Opening pool, TA 20?! & other questions

[Mendy48]

Mendy48,
As we discussed earlier in the thread, I only went there to check for metals in the water since my water turned dark green/brown when I added the liquid chlorine and the TF-100 doesn't contain these tests. But since they gave me a printout of ALL the readings (and they weren't taken with a dip strip), I thought I'd share them. The electronic machines are also inaccurate?
Thanks,
Alyssa

Well, IMO I’ll say trust your own results. I’m not sure how accurate electronic machines are (I’m no expert), but I’ll rather stick with my own test results... only if I’m testing for metals or things of that nature which is what you were doing. Apologies! Didn’t read entire thread.

 

[splashpad]

...
Added 4 gallons of plain 6% bleach (all we could get locally until pool store opens this morning) around 1pm yesterday and by 5pm the water was a dark green/brownish color.
...

Going back to an original concern, Brown Pool Water
As Texas recommended, instructions from that page this include passing the water (do you have a skimmer you can stuff?) over white cotton which can absorb some of the iron from the water (it will "stain" the material)

 

[AveMaria472]

Let me see if I can figure out how to insert a pic...


I'm changing (cleaning) the skimmer sock about every hour and the water does look a tad clearer this afternoon. I can see the bottom of the pool now!
I'm noticing there is still quite a bit of debris in the water though, including lots of tiny reddish/pink worms. My husband says these are NOT mosquito larvae. Being this is our first post-winter opening, the worms have me a bit grossed out! Anyone else seen these things? Is it time to break out the vacuum or should I let the pump/filter do its thing a bit longer?
Just added 5 lbs of baking soda per pool math (target TA 40)
Water temp already up to 58 degrees from the full sun on it just today!
Waiting for the chlorine to drift back down in order to get an accurate PH reading.

 

[AveMaria472]

Just thought I'd update...
My FC held steady overnight at 20 so I think I'm "over the hump" with my SLAM.
CC 0
CYA 45 (retested this with room temp water before starting SLAM)
TA 40
PH 7.0 (previous reading before SLAM)

The water color has improved a lot. It's not that cloudy, I can see clearly to the bottom, but it's still green tinted and there are lots of "dusty" particles on the bottom. I put my robot cleaner in there last night and it's been doing a great job at getting a lot of the fine stuff off the bottom. I'm also using a skimmer sock, changing/rinsing that every hour or so. That is also collecting a lot of the fine particles and now bugs and pollen.

With the FC not changing overnight, I guess everything in the water is dead and I just need to filter it out? Does that sound right?
Should I adjust the TA any more?

 

[mknauss]

The first criteria to pass for a successful SLAM is crystal clear water. So keep you FC at SLAM level until then. Then run an OCLT.

You said green tint. Do you get your water from a well? Have you had iron issues in the past?

 

[AveMaria472]

Thank you, Marty. Keeping the FC at SLAM for sure! Not going to waste all I've done so far by ending it before the water is PERFECT.

All of our water comes from a cistern (we catch rain water from our gutters). No wells in our area of Kentucky. Everyone has either city water (which our house is not connected to) or catches rain water. Sometimes when we run out of water in the cistern we have to have water trucked in which is city water. But we haven't had to do that since last summer. When we put up the pool last summer we did have water trucked in to fill it which was city water. But we had no issues with metals last year. I took the water to the pool store a couple days ago to test for metals and there is no iron or copper in the water at all. I've been perplexed as to why the water isn't clearing up quicker and why the coloring the way it is. But it is improving slowly but surely so I've just been keeping at it.

Thanks again!

 

[AveMaria472]

Marty,
Since I see in your signature that you have a Dolphin robot also, do you use it while doing a SLAM? The instructions said not to use it over FC 4! But I really needed that workhorse doing its thing so it is in there steadily right now. Also, I had been running the pump on high 24/7 but I turned the pump to low while the robot is in there so things settle to the bottom better. Is that what you would recommend? Thanks!

 

[mknauss]

Run your pump on low. No need for high to just filter.

I have never SLAM'd. So no experience there. I have run my robot in elevated FC, say up to 20% of CYA. I would be hesitant to run it during a full SLAM. But I have no data that says it will be harmed.

You really need to brush during a SLAM. That mixing will get the dead algae to disperse and get to your filter.

 

[AveMaria472]

Thank you for your feedback on the robot, Marty. I did a lot of brushing yesterday. But we don't have a deck up yet (hopefully in the next 30 days, weather permitting!) and I am relatively short so brushing is extremely difficult for me to reach everywhere with the walls so tall! My 6' tall teenage son will be home from baseball practice here in a little while so I plan to employ him to do a thorough brushing again!

 

[AveMaria472]

Here's another update this morning!

Water is looking SO much clearer! Just a tad cloudy with a greenish tint. I do have a dark blue liner. Not the lighter aquamarine color. Plus it is overcast.

I think I'm in the home stretch!
FC held overnight at 20 again.
CC 0
CYA 45
PH 7.0
TA 40

I had my TALL son brush the pool twice yesterday and he is hereafter assigned to brush twice a day until SLAM is over.
Still using skimmer sock since the trees are leaving their spring deposit in the pool steadily.
Also running the robot throughout the day to clean up the bottom and keep things stirred up down there.

After your suggestion, Marty, to run the pump on low, I ran it on low all day yesterday while I ran the robot. I had been running it on high 24/7 prior to this. This morning there was a dramatic difference in the clarity of the water. So I did my usual morning routine of testing water, cleaning out the robot and skimmer sock, and decided to proceed doing the same: pump on low all day again. But I accidentally turned the pump to HIGH and a BIG green cloud shot out of the return into the pool! I quickly turned off the pump, backwashed, rinsed and turned to low again. I wonder if that was a whole day's progress shot back into my nearly clear water?! Sheesh, I'm learning a lot in this process.
Here's what I conclude from that:
1. LOW is filtering a lot more of the dead algae
2. Backwash once a day until SLAM is over
3. DON'T turn the pump on high until I backwash!



Cooler, cloudy and rainy the next day or two. And so the SLAM continues!

 

[mknauss]

Sand filters captures more material at low flow rates.
If you can baby sit the filter, have you tried DE in it yet?

 

[AveMaria472]

I have not tried DE in it. I did use a "filter enhancer" cellulose product last year, only because I received the bag when we bought the pool. How does DE help and why do you need to babysit it?

 

[mknauss]

Add DE to a Sand Filter

A clean pool filter will increase the efficiency of your pool! ... your filter are to backwash it, clean the manifolds and grids, and add new DE.

www.troublefreepool.com

You need to babysit it as you can get a very quick pressure rise requiring back washing.

 

[AveMaria472]

So I accidentally left the skimmer sock on overnight. I had been rinsing it every 1.5 hrs or so during the day because it was usually pretty dirty and made a point to take it off at night for fear it would clog up. But maybe that was the trick because this morning the sock was completely CAKED with brown dead algae and my water is crystal clear!
FC 20 (no overnight loss)
CC0
CYA 45
PH 7.0
TA 40

It was really hard to get a good pic because it is raining and windy. So I had to wait for a break when the water wasn't moving as much just to get a shot.
I'll keep the FC at shock for today and do an official OCLT tonight. This is so exciting!

I'm curious to see what the PH is once the SLAM is over and my FC comes back down to normal. With TA 40, I wonder if it will change a lot or hold steady. That's easy to adjust though. I still have 8 lbs of baking soda left in the big bag I bought so I'm prepared for that. And with the water temps still not inviting, I have a while yet to watch that from day to day.

Our next exciting project is the deck! There's so much rain in the forecast, I'm afraid it won't get done as quickly as I was hoping. Here's a shot from an upstairs window inside the house. The deck will be 12x16', plus a 4' walkway where we will put the ladder. It will be to the right of the stone patio, with stairs up to it from the patio. The picture shows the stairs close to the pool but they will be further away. Maybe midway down that deck board or at the other end. We need to get another load of river rock to finish going around the pool. We put the first load down yesterday out of desperation because it was just pure MUD all the way around the base of the pool which made tending to the opening tasks pretty nasty.

 

[splashpad]

So I accidentally left the skimmer sock on overnight. I had been rinsing it every 1.5 hrs or so during the day because it was usually pretty dirty and made a point to take it off at night for fear it would clog up. But maybe that was the trick because this morning the sock was completely CAKED with brown dead algae and my water is crystal clear!

What a good looking view!!

Our next exciting project is the deck! There's so much rain in the forecast, I'm afraid it won't get done as quickly as I was hoping. Here's a shot from an upstairs window inside the house. The deck will be 12x16', plus a 4' walkway where we will put the ladder. It will be to the right of the stone patio, with stairs up to it from the patio. The picture shows the stairs close to the pool but they will be further away. Maybe midway down that deck board or at the other end. We need to get another load of river rock to finish going around the pool. We put the first load down yesterday out of desperation because it was just pure MUD all the way around the base of the pool which made tending to the opening tasks pretty nasty

Please feel free to share pics of the rock and deck! Can't wait for you guys to enjoy pretty!!

 

[AveMaria472]

Well we finally got the deck materials ordered today and will pick up this afternoon. Progress will be determined by weather. But I will certainly post pics as we go!

I ended my SLAM a few days ago and FC has slowly drifted down to 10 yesterday and 8.5 today. Now just waiting on water temps to come up a bit. Highest reading yesterday was 66F. Warm enough for my sweaty son (the 6' tall one who has been doing all the brushing for me) to jump in after a soccer game! He didn't stay in long at that temp! But outside temps have been in the low 80s the last couple days so it won't take long for the water to warm up if the temps stay that way.

 

[Texas Splash]

He didn't stay in long at that temp!

Woo! At 66 degrees, I wouldn't have been in there at all. My body would've gone into shock. Water looks great!

 

[AveMaria472]

At 66 degrees, I wouldn't have been in there at all. My body would've gone into shock.

Yeah, I'm with ya! It was warm outside yesterday, but there was no way I was getting in that water!

Water looks great!

Thanks! I can't help but go out there and admire it every chance I get!
I've been telling a bunch of my friends and neighbors about TFP! And I have the pics to show them just how successful it is!

 

[WWells]

I have searched around and cant seem to find, how long after adding baking soda should I test the TA, PH?

Working to raise TA and then see what PH is

 

[splashpad]

I have searched around and cant seem to find, how long after adding baking soda should I test the TA, PH?

Working to raise TA and then see what PH is

You can usually retest 30min-1hr after adjustments, with pump running exception CYA?