Need some help with a little green pool.

[DSK]

Hello,
I have a quick question for you all. We have had about 5" of rain around here and I have been away for a few days and I fine my pool to be a little limish. I have started slamming it but also find my levels are all over the place. So I wanted to ask where to start, PH is high, (7.9) but TA is low at (58).Hardness is a little low at 191 but that can wait. I guess my question is should get TA up first or bring down PH first?

Thanks

 

[xyz]

Look up SMAM in pool School.

What it will tell you is to get your PH to 7.2 [I think, so check], and then stop measuring pH because at elevated SLAM levels, the pH test is not valid.

And take the AM part of SLAM seriously. That is the key that will get you there.

 

[mknauss]

Your test results appear to be from a Pool store? Hard to measure a TA of 58 and CH of 191.

Once you have your own test kit post your results here and we can provide feedback. Most likely a SLAM is in order. You will need a FAS-DPD test for that as your FC will be well above 10 during the SLAM..

Take care.

 

[DSK]

Your test results appear to be from a Pool store? Hard to measure a TA of 58 and CH of 191.

Once you have your own test kit post your results here and we can provide feedback. Most likely a SLAM is in order. You will need a FAS-DPD test for that as your FC will be well above 10 during the SLAM..

Take care.

I have the test kit recommended here and have started the slamming. I was jus wondering if I should also address the PH or Ta as well while slamming the pool

 

[mknauss]

Lower the pH to 7.2 and SLAM. No need to test pH while slamming due to high FC. Address the TA after the SLAM

Good deal on the test kit. How did you get the results? The drop based kits do not provide results to that resolution.

Take care.

 

[DSK]

So I just ran my own test. I confess I took a sample to the pool store because I had to go out anyway.

FC 3.5
Cc .5
PH 7.5
Ch 200
Cya ( I didnt test because it's too dark out to judge but the last time I did it was above 45 so this isn't far off)
TA 70

I am dong a mini slam because the pool isn't too greenish and the filter is working. I have adding 128oz of 12.5 liquid bleach to raise chorline level to around 10. I will test tonight before bed and in the morning before sun gets to it to see how much it's dropped and decide if mega slam is needed. I was wondering if it's ok to be adjusting the TA and PH at th same time? Thanks

 

[mknauss]

You follow this Pool School - Lower Total Alkalinity to lower TA though I do not think you need to mess with it.

Take care.

 

[xyz]

So I just ran my own test. I confess I took a sample to the pool store because I had to go out anyway.

FC 3.5
Cc .5
PH 7.5
Ch 200
Cya ( I didnt test because it's too dark out to judge but the last time I did it was above 45 so this isn't far off)
TA 70

I am dong a mini slam because the pool isn't too greenish and the filter is working. I have adding 128oz of 12.5 liquid bleach to raise chorline level to around 10. I will test tonight before bed and in the morning before sun gets to it to see how much it's dropped and decide if mega slam is needed. I was wondering if it's ok to be adjusting the TA and PH at th same time? Thanks

I don't think there is any such thing as a mini or mega SLAM. You either are at the SLAM level, and are killing algae faster that more is growing, or you are not and you are not.

Also, the more quickly you reach SLAM level, the faster you are winning the battle and the FEWER DAYS (sometimes weeks) you will need to SLAM.

Suggest you not worry about TA and pH until after getting crystal clear, and instead, focus on solving the algae (green).

So get a good CYA measurement (full sun, back to sun, measure in your body's shadow). Until let's assume the 45 is close. We round up, so you are at 50.

So your SLAM level is FC 20. check 4 or more times a day and keep it at 20 until:

1) water is crystal clear
2) CC is 0.5 or less
3) OCLT is 1.0 or less

 

[DSK]

So before I went to bed last night I tested the FC again. At 11pm I had a FC of 8. This morning at 7am and before the sun gets to the pool it's at a FC 7. So I didn't drop much at all over night. Pool pump running 24hrs and just did backwash. I hear what your saying about the slam but what do think of these compared levels?
Thanks

 

[domct203]

So I just ran my own test. I confess I took a sample to the pool store because I had to go out anyway.

FC 3.5
Cc .5
PH 7.5
Ch 200
Cya ( I didnt test because it's too dark out to judge but the last time I did it was above 45 so this isn't far off)
TA 70

I am dong a mini slam because the pool isn't too greenish and the filter is working. I have adding 128oz of 12.5 liquid bleach to raise chorline level to around 10. I will test tonight before bed and in the morning before sun gets to it to see how much it's dropped and decide if mega slam is needed. I was wondering if it's ok to be adjusting the TA and PH at th same time? Thanks

Adding 128oz of 12.5 bleach will only add 4.6ppm to FC, and is why you were at 8ppm at 11pm last night.

Does the pool still have a green tint to it? Is the water a crystal clear green, or a bit cloudy green?

 

[DSK]

The water is still tinted green but is better. I have my robot stirring up the bottom so it's a little cloudy. It's very sunny and humid today so I will test in awhile, the sun is off the pool by 5pm so at that point I will go be able to give it a good slam (20) and see what we got in the morning. My work schedule makes it hard for me To do full TFP method so when I'm going to by unable to add liquid chorine for a couple of days I tend to drop in A float tablet. It generally works out ok for season. I don't use my puck chorinator once the season is going just during the opening weeks. Just so much rain these past couple of weeks including last night so I think that may have diluted my readings this a morning.

 

[xyz]

So before I went to bed last night I tested the FC again. At 11pm I had a FC of 8. This morning at 7am and before the sun gets to the pool it's at a FC 7. So I didn't drop much at all over night. Pool pump running 24hrs and just did backwash. I hear what your saying about the slam but what do think of these compared levels?
Thanks

This is good news!

What I think is, start your SLAM now. I would definitely get your FC up to 20 ASAP, check it 4 times a day and keep it there until you meet or exceed all 3 criteria.

HeRe is why:

SLAM criteria:

1) OCLT less than or equal to 1.0--PASS (barely)
2) CC less than or equal to 0.5--????
3) water is crystal clear (someone called it gin clear, I like this metaphor)--FAIL

Since you cant pass a SLAM, you want to SLAM.

Unless someone added green food coloring, you have stuff to kill.

Also, brush to disrupt anything growing on the pool surface.


So get that SLAM started, you won't regret it.