The more often you can dose the pool with bleach to keep it above 16 FC the better. Below 16 you're not killing algae as effectively and the SLAM will take longer. You can dose the pool a bit higher than 16 to maintain 16 FC when you are not there but the higher you go over 16 the faster it will get consumed by the sun and you will see larger drops in FC due to that.
New to the pool and need some advice
- Thread starter jasonengland
- Start date
You want to keep FC at least above 16 as much as you can.
You can dose to 18 if you want. But you need to test & dose more often. That will give you better results.
Try this if at all possible: test & dose first thing in the morning, as soon as you get home, again right before bed. That will at least give you 3x per day.
While testing, you only need to check FC and CC. Forget about the other tests for now.
You can dose to 18 if you want. But you need to test & dose more often. That will give you better results.
Try this if at all possible: test & dose first thing in the morning, as soon as you get home, again right before bed. That will at least give you 3x per day.
While testing, you only need to check FC and CC. Forget about the other tests for now.
Yesterday was the first I could stay in the pool every hr. Or so. Only 4 test times were my FC BETWEEN 14 and 16. Every other test it was either between 16 and 19.
I seem to have the the hardest time between 1-3pm at 1 I was at 16 and added 3 cups and at 3 I measured out at 14, so I added 12 cups and my test at 4 read 17 so I wated till 5 added 2 more cups and tested at 6. The 6 reading was 17.5.
I still ill have no real visible improvements and I am home today to keep the slam up. I keep reading the threads for support but I am feeling defeated. At best I can make out my hand as a blob shape when I take my water sample at elbow deep.
I seem to have the the hardest time between 1-3pm at 1 I was at 16 and added 3 cups and at 3 I measured out at 14, so I added 12 cups and my test at 4 read 17 so I wated till 5 added 2 more cups and tested at 6. The 6 reading was 17.5.
I still ill have no real visible improvements and I am home today to keep the slam up. I keep reading the threads for support but I am feeling defeated. At best I can make out my hand as a blob shape when I take my water sample at elbow deep.
Is it time to update the signature? It sounds like you have a test kit now.
It looks like you're largely done with the algae killing, now it's a matter of filtration. Since you're home all day, this would be a good time to Pool School - Add DE to a Sand Filter It'll load up fast with all that stuff suspended in the water, so you might as well drop the hose it and raise the water level a bit to allow for the frequent backwashging you'll be doing.
It looks like you're largely done with the algae killing, now it's a matter of filtration. Since you're home all day, this would be a good time to Pool School - Add DE to a Sand Filter It'll load up fast with all that stuff suspended in the water, so you might as well drop the hose it and raise the water level a bit to allow for the frequent backwashging you'll be doing.
I have had the test kit since Friday. My sand filter has been running at about 12-14lbs. But the pressure has seemed good. You are saying back was any way to clear what ever dead algae is in the filter? I will check out the link now. I asked before but should I be concerned with the age of the sand in the filter? I didn't do the deep rinse before I started all this.i just turned it on and ran.
Sand is already a few million years old. a couple years in the filter are just the blink of an eye to it.
Since you say the pressure hasn't climbed, the sand could be channeled... various chemicals can glue the sand into clods and then when you backwash they get broken up and it leaves huge crevasses between them and hence it doesn't filter. As much cloudiness as is in your water, I would think the filter would load up and need backwashing every day. A deep cleaning should fix that. While it's open you could also see if the sand level is right.
What the DE does is spread across the surface. Picture a window screen laid on top of chicken wire but on a microscopic scale. If the sand isn't channelled, you'll see a small pressure rise when you add the DE and then a huge pressure rise within a couple hours. If it is channeled, adding DE will make the pool look worse, because it will all blow through.
So... Start with a filter cleaning. If you decide to replace the sand anyway -- won't hurt anything but your wallet -- then don't forget to backwash and rinse before setting it to filter. Then if you want to add DE, you can.
Since you say the pressure hasn't climbed, the sand could be channeled... various chemicals can glue the sand into clods and then when you backwash they get broken up and it leaves huge crevasses between them and hence it doesn't filter. As much cloudiness as is in your water, I would think the filter would load up and need backwashing every day. A deep cleaning should fix that. While it's open you could also see if the sand level is right.
What the DE does is spread across the surface. Picture a window screen laid on top of chicken wire but on a microscopic scale. If the sand isn't channelled, you'll see a small pressure rise when you add the DE and then a huge pressure rise within a couple hours. If it is channeled, adding DE will make the pool look worse, because it will all blow through.
So... Start with a filter cleaning. If you decide to replace the sand anyway -- won't hurt anything but your wallet -- then don't forget to backwash and rinse before setting it to filter. Then if you want to add DE, you can.
Okay I am on my way to test and do the deep cleaning or sand exchange. i am guessing disconnect everything from the pool. Either way should I maintain the 16ppm still?
You can't really add much more bleach without circulation and your time would be better spent getting the filter back online than manually stirring the pool.
Did the sand exchange, backup and running, my fc is at 15. Do I keep the schlock level going for the rest of the day? Hope to see some results.
Next question at what ppm of chlorine is it unhealth to swim at. I do t care how cloudy it is, it is hot out..Lolo and a swim sounds nice.
Okay 15 hrs from a sand change and keeping the schock levels up and no visible difference from before. Today I can only treat the chlorine before work, at lunch and when I get home. It won't be as acurate as an approach but I left the house with the levels high at like 19.5 and this should keep me till noon when I can get at it again.
Does anyone have any words of wisdome..lol
Does anyone have any words of wisdome..lol
I checked all my records and for the past three days my shock loss at night has been -3, -3, -2.5.
I am going away for a week on Saturday morning with my father watching the pool. What are the chance i can get this thing to stabilize at night in the next two nights? I feel like am close and dont want to loose my momentum. I don't know how well my dad will do over the next week.
Should I try to add DE tonight to the new sand I put into the filter to help expedite the situation?
I am going away for a week on Saturday morning with my father watching the pool. What are the chance i can get this thing to stabilize at night in the next two nights? I feel like am close and dont want to loose my momentum. I don't know how well my dad will do over the next week.
Should I try to add DE tonight to the new sand I put into the filter to help expedite the situation?
Only put DE in if you'll be around to watch the pressure gauge. But yes, it will strain much finer than plain sand will.
If you are still loosing 3ppm overnight, then you are still dealing with organics in the pool. I think it's too early to expect a clear pool and therefore should wait to add DE. Especially since you won't be home to watch the pressure gauge.
Estimate the daily usage of bleach over the last few days and have your helper add that for you.
Estimate the daily usage of bleach over the last few days and have your helper add that for you.
Okay It seems the DE will be tough to add and monitor over the next two nights. I need to come up with a game plan for my helper to keep the SLAM up.
If he only adds the chlorine 3- 4 times a day how high above 16ppm is best. Typically i have been bringing it to 19sih, and two times it has been as high as 21. I want to make this as easy as possible for him in my absence.
If he only adds the chlorine 3- 4 times a day how high above 16ppm is best. Typically i have been bringing it to 19sih, and two times it has been as high as 21. I want to make this as easy as possible for him in my absence.
I disagree.
You don't know that the FC is being eaten by living algae, or if it's trying to oxidize all the floating matter in the water. We encourage people to remove as much organic debris as possible from the pool mechanically. Does it matter if it's dead leaves being strained out by a leaf rake or dead algae being strained out by the filter? No. The filter will clog up and the stuff gets backwashed away and that's the end of it. I'd rather my bleach worked on killing live algae than on trying to dissolve a bunch of dead algae.
You make a valid point to remove as much stuff as possible (living or dead) and I don't disagree. I was aiming at him only being 15 hours past a deep clean and that a clear pool at that point was a bit optimistic. With him going out of town and DE being more of a finishing/polishing agent, it may be better to wait until he returned to try it. If he (or someone) could be there to babysit the filter, then perhaps he could try it now. Although it looks like he may have someone available "3- 4 times a day" so that means its not as risky, but will be more work for the helper.
Jason, yes, 3- 4 times a day is good. You can do the same level to 19ppm. He will also need to know how and when to backwash.
I will let you two know how it goes over the week. Thank you both for your help so far
Okay before I left for vacation Saturday my pool tested 17.5 at 9pm and at 17.5 at 530am. I was excited. But I had my dad keep the SLAM UO. He tested it ant night and it was 16.5 at 9pm at 9am it was 15. So it lost -1.5 over night but it had 3 hrs of sun on it. Do you think it passed the over night? Water is still cloudy but I feel like I had I slight visual improvement as I could make my fingers out when taking the water sample. Should I have my pool helper keep the slam today and do one more overnight test? And if you all think I truly passed can he start taking the chlorine levels Down even though it is still cloudy.