guessing the culprit is hidden areas that are breeding this

While I have been scrubbing around the light fixtures, I had not removed them to clean behind them. We have TR Smith Treo LEDs. I pulled out the fixture and the trim ring around it. There was indeed some algae behind the 2 lights and the rings. I cleaned thoroughly and removed every bit I could get at.

Thank you mentioning cleaning behind the lights. You may have saved us $$ and my sanity.

Pool was cleaned again and may try an ONCL test tonight.

 

[Pzzl]

While I have been scrubbing around the light fixtures, I had not removed them to clean behind them. We have TR Smith Treo LEDs. I pulled out the fixture and the trim ring around it. There was indeed some algae behind the 2 lights and the rings. I cleaned thoroughly and removed every bit I could get at.

Thank you mentioning cleaning behind the lights. You may have saved us $$ and my sanity.

Pool was cleaned again and may try an ONCL test tonight.

I am so happy to hear! I am day 4 of a SLAM myself and now kicking myself I didn’t pull the lights until today. Also soak or throw out any tools you’ve used. My vacuum head has small cavities for weights that collect and trap small drops of water. Guess where I found algae growing! The head was sitting in the corner of the yard too!

 

[Sierra54]

Update:

Sorry, busy with work and trying to stay on top of the pool issues so I have not been able to update with my continued problems.

After removing the light fixtures and cleaning behind them, I am still getting a 1-2 brownish dime sized algae spots in the morning. By the time I get home from work it has spread to the seams of the liner. It remains above shock level the entire time. Besides removing the main drain covers and doing a deep clean of the sand filter, I don't know what else I can do. I have been brushing it 2+ times daily, keeping it above SLAM levels with 12.5% LC but the algae keeps coming. Besides what I mentioned I have scrubbed every inch of the pool. I even flushed out the water line that was left sealed with anti-freeze that we had installed should we decide to get a slide some day. The anti-freeze still smelled fresh and was a clean pink, but I flushed it with SLAM water and I still keep getting the algae.

When I opened the pool my values were:
FC: 0
CH:125
TA: 50:
CYA: 50
pH: 7.8

I added acid to lower the pH to 7.2 and proceeded to SLAM. We ended up getting a lot of rain and I was backwashing/rinsing the filter as needed and my CYA is now at 30. The past several nights I am seeing similar results. I go to bed with FC at 22. By 7am it will drop by 1 or 2. When I leave for work, I set the SWG to 85%. When I get home by 5 or 7, my FC has dropped to 14 and the SWG increases it's output on it's own to 97% while the water temps may have increased by 2 degrees.

I don't think I can easily remove the drain covers, should I try to dump some cal-hypo into the main drains to kill what may be growing in there. Or should I deep clean the sand filter. Or both?

With the CYA at 30 can the sun burn off the FC that much while I have the SWG running during the day while at work?

In the 6-7 years I've been following TFP...I've never had a problem like this.

Approaching week 5 of this SLAM.

Thank you,

 

[Lilypad]

Check the back of the skimmer weir doors…especially the foam on the back. Algae has been
found hiding out there on several recent SLAMs. Any removable stairs?

 

[Sierra54]

Check the back of the skimmer weir doors…especially the foam on the back. Algae has been
found hiding out there on several recent SLAMs. Any removable stairs?

No stairs. Steps up to a wet deck with bubbles which are clean. I removed the flapper doors on the skimmers and they were clean. I used a different brush to clean around the back side the face plate to the skimmer and started to see bits of brownish yellow debris fall away. I ended up taking a small wooden skewer and broke it into 2 and used this to scrap all of the chunks from the inside lip of the skimmer's faceplate. Some rather large chunks did come loose but they felt rather spongy. Not sure if was a large chunk algae or is there foam behind the lip of the skimmer's..

Is this face plate to the skimmer removeable to make sure I cleaned behind it sufficiently?

Thanks again.

 

[Lilypad]

Sounds like you found something that might be contributing to your FC loss. I'm not familiar with vinyl
pools or that type of skimmer. Maybe @IceShadow or @borjis can assist? Someone will chime in!

 

[IceShadow]

I haven’t had to remove my faceplate yet - I’d be worried about water getting behind the liner if the water level were at or above it. I believe there is a foam gasket there.

 

[Sierra54]

I haven’t had to remove my faceplate yet - I’d be worried about water getting behind the liner if the water level were at or above it. I believe there is a foam gasket there.

I let some of the pieces soak in bleach and they are bits of foam. Are the drain covers removeable without unscrewing every screw on the cover?

Woke up to the same small spots on the perimeter of the bottom of the pool.

Just getting disgusted with this.

I haven’t had to remove my faceplate yet - I’d be worried about water getting behind the liner if the water level were at or above it. I believe there is a foam gasket there.

I took the drain covers off and cleaned inside the main drains. Pump was shut off and and exterior kill switch was off to ensure no one could turn it on. Had wife watch while I removed the 2 screws that held the safety screen on. There was algae and a bunch of crud down there. I cleaned every part of it that I could get to with a stiff bristled brush and a tooth brush. When finished, I used a turkey baster to fill both drains with bleach again.

Covers are back on and I will continue with this perpetual SLAM. If this doesn't do it, on to the filter.

Still disgusted.

 

[Sierra54]

I let some of the pieces soak in bleach and they are bits of foam. Are the drain covers removeable without unscrewing every screw on the cover?

Woke up to the same small spots on the perimeter of the bottom of the pool.

Just getting disgusted with this.

I took the drain covers off and cleaned inside the main drains. Pump was shut off and and exterior kill switch was off to ensure no one could turn it on. Had wife watch while I removed the 2 screws that held the safety screen on. There was algae and a bunch of crud down there. I cleaned every part of it that I could get to with a stiff bristled brush and a tooth brush. When finished, I used a turkey baster to fill both drains with bleach again.

Covers are back on and I will continue with this perpetual SLAM. If this doesn't do it, on to the filter.

Still disgusted.

I deep cleaned the sand filter and plan to do another complete set of tests and resume the SLAM. Adding water to the pool now to bring it up to the correct level after much evaporation and a backwash/rinse after the deep clean.

 

[Mdragger88]

I see those solar ring things in your avatar pic-have u cleaned them?
Did u lower fc back to normal levels? Did the spots get worse or stay the same?