New to TFP first time SLAM feeling not knowing what I am doing

[Mimi1]

Opened pool this week and have started SLAM today for the first time and my numbers are all over the map so I don't know what I am doing wrong. Also according to the pool calculator and PoolMath it says my target FC is 14 and I have no idea how to get to that number based upon the calculations for the amount of bleach I am adding, I don't get anywhere near that much. Any and all advice is welcome. The pool is clear vacuumed again right before this picture. Don't plan on adding any more tonight, my husband is freaking out about the amount of bleach going into the pool and causing damage, (he has not read anything on this forum either). Thanks in advance.

Using bleach from Walmart 6% have a TFT 100 kit

1st test
FC .5
ph 7.8
TA 188
CYA 40

2nd
FC 5.0
CC 3.5
ph 7.2
TA 160
CYA 40

3rd test
FC 5.5
CC 2.5

4th test
FC 2.5
CC 4.5

 

[spinPHD]

You need to get your pool to 14 and keep it there as much as possible. You're still well below that number and your CC proves that something is eating your chlorine. It may seem like a lot of bleach you're adding, but rest assured you are not damaging your pool.

You say that you can't get level to 16 based on pool calculator. How much bleach are you adding after each measurement? Have you changed the concentration amount on calculator to 6%, so it tells you how much 6% to use? If you can find some liquid chlorine that is 10% or 12.5% you will be able to use less to get to your level.

 

[bmoreswim]

Welcome to TFP!

Great job on getting the best test kit available.

The comments above are heading you in the right direction.

Please ignore your husband and press forward. But please head directly to Pool School. Your task is to follow the SLAM procedures TO THE LETTER.

https://www.troublefreepool.com/content/125-slam-shock-level-and-maintain-shockingl

Your tests above are not SLAM-worthy.

 

[pinguy]

The FC powder test is very accurate. Keep your pump running 24/7 and add keep adding until you get to that SLAM number and hold it there until you pass the 3 criteria listed in the article linked in the post above mine.

How long after adding bleach are you testing? What part of the pool are you taking the sample from?

Pool math can't predict how quickly organics consume the chlorine you are adding, so its not unusual for it to take more than it calculates to reach SLAM levels. Your CC number getting higher backs this up too. A CC over 1 indicates that there's an excess of organic material (algae) getting broken down by the FC.

To ease your husbands worries, you have CYA in your pool, and even small amounts of CYA significantly buffer the effects of chlorine. With a CYA of 40, you'd need a crazy amount of household bleach (lhundreds of gallons at one time) to get to a point where you'd be damaging equipment or fading a liner.

 

[Ecoke]

Mimi1...hang in there...just follow the great advice you are receiving on this forum, find a higher concentration of liquid chlorine so you're not lugging & dumping in so many bottles of chlorine...and sooner rather then later all you will have to do is give your hubby "that look"...you won't even have to utter the words...I told you so!

Walmart usually has 10% liquid chlorine in pool area or garden department...grab some of it!

 

[Mimi1]

Mimi1...hang in there...just follow the great advice you are receiving on this forum, find a higher concentration of liquid chlorine so you're not lugging & dumping in so many bottles of chlorine...and sooner rather then later all you will have to do is give your hubby "that look"...you won't even have to utter the words...I told you so!

Walmart usually has 10% liquid chlorine in pool area or garden department...grab some of it!

Thank you, Walmart did have the 10% today, they had just restocked the shelves and I think I took all they had out!
I'll let you know when I can give hubby the look

 

[Mimi1]

The FC powder test is very accurate. Keep your pump running 24/7 and add keep adding until you get to that SLAM number and hold it there until you pass the 3 criteria listed in the article linked in the post above mine.

How long after adding bleach are you testing? What part of the pool are you taking the sample from?

Pool math can't predict how quickly organics consume the chlorine you are adding, so its not unusual for it to take more than it calculates to reach SLAM levels. Your CC number getting higher backs this up too. A CC over 1 indicates that there's an excess of organic material (algae) getting broken down by the FC.

To ease your husbands worries, you have CYA in your pool, and even small amounts of CYA significantly buffer the effects of chlorine. With a CYA of 40, you'd need a crazy amount of household bleach (lhundreds of gallons at one time) to get to a point where you'd be damaging equipment or fading a liner.

Thank you. I was waiting about 30 minutes to test the water after adding the bleach and I would take samples from different areas of the pool for the tests. I have used so much of the powder I had to order more today and won't receive it until Thursday.

Am I waiting too long or not long enough between when I add the bleach and when I test the water?
Should I take the sample from the same area of the pool each time I test?
Should I wait to start this process again until I have the powder? This is what I am thinking I need to do
Should I increase the Ph while I am waiting for the powder?

Just for the heck of it today I tested the water again this morning, we had a very heavy rainfall last night so much so I have to pump water off the pool today.
FC 0.15
CC 1.5
ph 7.2

I appreciate all suggestions as I learn how to use these products.

 

[Rollercoastr]

In the meantime, tell him that you promise not to add anything crazy like Clorox to the pool - only safe and carefully calculated amounts of "liquid chlorine"!

 

[spinPHD]

I think taking multiple samples from different areas of the pool is a little over kill. Just put hand as far down as you can in a well circulated area of your deep end. It can be the same spot each time.

30-minutes is a reasonable time to have everything circulated if your pump is running.

How much powder do you have left? If you're out, you could bring it up to shock level using pool math, then just add a gallon each day until you get powder.

Leave PH, it will raise on its own.

- - - Updated - - -

Also, not sure what line you're measuring to, but in future you can use the 10ML line to test levels and only use 1 heaping scoop of the powder. That will save you on reagents

 

[tucsontico]

Thank you. I was waiting about 30 minutes to test the water after adding the bleach and I would take samples from different areas of the pool for the tests. I have used so much of the powder I had to order more today and won't receive it until Thursday.

Am I waiting too long or not long enough between when I add the bleach and when I test the water?
Should I take the sample from the same area of the pool each time I test?
Should I wait to start this process again until I have the powder? This is what I am thinking I need to do
Should I increase the Ph while I am waiting for the powder?

Just for the heck of it today I tested the water again this morning, we had a very heavy rainfall last night so much so I have to pump water off the pool today.
FC 0.15
CC 1.5
ph 7.2

I appreciate all suggestions as I learn how to use these products.

I suggest you pick one spot in your pool to test the water. Invert the test tube and reach in to the pool about 12-18" deep; then turn the tube upright to get a sample. Waiting 30 minutes to test again is fine. Leave the pH right where it is until you complete the SLAM.

 

[pinguy]

Thank you. I was waiting about 30 minutes to test the water after adding the bleach and I would take samples from different areas of the pool for the tests. I have used so much of the powder I had to order more today and won't receive it until Thursday.

Am I waiting too long or not long enough between when I add the bleach and when I test the water?
Should I take the sample from the same area of the pool each time I test?
Should I wait to start this process again until I have the powder? This is what I am thinking I need to do
Should I increase the Ph while I am waiting for the powder?

Just for the heck of it today I tested the water again this morning, we had a very heavy rainfall last night so much so I have to pump water off the pool today.
FC 0.15
CC 1.5
ph 7.2

I appreciate all suggestions as I learn how to use these products.

30 mins is fine. You can take the sample from one spot in the pool with good circulation, take the sample around 12 inches from the surface.

I'm curious... what procedure are you following with the powder test? One container should last a good bit, and I am not sure how you got a result of 0.15 as the test gives results in 0.5 increments.

pH of 7.2 is fine, I wouldn't adjust until after your SLAM, as the pH test is not accurate at SLAM levels.

I'd add 1 gallon bleach/chlorine everyday until you get your powder and can restart your SLAM, just so the algea situation does not worsen.

Most WalMarts sells liquid chlorine in the garden section which is a little stronger than household bleach, and is not labeled with that scary 'B' word

 

[Mimi1]

Sorry it was a typo on my part, should have been FC .5

I will add the gallon a day until I start again to keep things at bay hopefully

Yes I did find the liquid chlorine today at our nearest Walmart and thanks for the reassurance the 30 minute time window from adding to testing is ok.

Appreciate the feedback, I'll be back on Thursday with findings once I start the SLAM again.

- - - Updated - - -

I suggest you pick one spot in your pool to test the water. Invert the test tube and reach in to the pool about 12-18" deep; then turn the tube upright to get a sample. Waiting 30 minutes to test again is fine. Leave the pH right where it is until you complete the SLAM.

Thanks for the feedback, I pick one spot and make sure I get the sample from 12-18 inches down. I'll wait to revisit the ph once the SLAM is complete.

 

[Mimi1]

I have enough powder for another 4 tests, which based upon my previous tests and the length of time I was afraid was not enough to complete a SLAM without running out before I was done.

 

[Mimi1]

Pool math can't predict how quickly organics consume the chlorine you are adding, so its not unusual for it to take more than it calculates to reach SLAM levels. Your CC number getting higher backs this up too. A CC over 1 indicates that there's an excess of organic material (algae) getting broken down by the FC.

I understand Pool Math cannot predict how quickly this happens. Yet I am still no where near the SLAM level of 14 when adding much more than Pool Math suggests.
Today I used 10% 128oz I added the bleach and waited 30-35 minutes to test the water, I took the water sample from the same place in the pool each time for testing. The last test I couldn't do within the 30 minute window so it was about and hour in between. The pump is running 24/7, I am brushing twice a day, vacuuming once a day, skimming twice a day.

My starting numbers today were below
FC 1
CC 1.5
TC 3.5
CYA 35

Based upon this Pool Math indicated I should add 1 gal 3 quarts so I added 2 gallons trying to get to SLAM level FC 14 - and my numbers went to
FC 2
CC 1.5
TC 3.5

Pool Math suggested to get to 14 to add 1 gallon 3 qts do I added 3 gallons and the numbers went to
FC 8
CC 4.5

Pool Math suggested 3 quarts 2 Cups I added 4 gallons
FC 8
CC 3.5

Pool Math suggested 3 quarts 2 Cups again I added 5 gallons
FC 8
CC 9

This test was longer than 30 minutes in between added the bleach and testing, probably 1 hour and 10 minutes I added 6 gallons
FC 2
CC 4

My question is is this normal? I have added a picture and the water does look clearer. I have no dead organic material on the bottom of the pool as you usually get with higher concentration of shock.

Should I continue to increase the amount of bleach well beyond the calculations of Pool Math? Is it safe to do so?

Does this have anything to do with the fact that I have used Synergy products for the past 6-8 years and there is a build up of something I am trying to get rid of?

Again, any and all help appreciated.

 

[mknauss]

From a brief search on the Synergy products it appears they were primarily just high priced CYA, borates, and trichlor. There was one item that was sodium bromide that might be an issue but I am no expert at that.

I think you need to private message JoyfulNoise to see if he has any input on the Synergy after effects.

Take care.

 

[Mimi1]

Thank you I will contact JoyFulNoise and see if there is any information he has for me. I appreciate your input.

 

[Gary_PA]

Alright this is just too funny. Do you want to know why Walmart was out of stock? I live in Buckingham as well and bought them out on Tuesday. I bought 14 bottles because I am SLAMing as well. I did leave one bottle on the shelf. If you belong to Costco they have 8.3% Clorox. It is only a couple pennies more per equivalent gallon.

 

[pabeader]

Oh no!! TFP strikes again!!! Two SLAMmers in the same town, using the same Walmart. That's got to be something for the folks at the checkout to wonder about.

 

[Gary_PA]

I ran out of reagent while performing my SLAM as well. In a pinch Raines Pool Service which is very close to you carries the full line of Taylor reagent refills. They are reasonably priced. I will not say anything good or bad about them just that they are a pool store as defined by this site.

 

[slickraft]

I have enough powder for another 4 tests...

Just curious...are you using the tiny little end of the blue scoop to measure the R-0870 powder? I don't know when you got your TF100 kit but if it was just this season it seems like you ran out of power too quickly. You should get 100+ tests easily.

Have you seen the TF100 test kit video for the chlorine test?
FAS/DPD Chlorine test for the TF-100 - YouTube

Photo below shows the scoop as provided in the TF100 kits but the container type and size is different so don't let that confuse you. We've had people here accidentally using the paddle end to measure the powder.