Nasty Black Pool Inherited from Home Purchase

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THE SLAM IS BACK ON!!!! Took apart the multiport and it just needed to be cleaned! I am happy about that. No more leaking coming from the backwash pipe. I also replaced the gasket for the filter and that is looking good as well. The old gasket didn't look too bad so maybe I just didn't have the clamp on tight enough. It is raining right now :(. I added the necessary amount of bleach and tested 30mins later. I am at 12.5 FC. Will test again in about an hour to see where I am at and add more. Excited I am!!!
 
awtrizzle said:
So I was going to start the SLAM today. I got my TF-100 today and took my readings. Added three gallons of bleach in the pool and checked 30 mins later. I had reached my mark of 12ppm FC.

16k gallon IG
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Just something to be aware of. 3 of your 121oz jugs of bleach in a 16k gallon pool would have actually raised the FC to something more like 22. The fact that you read 12 just 30 minutes later gives you an idea of how quickly bleach is used up killing all that algae in your "swamp". Letting it drop back to 5 before dosing again is not ideal. Your goal should be to keep the FC at or above your pool's shock level of 12 at all times for maximum speed/efficiency of getting the pool cleared up.
 
You must not have finished the thread. I didn't continue the SLAM after that. I understand the theory of keeping it above shock level. Not being an arse just clarifying.
Also when I started I had zero chlorine in the pool. Three jugs wasn't toooo far off from what I was looking for. I needed 290 oz to go from 0-12. Three jugs is 363 and would have only put me at 15.
I do believe that it would have been higher at 3 jugs than 12ppm FC so that I can agree with.


16k gallon IG, Hayward Super Pump, Polaris Booster Pump, Hayward DE filter, 2 skimmers and a main drain?, 4 returns that I can see, Vinyl liner w/aluminum coping
 
Have you taken a starting point picture of your steps? It will help you see the chance each day. It will really come in handy when you are getting close to the end and it is hard to see day by day if there is any improvement.

I am very excited to see how fast you can clear it. With your can do way and understanding of how important it is to keep it up or just over the SLAM level for FC you will go faster than others.

Kim
 
There was a picture of my steps from a few days ago. Maybe I can take a closer one. For you and for me. :)
8e54631a6756843be8d206eb267c003b.jpg



16k gallon IG, Hayward Super Pump, Polaris Booster Pump, Hayward DE filter, 2 skimmers and a main drain?, 4 returns that I can see, Vinyl liner w/aluminum coping
 
For anyone who is interested it is going good so far. In an hour I'm only losing 1ppm FC. I am trying not to check it so often. I'm just worried that I'll go out there and it will be at like 5. Lol
Anyways side question about my filter. It runs at 12psi clean. I backwash it at about 20 and the water is somewhat dirty but nothing crazy. The question is that it only takes about 20mins before I have to backwash. Do you think there's a problem with my filter grids? Is 12psi clean a high reading? My filter takes 7.5 lbs of DE and it doesn't take long at all to go through a box of it when I'm backwashing every 20mins. I'm looking for some suggestions. I want to get it cleaned up quickly and I know DE filters are the quickest. I just can't afford that much DE. This stinking pool has already taken so much from me. :(
Maybe I can run the filter every so often. Or only after a day or two of SLAMing. Have you seen any other methods work?
I know it hasn't been long but here is a comparison picture. I started at 12pm today. Top pic was before and taking in the sunlight. Might be the reason for the difference in color.
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16k gallon IG, Hayward Super Pump, Polaris Booster Pump, Hayward DE filter, 2 skimmers and a main drain?, 4 returns that I can see, Vinyl liner w/aluminum coping
 

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I should honestly give you mine. LOL I have it as an additive for the sand filter but I've only used it a couple of times and all I need is about 1/8 cup to raise my pressure by 1psi (the rules for adding it to a sand filter) but of course, I had to buy the big box of it cause that's all anyone had.

Then again, you'd need more than one box donation I suppose. On a positive note...that so much quicker for filtering than sand! This should be a one time thing so you'll hopefully never need this many supplies all at once ever again!

I like the pool party idea! Tell them it's a prepayment. It's not warm enough yet to swim anyway...but that thing will be sparkling by the time it gets warm enough to warm the water!

Good weather for slamming though. Tomorrow? Stupid cold and overcast. Great for your slam, not so great for my weekend...
 
Yeah I added the cost up a little bit ago and with the electrical work I had to do, replacing both pump motors, plumbing for waste hose, worn gaskets, junk from Leslie's (cal-hypo, test kit, algeacide and flocc), TF-100 test kit, de, cya and bleach. I've spent $1100 so far. If DE keeps going like it is I'll probably end up spending close to $1500 to get it opened.
That is what a pool guy quoted me to open it and replace both motors. My wife wishes we would have just paid him instead. I don't and am glad that I'm learning so much. Is going to make the future much cheaper and easier.
I don't like spending the money but that's what happens when you don't take care of a pool for over three years and everything rots. The whole house is like this. Roof, crawl space, deck, hot tub that I cut up and threw out, yard, pool. All of it. She just let it go to waste. Makes me so angry!!!!!


16k gallon IG, Hayward Super Pump, Polaris Booster Pump, Hayward DE filter, 2 skimmers and a main drain?, 4 returns that I can see, Vinyl liner w/aluminum coping
 
You have made an investment in the future of the pool with the test kit and motors. That is money you will not have to spend again in a long time. (of course you will have to buy refills for some of the test kit but.....)

It is a good thing you did not have the guy do the work. It would not have been a long term fix.

Kim
 
When I did our pool, I used up around 50-75lbs of DE from the start to finish of the SLAM (8 days). I was backwashing 4-5 times a day and more after scrubbing the pool. The local pool store suggested, draining and taking the filter lid off and just hosing down the grids to clean them when the backwashing was getting closer and closer together. It only takes about 10 mins, but it made backwashing easier. I was adding 3 scoops of DE after each backwash, but after talking to the woman at the store, she has me use 2 after a grid cleaning, then 1.5 the next backwash after that, then 1 for after any regular backwashing - that seems to be working. I have a 24 square ft. filter. I backwash about 1-2 times a day now, but I am still working on getting all the gunk out of the bottom and I sometimes still run the filter 12-24 hours after stirring it up.
 
fields_g said:
Since we are talking about the spider gasket... this is a good time to remind you that it the lever should only be rotated in one direction. I'm also going through my first season of pool ownership after buying a house. At pool opening, the person we hired to help told me this and I've seen this several other places since. I was told it could be either clockwise or counter-clockwise, but to be constant.
Click to expand...

I was told the same thing at the local pool store last year and asked about it on the forum. Here's a link to the thread, if interested:

http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/71650-Multiport-Valve-Handle-Rotation-Direction

Russ
 
So when I backwash I don't need to add the full amount that is on the filter? I thought I was washing ALL of the DE out and had to replace it ALL after backwashing. Is this not the case? I could save up some DE here if I have been doing it wrong.


16k gallon IG, Hayward Super Pump, Polaris Booster Pump, Hayward DE filter, 2 skimmers and a main drain?, 4 returns that I can see, Vinyl liner w/aluminum coping
 

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