Is there something else to test for that is not usually tested that could be giving me this issue. Its not phosphates, nor algae. What else could impede my fc?
New to Saltwater Generators
- Thread starter Pensruleice
- Start date
- Jul 4, 2012
- 749
- Pool Size
- 21000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
SLAM is a process, not just a single high dose of chlorine. 99% certain you have a low level algae problem. Your FC level dropped significantly in a short amount of time, something is consuming it. Complete the SLAM process as described and your problem is gone probably within a few days.
BenB
Gold Supporter
- Jul 24, 2020
- 277
- Pool Size
- 19500
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
Why would you prefer some esoteric answer over the far more likely and straightforward solution?
When you go to the doctor do you dismiss "you have a cold" and instead try to argue you must have caught a rare case of Indonesian Bat Flu despite having not left the house? When you receive a prescription for 5mg/2/day do you instead take thinking that that's all you need?
I think everybody here has been more than patient, but you just don't seem willing to do what is necessary - instead ignoring the simple advice, taking half measures everywhere and then coming back to report that nothing changes.
You are upset at the expense but the truth is that by not doing a real SLAM, every drop of chlorine you've used is completely wasted when within a day the algae or bacteria or whatever has been able to multiply back to their original lev by not doing it properly.
You would be finished by now and spent less just to do it once and do it right.
Sorry to be blunt, but you're just not getting to the cause.
What you're doing is akin to taking your car to the shop because you just can't keep air in the tires. Tire guy insists you need to remove the nails from your tires and patch. You insist the tires are fine because you bought some expensive tires, along with two shiny air compressors. He is looking at you a bit strangely, wondering where the cameras are because this must be a prank. Nope, you know best so you go and put some more air in your tires. A couple days later it's sitting on the rims again.
Ugh... Tire guy, what does he know. Anyone else have some esoteric reason for the air magically disappearing?
Nope. Still nails.
Something is pretty obviously consuming the chlorine you're adding to the water. If there wasn't, it'd still be there. It's either being used to disinfect an organic, or it's being broken down chemically (metals, ascorbic, acid, what have you). Regardless, the cause of your chronically low free chlorine levels can be solved by maintaining a high enough free chlorine level long enough to fully satisfy the demand. This is the SLAM process. If the level is falling back to zero, the demand is still high. By completing the full SLAM process, the demand will drop, and your chlorine levels will maintain.
You still need to pull the nails and patch the tires before they'll hold air.
What you're doing is akin to taking your car to the shop because you just can't keep air in the tires. Tire guy insists you need to remove the nails from your tires and patch. You insist the tires are fine because you bought some expensive tires, along with two shiny air compressors. He is looking at you a bit strangely, wondering where the cameras are because this must be a prank. Nope, you know best so you go and put some more air in your tires. A couple days later it's sitting on the rims again.
Ugh... Tire guy, what does he know. Anyone else have some esoteric reason for the air magically disappearing?
Nope. Still nails.
Something is pretty obviously consuming the chlorine you're adding to the water. If there wasn't, it'd still be there. It's either being used to disinfect an organic, or it's being broken down chemically (metals, ascorbic, acid, what have you). Regardless, the cause of your chronically low free chlorine levels can be solved by maintaining a high enough free chlorine level long enough to fully satisfy the demand. This is the SLAM process. If the level is falling back to zero, the demand is still high. By completing the full SLAM process, the demand will drop, and your chlorine levels will maintain.
You still need to pull the nails and patch the tires before they'll hold air.
I'm done posting. I don't need criticized. Thank you for all that genuinely wanted to help. I was going to update so that anyone in the future that had to contend with my personal conversion to saltwater would have an easier go at it. The tech at circupool agreed that this is not an algae issue. He gave me three specific things to do.
Edited - TFP Mod
Edited - TFP Mod
Hey, we understand this is frustrating. The "experts" here are sharing experience that you're seemingly unwilling to follow. People genuinely do want to see you resolve the issues you're having though, but if you choose to leave I do hope you find a solution that works.
I will say this, I became a pool owner for the first time last fall, and adopted the TFP methods right off the bat. I am still battling some very poor pool management from the previous owner, but my pool continues to dramatically improve. My water too was clear, but I had visible algae in areas that weren't easy to see (light niches and such). It was eating up liquid chlorine like it was going out of style, but the water was always very very clear. Once I scrubbed all that out and kept the FC levels up for a bit, I no longer have issues maintaining. In fact, I'm still cranking down my SWG to find my equilibrium. I'm only a single point of reference in the same, uh .. pool, but the methods have been resoundingly provable for myself and seemingly a lot of others.
I will say this, I became a pool owner for the first time last fall, and adopted the TFP methods right off the bat. I am still battling some very poor pool management from the previous owner, but my pool continues to dramatically improve. My water too was clear, but I had visible algae in areas that weren't easy to see (light niches and such). It was eating up liquid chlorine like it was going out of style, but the water was always very very clear. Once I scrubbed all that out and kept the FC levels up for a bit, I no longer have issues maintaining. In fact, I'm still cranking down my SWG to find my equilibrium. I'm only a single point of reference in the same, uh .. pool, but the methods have been resoundingly provable for myself and seemingly a lot of others.
DeanP66
0
The sad part is if the OP's water isn't even cloudy and looks good, the SLAM could take very little time to complete. Now he's stuck with almost 4k worth of SWGs and he can't even confirm if they are in fact in good working order. I suspect they are fine when you consider how much FC he lost overnight without them running.
I for one hope you'll reconsider; I'll speak only for myself that I really want to help -- and would love to know what other things the Circupool tech suggested.
I think the reason some are sounding frustrated is that you keep assuming it must be the SWCGs that caused the issue. The SWCGs being plumbed in, off or on, simply don't introduce anything that could possibly explain heavy chlorine usage. They're literally pieces of plastic with some small titanium plates inside. And the hydrogen bubbles you're seeing indicate the SWCGs are generating chlorine. Unless the salt you put in was contaminated/bad somehow, it's got to be something else.
I've seen experts on this site suggest an Ammonia problem as another cause of heavy chlorine use (no experience myself) that could have been there when you opened. The good news is that a SLAM can fix that too. You have added chlorine, but I don't believe you've done a SLAM -- Shock Level And Maintain. Your SLAM level FC is 31 ppm, so to do it you need to raise it to that level, and keep adding liquid chlorine a couple times a day to keep it at that level, until you don't need to add much to keep it there. It's a multi-day process that might take 15 gallons the first day, 10 the second, 5 the third, and so on. Yes, you might go through, say, 50 gallons, and it might cost $150-200 (or more or less). But unlike traditional "shock it every week" methods, this is a one-time thing, after which we really believe you will be able to maintain chlorine levels with the SWCGs alone.
I totally get the hesitance to chase random things that people on the internet suggest -- I was skeptical when we bought our house a few years ago and I came across this site. But the principles really are based in simple chemistry science, and one of the basic ones is that overnight, with no sun or swimmers' byproducts using up chlorine, levels should remain pretty steady if there aren't bad things consuming them like algae or ammonia. Salt, SWCGs, etc, simply don't cause that loss.
I wish you the best whichever path you go on, but really hope it's here, because I for one like working through a problem to solve (and even better, a problem solved).
- Jun 12, 2011
- 3,761
- Pool Size
- 19500
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pureline Crystal Pure 60,000
You have never done a SLAM. That is Shock Level and MAINTAIN. A SLAM requires that you meet 3 criteria before allowing the chlorine levels to drop below shock level. Just raising chlorine level doesn’t clear algae, its maintaining the shock level. Since shock level is dependent on CYA level, the puck feeders are constantly adding CYA, which just increases the chlorine level you need to kill the algae. If you aren’t interested in following any of the TFP methods and protocols, its very hard to give you any help
The pool industry has conditioned everyone to see a product called "shock" and they think it's a one and done process.
mguzzy
Gold Supporter
2) This one stuck out at me and no one caught it (or I missed it). What algaecide are you using? some of them react with chlorine and so you may be creating a chemical soup that sucks all the Chlorine out of the water and you are not realizing it.
Something makes me wonder if something else odd (chemical wise) was added to this water and it is chewing thru the chlorine?? But what??
Testing the output from a return directly (holding air in cup, run down the wall to an outlet and fill from return. Hold hand over and remove to test)
would confirm the SWGs working properly or not.
Maddie
Testing the output from a return directly (holding air in cup, run down the wall to an outlet and fill from return. Hold hand over and remove to test)
would confirm the SWGs working properly or not.
Maddie
jeremycrook
Gold Supporter
- Sep 26, 2016
- 225
- Pool Size
- 11000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Truclear / Ei
Crack the pipe directly after the SWG and test the water dripping out. This helped me verify that the SWG was working as expected.
mguzzy
Gold Supporter
Stick a tube in the return jet and collect water before it hits the pool.. that has always been my go-to.
I can see the stream of hydrogen bubbles from the return when the SWCG is generating (and that's how I realized it wasn't when I left the cell unplugged!). I did an overnight gain test to confirm how much it generates. Of course, that really requires no overnight loss first.