Pool has been open 1 week. Using the SLAM method. Wife wants results

Jump to latest Follow Reply
K

Kire28

0
Jun 18, 2015
7
Bowie, MD
Ok! I've gone from Green to Blue in 8 days.

I see LOTS of progress but due to late opening, my family is hoping for faster results. Do I give in to "POOL STORE" products or stick with the SLAM?

I've done my best to keep the FC up to the proper numbers. Been backwashing nearly twice a day but last few days the PSI on the filter has not gone up much.

TC 13
FC 13
CC 0
PH 7.6 I just used some Muriatic Acid to bring this down
TA 110
CYA 40 but this is probably the hardest because it is Subjective I thought it was as low as 30 but could be 50
CH 250
IMG_20160620_125454554 (1).jpg

IMG_20160611_170735069.jpg
 
DO NOT give in to pool store products! You are at the hardest part...waiting for the filter to clear up the dead algae which is what is causing the cloudiness. I just finished my slam and it took about 2 weeks for the sand filter to clear up the water. Just stick with it, it is definitely worth it in the end. My water started even darker than yours and the results are below (just taken this weekend).

POOL.jpg

POOL2.jpg
 
Try adding DE to your sand filter (there's a Pool School article on how to do that). It can help clear up the cloudiness faster since sand filters are not very good at filtering dead algae on their own. There are ways to use flocs and clarifiers but they are much harder to figure out correct dosages and can sometimes make a cloudy water problem worse. DE is cheap and easy.

Right now you are just experiencing poor filtration performance. You might also consider opening up the sand filter and deep cleaning it.
 
You don't want to backwash your sand filter before it is necessary as a slightly dirty sand filter is more efficient than a clean sand filter. Backwash when the pressure is 25% above the clean pressure.

Don't adjust PH when your FC is above 10. The PH test is unreliable when FC is above 10.

Your SLAM FC is 16 (assuming the CYA=40). The more frequently you test and add bleach to reach FC=16, the faster the process. Make sure to brush your pool daily. Look in ladders and skimmers, behind lights and steps for any hidden algae.

Is the top photo a recent photo? If so, it looks like most of the algae is dead and that you are waiting for your filter to get rid of the dead algae. You could try adding a little DE to speed up the process: Pool School - Add DE to a Sand Filter
 
TOP picture is today.
Does it hurt to keep the FC a bit higher than the Chlorine/CYA Chart because I'm not 100% confident in my CYA reading?
I don't think my CYA is as high as 50 but I know it is above 30.
I'm heading to Home Depot for some DE right now. Excellent advice and I'll read how to do so.

Thanks everyone. I'm quite impressed with the results of 8 days. Sort of wish we opened in May but lots of rain and being gone a week, I could have come home to the same mess. WAY cheaper doing the TFPC method so far.
 
The CYA test can be the most difficult, but it is the most important. Make sure to do it in full sun, back to sun, vial at waist level, two fingers holding the vial. Fill to 100 mark, look to see if you can see dot, if yes, fill to 90 mark, look for dot, etc. You can pour the solution back and forth between the mixing vial and the measuring vial just to make sure.

You don't want to overshoot FC as it can bleach out your liner and it wastes the bleach. A too high FC doesn't kill algae any faster and you loose the extra FC to the sun's UV rays.
 
Stick with it. Like others said, right now filtration is what you are waiting on. Keep the pump running 24/7. If you want to spend a little money and speed it up, you can add a small charge of either DE or a DE substitute to the sand filter, and possibly consider adding clarifier to help the algae clump up more when it hits the filter.

I had similar issues many years ago, and had a pool party coming up on a Saturday, and a cloudy pool. Wife was insistent I needed to fix it, and I had already blown $100 or more on various chemicals at the pool store. I ultimately sprung for a D.E. filter and spend the night before the party with a floodlight and flashlight, changing out the sand filter to a D.E. filter. By 8AM the next day the water was crystal clear. By 5pm when the party started, the water was the clearest I had ever seen it. It's amazing how much better the filtration is with a D.E. filter. That said, it was also a $500 fix at the time.

Aside from the D.E. filter following the advice here on TFP and learning how to test my own water, and deal with CYA and chlorine rather than trichlor tablets, was the best thing I ever did. Listen to the advice here, and you will not go wrong. Ignore the guys at the pool store.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply