- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,775
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
New member, New POOL! Hi Trouble Free Pool!!
- Thread starter Oz Swimmer
- Start date
Hey guys! I could start another thread, or this could be moved, not sure.
Yesterday I came home to a slightly hazy deep end, checked FC @ 4.5. Dosed up straightaway with bleach and turned up the SWG.
Anyway, did the overnight test and lost 2.5 overnight. I'm frustrated!
For nearly 7 days the SWG was on pretty much 0%-15% while I was letting the FC drift down to 5ppm - 7ppm - could this be the cause? Anyway, I'm not keen to go through another SLAM at the moment... work schedule, etc, etc. My plan was to keep the chlorine dosed up to 10ppm for the next couple of weeks before our swimming season comes to an end. We are about to finish up here down under. I will do some draining and refilling to bring down my CYA in readiness for a long long SLAM at <50 CYA once swimming season is over. Interesting that after raising FC to 10 yesterday and running the SWG at 75% today the pool is clear again. I've enabled 'share logs' in the pool math app, can you guys see them?
Latest test logs
FC 11
CC 0
pH 7.5
TA 130
CH 325
CYA 70
SALT 4600
Yesterday I came home to a slightly hazy deep end, checked FC @ 4.5. Dosed up straightaway with bleach and turned up the SWG.
Anyway, did the overnight test and lost 2.5 overnight. I'm frustrated!
For nearly 7 days the SWG was on pretty much 0%-15% while I was letting the FC drift down to 5ppm - 7ppm - could this be the cause? Anyway, I'm not keen to go through another SLAM at the moment... work schedule, etc, etc. My plan was to keep the chlorine dosed up to 10ppm for the next couple of weeks before our swimming season comes to an end. We are about to finish up here down under. I will do some draining and refilling to bring down my CYA in readiness for a long long SLAM at <50 CYA once swimming season is over. Interesting that after raising FC to 10 yesterday and running the SWG at 75% today the pool is clear again. I've enabled 'share logs' in the pool math app, can you guys see them?
Latest test logs
FC 11
CC 0
pH 7.5
TA 130
CH 325
CYA 70
SALT 4600
Added pool math short cut to my signature, so hopefully that link works, please let me know. Cheers!
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,775
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Algae is a fickle foe… it likes to hide!
While its still swimmable weather put on goggles & go hunting. Drain covers, light niches, water features, ladder rails, skimmer throats/weir foam, abandoned ports etc. When u find the source you will know & a short slam duration will likely eradicate your issue once the source is eliminated.
While its still swimmable weather put on goggles & go hunting. Drain covers, light niches, water features, ladder rails, skimmer throats/weir foam, abandoned ports etc. When u find the source you will know & a short slam duration will likely eradicate your issue once the source is eliminated.
+1. Every inch is suspect until proven otherwise. Something has old water in it or needs a good removal and scrub.
OK, I've been over everything possible again, both in the water and out! I have no ladder, no water feature, surface mount lights, skimnmer is scrubbed top to toe. I cant remove the main drain cover and i don't want to force it. It's large, plastic, anti vortex design. It doesn't just unscrew. Knowing Australian nanny guidelines it has to be fixed permanently for safety reasons. I got a bottle brush inside as best I could.
Interesting the cartridge filter was quiet yuk and slimy.... Could be an issue. I only changed it about a week ago but it was more dirty than I expected. I soak my filters in a trisodium phosphate solution before hosing. Should I also soak them in a bleach solution once clean to sanitise them? I deep cleaned the filter housing with bleach scrubbing it right out and changed in another freshly cleaned cartridge.
Water is still clear, only lost 1.0ppm FC overnight last night
Interesting the cartridge filter was quiet yuk and slimy.... Could be an issue. I only changed it about a week ago but it was more dirty than I expected. I soak my filters in a trisodium phosphate solution before hosing. Should I also soak them in a bleach solution once clean to sanitise them? I deep cleaned the filter housing with bleach scrubbing it right out and changed in another freshly cleaned cartridge.
Water is still clear, only lost 1.0ppm FC overnight last night
Absolutely could have been it. Here is to hoping its the only 'it'
Nope. Clean the gunk and the pool water will get right to work on anything the hose missed.
Thats a borderline pass if the CCs were .5 or 0. I'd stay at SLAM for at least another day.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,775
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
For posterity’s sake you can also squirt a little liquid chlorine around the drain cover so u know u got anything u can’t scrub away. Hopefully it was just the gunk in the filter- I would raise to slam & do one more Overnight Chlorine Loss Test before calling it good. U don’t have any errant pool toys that could be growing things do u?
OK, so SLAM is back on.
I have a reduced CYA (35), from draining refilling. Tested 3 times to confirm! This, added with my discovery (on this forum) of only using a 5mL sample for chlorine test, will save my titration solution and also save liquid gold consumption. I'm Slamming at CYA 40 level in poolmath. I'm in a position now to maintain SLAM level for a week or more. The weather has really cooled down here, starting to wind up swimming season. Already brown dust settling on floor in little circles and semi circles- algae is there, even in crystal clear water. Will vac to waste. Going to rip the filter and housing apart multiple times, to scrub and clean at SLAM levels, as well as all the other scrubbing as per SLAM Process
I have a reduced CYA (35), from draining refilling. Tested 3 times to confirm! This, added with my discovery (on this forum) of only using a 5mL sample for chlorine test, will save my titration solution and also save liquid gold consumption. I'm Slamming at CYA 40 level in poolmath. I'm in a position now to maintain SLAM level for a week or more. The weather has really cooled down here, starting to wind up swimming season. Already brown dust settling on floor in little circles and semi circles- algae is there, even in crystal clear water. Will vac to waste. Going to rip the filter and housing apart multiple times, to scrub and clean at SLAM levels, as well as all the other scrubbing as per SLAM Process
Great !! Always round up. Save yourself the trouble of guessing a 30- whatever and only fill to the 10s.
A hose spraying of the cartridge is usually enough. Look for a 25% PSI increase to know its time.
Is the water still clear ?
OCLT passed with zero loss. Letting FC drift back down now after 6 days at slam. The pool was my life for a while, brushing, vaccing, scrubbing. Filter cart's and filter housing deep cleaned several times. Everything is sparkling. Fingers crossed I got it, will just keep a close eye on it.
As long as you keep the levels where they belong the chances of it going south is next to none. One of the most important levels is the FC. Don't skirt/flirt with the minimum but rather the higher side of the targeted FC level for the given CYA.
OK, I think I can officially make the announcement….
Touch wood I now have a Trouble Free Pool! Thank you all. I would like to finish up this thread with a few comments in case there are people out there pursuing the same goals and facing similar challenges while trying to change over from a ‘pool shop pool’ to a ‘Trouble_Free_Pool.’ This thread may be of use for future readers too.
Almost 2 weeks post SLAM- Pool is clear, and staying clear! Chemistry is stable, in particular FC. SWG is adding 2-3ppm FC a day, minimal (if any) loss each night. I’m still testing FC twice a day at least. I’m heading into pool closing in the coming weeks, so the sun is really leaning down, minimising lose to sunlight. Going to leave CYA @ 50 until spring.
It took me over a month and 3 slams, but I got there. I should have done the first slam like the last! I have learnt a lot along the way, all from this website. Done properly the SLAM level should be maintained for days,even after you think you have got it. Also scrubbing and cleaning everything when the pool water is at elevated SLAM level. Paying particular attention to the filter cartridge and housing/ pump basket, skimmers, everything, blankets, toys, lights, drains, everything is suspect!
My first attempts at a SLAM where not followed through properly. Perhaps a SLAM at CYA 75 with a SLAM FC target of over 30 was problematic in maintaining with my level of experience. From what I understand the MAINTAIN part of the process is critical in ensuring the algae is destroyed faster than it can multiply. The high FC slam level is required to speed up the killing so the Algae cannot reproduce faster than it is being wiped out. Maintaining a high FC level is important to completely ‘sterilise’ the water. I have since learned that you don’t have to necessarily raise the FC level to kill Algae- Algae is killed at low FC levels too, just no where near as quickly, as like during a SLAM.
I’ve read through all the forum posts by Chem geek from 2007 and feel I have an excellent understanding of the relationship between Chlorine and CYA. Very well written, researched and put together in such an easy way to understand. I’ve read it all! That person (Richard I believe) deserves recognition for what he has compiled for the community, thank you.
My basic understanding- A Chlorine/ CYA ratio of 20% has far less active chlorine that a pool with 3ppm FC and zero CYA.
Until I really get my head around my pools needs of FC, I’m happy to target anywhere between 7.5-20% ratio. The water feels fine, no chlorine smell/ feel at all observed by all swimmers. My focus now is % of FC to CYA, not FC alone. I realise I may lose more FC than if I was running it lower, but I will look more closely at this next season.
Touch wood I now have a Trouble Free Pool! Thank you all. I would like to finish up this thread with a few comments in case there are people out there pursuing the same goals and facing similar challenges while trying to change over from a ‘pool shop pool’ to a ‘Trouble_Free_Pool.’ This thread may be of use for future readers too.
Almost 2 weeks post SLAM- Pool is clear, and staying clear! Chemistry is stable, in particular FC. SWG is adding 2-3ppm FC a day, minimal (if any) loss each night. I’m still testing FC twice a day at least. I’m heading into pool closing in the coming weeks, so the sun is really leaning down, minimising lose to sunlight. Going to leave CYA @ 50 until spring.
It took me over a month and 3 slams, but I got there. I should have done the first slam like the last! I have learnt a lot along the way, all from this website. Done properly the SLAM level should be maintained for days,even after you think you have got it. Also scrubbing and cleaning everything when the pool water is at elevated SLAM level. Paying particular attention to the filter cartridge and housing/ pump basket, skimmers, everything, blankets, toys, lights, drains, everything is suspect!
My first attempts at a SLAM where not followed through properly. Perhaps a SLAM at CYA 75 with a SLAM FC target of over 30 was problematic in maintaining with my level of experience. From what I understand the MAINTAIN part of the process is critical in ensuring the algae is destroyed faster than it can multiply. The high FC slam level is required to speed up the killing so the Algae cannot reproduce faster than it is being wiped out. Maintaining a high FC level is important to completely ‘sterilise’ the water. I have since learned that you don’t have to necessarily raise the FC level to kill Algae- Algae is killed at low FC levels too, just no where near as quickly, as like during a SLAM.
I’ve read through all the forum posts by Chem geek from 2007 and feel I have an excellent understanding of the relationship between Chlorine and CYA. Very well written, researched and put together in such an easy way to understand. I’ve read it all! That person (Richard I believe) deserves recognition for what he has compiled for the community, thank you.
My basic understanding- A Chlorine/ CYA ratio of 20% has far less active chlorine that a pool with 3ppm FC and zero CYA.
Until I really get my head around my pools needs of FC, I’m happy to target anywhere between 7.5-20% ratio. The water feels fine, no chlorine smell/ feel at all observed by all swimmers. My focus now is % of FC to CYA, not FC alone. I realise I may lose more FC than if I was running it lower, but I will look more closely at this next season.
Shoot for 1 or 2 PPM over target as that is plenty of wiggle room. If the SWG makes a little too much, laugh about it.