Opening Progress

[Verris]

We bought the house in September 2018 and closed the pool a couple weeks later (NJ). For the next 3 years we had someone come and open, close and service the pool weekly we were entirely hands off. The first two years were great, crystal clear water even at opening. Last year we seemed to be getting a lot more sediment on the bottom of the pool, and some algae which he treated weekly. Overall it was still pretty good, but not crystal clear like previous years. When he closed it last winter he did not vacuum it and it had a ton of leaves in it. Because of these things, and my original "We'll hire a pool company for a year so I can see what they do and then take it over myself" which went from one to two to three years, I decided it was time to do it myself this year. Bought my TF-Pro Salt test kit, some new equipment including an Active 30 robot, and waited for spring.

This was my opening last spring, which was similar to the two before it.




This was my opening yesterday



We set Marty the robot in to do his thing. I started the manual vac to get the pile of worms before the robot hit it, but as soon as I started the robot, he ran straight for the worm pile and turned it into worm dust. I worked brushing and vacuuming while the robot did its thing, and the nice clear, but green bottomed pool turned into this.



Brushed a few more times, backwashed the filter a few times, started balancing the water. It has 0 chlorine and < 30 CYA when I checked it a month ago, and same thing yesterday. Added 7 of the 9.1lbs of recommended cya into two suspended skimmer socks, one in the skimmer and one in front of a return and half a bottle of chlorine, set the pump to run at 100% 24/7 and restarted the robot again before going to sleep.

Got up this morning to this much improved scene,




Chlorine was gone, cya is up to around 50 now, added the other half of the bottle. Going to give it another brush after work while the robot keeps scrubbing all day and then I'll have to start the SLAM. This is my solution for hanging a sock of cya in front of a return without it resting on the liner.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

If you're not going to perform a complete SLAM on that pool I would toss a gallon of LC per day and brush it around.

ooop.. nevr mind. I see you *are* going to SLAM it!

 

[Newdude]

If it ever happens again, you want to raise the CYA after the SLAM. 40% of 30 CYA for FC is easier and cheaper to maintain than 40% of 70 CYA. It's the difference between having to hold a 12 FC or a 28 FC.

 

[V___25]

Ugh, the cursed worm guts!! Those Dang worms are destroying crystal clear openings left and right. But you got this!

 

[Verris]

Day 2 Update






I let the robot have a well deserved break last night and decided to start the SLAM. Unfortunately I ended up with way too high of a FC level. I started at 5.5 with somewhere around 50 CYA, aiming for 22 ppm, poolmath told me to add 269oz of my 10% chlorine, which was 2 bottles plus 6 cups. Unfortunately when I measured 2 hours later, FC was at 36 and not 22. Left it overnight, pump running 24/7, and this morning FC was down to 29.5, but my CYA was up to 60. 5 hours later, just now, FC is down to 28.5. CC's last night and this morning were at 0.5, just now it seems to be 0.

It does seem like the water could clear up a little bit more, so I'm planning on maintaining ~ 24ppm for another day or two to see if it gets any more clear, then I can do my overnight loss test. Turns out I have way more chlorine than I needed, I've still got 10 gallons left. I also just picked up my replacement salt cell, I guess I can use the chlorine to put off having to install it for a few extra days.

 

[Newdude]

You maintain the FC until all 3 criteria are passed. Clear water is #1. Then OCLT with CCs 1 or less. There can be a good chunk of dead algae clouding the water up and you don't let up the FC assault just because, until its TFP clear.

 

[Verris]

Dropped down to 22 today after a checking this morning at 27, same as the night before. Topped it up a bit to raise to 24. Looking really clear now. Is this what the M in SLAM stands for?



I think it may have used up some of my FC.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

 

[Verris]

I believe I am done water clarity wise with my SLAM. Doesn't seem to be improving much past this, and the past few days my CC has been reading 0. Going to be hard here in the next few days to pass OCLT with all the rain at night scheduled this week but I might be able to do it tonight if I'm lucky.




Next Ill have to do my filter deep clean which I waited for after the SLAM due to how much green I had, and replace the salt cell. Got all the parts just need to cut it sometime this week. Now Ill have to see if I can return 8 bottles of chlorine to home depot because I apparently got way too much.

 

[V___25]

if you can tell us what type of screws are in your main drain cover or if you could throw a nickel on the bottom and tell if it's heads or tales, you pass the "unofficial clarity test"

 

[Verris]

if you can tell us what type of screws are in your main drain cover or if you could throw a nickel on the bottom and tell if it's heads or tales, you pass the "unofficial clarity test"

Guess that passes then?

 

[V___25]

That's a in my book!!

 

[Newdude]

Checking with the judges...........