Not enough chlorine generated.

[Aaronbr]

Yep. SLAM. Already. And here I thought I would never have to SLAM but I guess I have more learning to do about pools...

I was very hesitant to say it was algae because my water still seems clear, typically kept my FC at 5 or higher (except one day when changing the programing in my pool and my SWG was off for most of the day because I didn't fully understand how the intellitouch worked and it took me a day at work before I found the SWG turned off), and I also run borates. I guess that one day of no SWG did me in. My borates are at a high enough level or too high, those test strips make it difficult to know exactly how much borates I have, but it's at least 50 and maybe even 75. The colors are so close together on the scale I just have to kind of guess.

The question I am asking myself now is if I should buy a couple of flanges and a length of pipe to make a "SLAM adapter" and use it to take out my SWG during the process. I'd make a straight pipe with flanges the same length as the SWG and put the pipe in place of the SWG for the SLAM process. I've read that liquid chlorine can damage an SWG. Is that true?

 

[mknauss]

I've read that liquid chlorine can damage an SWG. Is that true?

No. There is no reason to remove the SWCG during a SLAM process.

Once you are over the initial burst of chlorine consumption and doing smaller chlorine additions, start the SWCG back up and use it to assist.

 

[reggiehammond]

I wasn't very clear about my chlorine and SWG manipulation statement. I test chlorine daily. If I see it drifting to 5.0 I'll bump up my SWG output a few percent, then when I see it get to 6.5 I'll lower it a few. I just try to stay around the 5 - 6 range. I didn't realize I could go even higher, so that's good news to me. maybe I'll shoot for 6 - 9 and see how that goes.

I think by manipulating the SWCG frequently, you're introducing the ability to have issues with minimum FC.

FC at minimum or below minimum is the issue. FC at target, above target, heck all the way to SLAM level - totally 100% ok.

Because of the FC/CYA relationship - it's a great idea to have a healthy margin above and beyond the minimum or target.

 

[Aaronbr]

*Check & scrub every nook & cranny where it may hide (light niches, drain covers, ladder handrails, skimmer throats/weirs, etc.)

How do I go about getting into the light niches? Can I get into the pool during a SLAM process to remove the light covers?

 

[mknauss]

What type of light do you have ?

You can swim when the FC is at or below SLAM level and you can see the bottom of the pool.

 

[Aaronbr]

Thanks. I can't remember the brand of light off the top of my head, but I do know I need to remove a few screws from the surround to access the inside can and lamp. I wasn't sure about getting in the pool to do that during the SLAM process.

 

[mknauss]

If the light assembly comes out and can be raised to the deck level, then do it. It can harbor some pretty nasty stuff.

 

[Mdragger88]

Thanks. I can't remember the brand of light off the top of my head, but I do know I need to remove a few screws from the surround to access the inside can and lamp. I wasn't sure about getting in the pool to do that during the SLAM process.

Be sure the power to the light is OFF at the source before you begin. There should be enough cable to rest it on the deck. Leave it out a while.

 

[pjt]

The question I am asking myself now is if I should buy a couple of flanges and a length of pipe to make a "SLAM adapter" and use it to take out my SWG during the process. I'd make a straight pipe with flanges the same length as the SWG and put the pipe in place of the SWG for the SLAM process.

You don't have to do that for a SLAM.

However, if you did need to remove the cell, Pentair makes a dummy cell:

Amazon.com

 

[Aaronbr]

There is enough cable to rest it in the deck. I'm going to say leaving the pool cover open with the lights on the deck is better than leaving the lights in the pool with the cover closed?

 

[Aaronbr]

A few last questions. I have my lights out on the deck and got my FC up to and actually above SLAM level. I'm not 100% sure on my CYA level as it's kind of subjective when a dot dissapears and also depends on lighting conditions. I measured 80 last night, the store said 86. Today I measured 70 and then as I started the SLAM process I read 75. I went with 80 CYA and ended up with a 34.5 FC.

My questions are:
CYA tests while slamming are valid?
Can I run my robot vacuum while slamming? The manual does say to remove the robot when adding chemicals but I don't recall seeing anything about high FC levels.

 

[reggiehammond]

A few last questions. I have my lights out on the deck and got my FC up to and actually above SLAM level. I'm not 100% sure on my CYA level as it's kind of subjective when a dot dissapears and also depends on lighting conditions. I measured 80 last night, the store said 86. Today I measured 70 and then as I started the SLAM process I read 75. I went with 80 CYA and ended up with a 34.5 FC.

My questions are:
CYA tests while slamming are valid?
Can I run my robot vacuum while slamming? The manual does say to remove the robot when adding chemicals but I don't recall seeing anything about high FC levels.

Yes. Valid. But also not necessary to test again.
Robot ok.

 

[Aaronbr]

Things are coming along nicely and I may be close to finished. I believe I just bought too much chlorine, but I suppose it'll get used eventually. The crate of 4 one gallon jugs have a $10 deposit and I just picked up another crate only to find when I went home at lunch I only needed to add one cup of chlorine. I'm on my eighth gallon now and will barely break into that third crate of 4 I just bought.

I've been brushing, letting the vacuum robot run around the bottom, and scrubbed out the light fixtures and skimmer. One thing I am not sure how to clean up is the autofill. Anyone have any tips? It looks like it needs to be cleaned but I can barely get my hand in there with the tubes and float in the way. And how would I make sure the tube used for connecting the autofill equipment area to the pool be cleaned?

 

[pjt]

One thing I am not sure how to clean up is the autofill. Anyone have any tips?

https://www.amazon.com/Bottle-Cleaning-Brush-Set-Cleaner/dp/B076BB7DYS

 

[Mdragger88]

Time to raid the kitchen cabinets!
- all those cute stainless cups & straws often come w/ those tiny brushes.

 

[Aaronbr]

I think I may be done with the SLAM process. My FC didn't seem to drop at all overnight, my CC was 0, and my pool clarity is amazing!

Thank you all again for the help and guidance.

As upset as I was at this happening, I have to say I learned a lot by going through this. I now better recognize the signs something is up and what cloudy water actually looks like in person. Hind sight, I was noticing signs days before I started this post but just didn't understand what was happening. And looking back even further I kind of suspect this issue arose from the time my pool was initially filled with water and the lack of proper pool start up by my pool builder and myself. I have another thread on here asking questions back when I realized my pool builder really wasn't doing anything to maintain my new pool and pebble finish, and my pool went a few weeks with virtually no chemicals. Their pool guy would come once a week and dump chlorine in the water, but never adjusted anything else, nor did he put any stabilizer in the water. That chlorine he would dump in burned off by afternoon leaving my pool unchlorinated for the rest of the week. Until I figured out he was doing a horrible job and I learned how to do it on my own, thanks to this site. I think I masked an inevitable problem that was bound to show up. But at the same time, if the pool builder had been adjusting my water properly I never would have found this amazing site and awesome, helpful people.

I'm not adding any chlorine in the pool today to let it drift down to typical numbers. I will do the OCLT test again tonight to see if it is still stable. From here on out I plan to keep my CYA around 70 - 80 and up my FC range to 8 - 20. Hopefully I find a good setting on my SWG that I won't have to adjust it but a couple times a year. If any of that seems off base, please let me know. I'm still learning as i go. Here are a few pics taken a moment ago.

 

[mknauss]

Thank you all again for the help and guidance.

We are glad you have found our information helpful. Please, if you can, consider making a donation to TFP. We are staffed by volunteers and are registered as an IRS 501 (c) (3) charity and donations are what keeps the forum operating without advertisements.

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[Aaronbr]

We are glad you have found our information helpful. Please, if you can, consider making a donation to TFP. We are staffed by volunteers and are registered as an IRS 501 (c) (3) charity and donations are what keeps the forum operating without advertisements.

Support TFP!

Done. Well worth the donation!

 

[duraleigh]

Thanks for that. We are committed to making this forum free of advertising. With donations like yours, it has been working.

As a registered IRS 501 (c) (3), your contributed funds can ONLY be used to support the goals of this teaching forum.

TFP continues to be THE authoritative voice on residential pool care and with donations like yours (and others) we will continue to be so in the future

 

[Mdragger88]

I think I may be done with the SLAM process. My FC didn't seem to drop at all overnight, my CC was 0, and my pool clarity is amazing!

Thank you all again for the help and guidance.

As upset as I was at this happening, I have to say I learned a lot by going through this. I now better recognize the signs something is up and what cloudy water actually looks like in person. Hind sight, I was noticing signs days before I started this post but just didn't understand what was happening. And looking back even further I kind of suspect this issue arose from the time my pool was initially filled with water and the lack of proper pool start up by my pool builder and myself. I have another thread on here asking questions back when I realized my pool builder really wasn't doing anything to maintain my new pool and pebble finish, and my pool went a few weeks with virtually no chemicals. Their pool guy would come once a week and dump chlorine in the water, but never adjusted anything else, nor did he put any stabilizer in the water. That chlorine he would dump in burned off by afternoon leaving my pool unchlorinated for the rest of the week. Until I figured out he was doing a horrible job and I learned how to do it on my own, thanks to this site. I think I masked an inevitable problem that was bound to show up. But at the same time, if the pool builder had been adjusting my water properly I never would have found this amazing site and awesome, helpful people.

I'm not adding any chlorine in the pool today to let it drift down to typical numbers. I will do the OCLT test again tonight to see if it is still stable. From here on out I plan to keep my CYA around 70 - 80 and up my FC range to 8 - 20. Hopefully I find a good setting on my SWG that I won't have to adjust it but a couple times a year. If any of that seems off base, please let me know. I'm still learning as i go. Here are a few pics taken a moment ago.

View attachment 439663View attachment 439662

Congrats that’s the great thing about knowledge & frequent testing- u can be keen to trouble BEFORE it gets out of control & take action. Enjoy your beautiful pool!