Passing OCLT but still cloudy water

[tim5055]

Re: Passing OCLT but still cloudy water

Is it normal that it only took one add to make the pressure go up one tick?

Yes, it doesn't take a lot. Watch your pressure, when it goes up 24% over clean pressure backwash and add the same amount of DE again.

 

[mirhath]

Re: Passing OCLT but still cloudy water

Okay!
Thank you!!!

 

[Mendy48]

Re: Passing OCLT but still cloudy water

That's normal. Backwash when it goes up 20-25% above baseline. Note: each time you backwash you're removing that DE, so you'd have to start again. I just know information around DE, I haven't used it yet. Thus, I'll let someone chime in here to give you more info on what your next step is.

Is it normal that it only took one add to make the pressure go up one tick?

 

[niteshift38]

Re: Passing OCLT but still cloudy water

I would say YEP to your psi to rise up 1. I added DE last year one time just to put the "Sparkle" back in my water (only 1/2 cup) and mine went up 1psi . Left it there for a couple days then backwashed. Desired end result achieved! TFP RULES the POOL !!! Good Luck!!!

 

[mirhath]

Re: Passing OCLT but still cloudy water

I added DE for the first time yesterday. I added 1/4 cup and the psi went up one notch quickly so I did not add anymore. My normal psi is around 15. It took about an hour or so and it went up to 19. So I backwashed and added more. The second time it didn't take long at all for it to reach 19 again. So I backwashed again. I did not add any over night because I didn't want to worry about being out there backwashing.
i added some this morning. Once again, it didn't take long to raise the psi.
Is this normal that it goes up quickly?
And aren't I losing a lot of chlorine? I'm trying to keep my FC up to 20 to SLAM it.

 

[mirhath]

Re: Passing OCLT but still cloudy water

I started the SLAM process last Wednesday, June 6.
My numbers were
FC 12
CC .5
TC 12.5
CH 500
TA 100
CYA 50

I have ran my pump 24/7 throughout all of this. I've added the given amount of LC using the Pool Math app. I've checked and added up to 6 times a day.
Yesterday, I was given the advice to add DE to my sand filter. I went through that process. I only had to add once time to see a bump in the psi. I backwashed when it was time. Added more yesterday evening, backwashed when time.
Added some this morning. Backwashed when needed.
I also had to add LC this morning to reach the SLAM FC level 20.

i decided to test my Chlronine levels again today.
Here are my test results.
FC 19
CC 1
TC 20
CYA 40


My CC level increased (it was .5 on Wednesday) and the CYA level dropped (it was 50).

Does this look normal? What am I doing wrong? My pool has no change since Wednesday. I am getting very discouraged that it will ever clear up.

 

[Richard320]

Re:  Passing OCLT but still cloudy water

My CC level increased (it was .5 on Wednesday) and the CYA level dropped (it was 50).

Does this look normal? What am I doing wrong? My pool has no change since Wednesday. I am getting very discouraged that it will ever clear up.

CC can go up and down seemingly at random. That part wouldn't worry me. CC doesn't really matter until you're close to the finish so I wouldn't even bother testing it until the pool looks clear and you're preparing to do the overnight test.

CYA is going to go down with backwashing. For ease of math, let's say your water is 50" deep. You lose 1" of water when backwashing. You should see a 2% reduction in CYA. If it's 2" and you backwashed twice, you should see an 8% reduction. And also,

the precision of the test, when done correctly, is around plus or minus 15 for levels up to 90 and plus or minus 30 for levels between 100 and 200. Novices often have problems reading the test correctly, and tend to get higher than actual readings.
Pool School - CYA

As for the cloudiness, it's not unlike the CYA test. You can see the unequal spacing on the graduations of the view tube. Looking down into your cloudy pool is no different. You could reduce the floating debris from 400 ppm to 100 ppm and you wouldn't see any change. But once you start getting into the low double digits, things change dramatically. Do not despair.

 

[mirhath]

Re:  Passing OCLT but still cloudy water

So, maybe I am getting somewhere, just very slowly.

Should I keep Slamming for the 50 CYA shock level?

 

[Richard320]

Re:  Passing OCLT but still cloudy water

So, maybe I am getting somewhere, just very slowly.

Should I keep Slamming for the 50 CYA shock level?

Which CYA reading do you have the most confidence with? Use that as the basis.

Remember it's okay to pour the solution back and forth between the mixing bottle and the view tube as many times as you need until you're comfortable with it. For me, it's when I get three in a row within 5 of each other.

 

[mirhath]

Re:  Passing OCLT but still cloudy water

Seeing as I am brand new to testing my own water, they're both iffy! Lol

But that is a great method. I will most definitely start doing that.

 

[mirhath]

Re:  Passing OCLT but still cloudy water

I just redid it a couple more times. It's definitely 40.

 

[simo711]

I am not sure about you but I had tons of rain each week for a few months and that brought in extra fine sediment that took 3-4 days of running my pump 24 hours at 1600rpm and running the robot / brushing 2 times a day. Pool owner patience my friend!

 

[mirhath]

I started using DE in my filter two days ago. I felt like I was backwashing a lot because the pressure would rise within an hour or so. Therefore, I lost some chlorine in that process.
Is it more effective to use the DE and take the loss of chlorine? Or should I not worry about the DE and just continue to keep my chlorine levels up?

I am on day 6 of SLAM.

 

[tim5055]

Does it appear the DE is helping? If it is causing several backwashes a day it must be filtering something out.

 

[mirhath]

I don't know! lol It's to the point I don't know if I can tell a difference or not in anything.
If I continue to use the DE and backwash often I'm going to need to add water soon. Will I need to redo all my tests after I refill it?
Also, could I use the DE throughout the day and then check my FC level at night. Then, add the amount of chlorine needed then?
I'm just not sure what the best route is to take.

 

[kellyfair]

I would have stuck to the SLAM longer, and introduced the DE at the end when water is just a bit cloudy,so it didn’t complicate things.

Actually, I didn’t use DE at all. I let my sand filter take care of it. I guess it might have been quicker to add DE...

 

[tim5055]

I would have stuck to the SLAM longer, and introduced the DE at the end when water is just a bit cloudy,so it didn’t complicate things.

Actually, I didn’t use DE at all. I let my sand filter take care of it. I guess it might have been quicker to add DE...

Unfortunately he is at the end. He has passed Overnight Chlorine Loss Test and CC is .5 so the only thing left is clearing the water..

- - - Updated - - -

I don't know! lol It's to the point I don't know if I can tell a difference or not in anything.
If I continue to use the DE and backwash often I'm going to need to add water soon. Will I need to redo all my tests after I refill it?
Also, could I use the DE throughout the day and then check my FC level at night. Then, add the amount of chlorine needed then?
I'm just not sure what the best route is to take.

No, you don;t need to redo all your tests. Topping off from backwashing is not going ot have a huge affect on the numbers at this point.

What many people do is to take a digital photo from the exact same location each day so they can see changes as they happen.

 

[kellyfair]

Oops... missed that part. Normally I know we advise waiting until water is crystal clear before doing OCLT.

 

[mirhath]

I've decided to just worry about keeping my FC levels up. Today is day #7 of SLAM.
I'm going to attach a pic of my pool. The top is last Wednesday, June 6 at 11 am. The bottom pic is today at the same time. I'm not sure I can tell a difference. I thought it would be a quick process because I had passed the aqua/turquoise color prior to starting SLAM.
I'm having a hard time passing the cloudy blue stage. ��

 

[mirhath]

Day 8 of SLAM.
I can finally see a change! I went out to check it this am. As I was brushing it I noticed that I could see the brush head along the pool floor and also a few leaves! Thank Goodness!!!