Pool Noob: Guidance requested :)

[mknauss]

Sand filters are the slowest to clear a pool after a SLAM.
Once your FC loss is minimal, try Add DE to a Sand Filter - Trouble Free Pool

 

[arisal2k]

I actually did the DE into sand filter trick about a week ago, figured it couldn't hurt. Have backwashed multiple times since then. I presume I should re add DE after backwashing?

I just backwashed and rinsed a few hours ago. Pressure was at 10 psi, now a little over 9. Pressure seems to be slowly creeping up over the past week or so, even after the initial jump from DE.

 

[mknauss]

You have to add DE after you back wash.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

What kind of "crud" are you still getting out from the bottom of the pool? Is it worth trying to scoop out with a net? The more solids you remove yourself, the less "crud" the chlorine has to waste time working on.

 

[bmoreswim]

Just to set a reasonable expectation, your SLAM could take a week or two (or less or more). I just don’t want you to get frustrated after a few days. Keep at until you pass the tree tests. It takes as long as it takes. But the process works. Probably better to count by days instead of hours at this point. FC consumption will go down after the first period. Then it’s the clearing phase.

 

[arisal2k]

@YippeeSkippy I am getting leaves, bugs, worms and other organic matter when I vacuum. Can't see the bottom of the deep end to know how much is still down there. Last week I had to empty the pump filter basket multiple times per vacuum. Now I'm getting a small fraction, maybe 10% full basket per vacuum so it's definitely clearing up. When I brush the deep end it still kicks up afew leaves and small particles.

@bmoreswim appreciate the expectation reset. Eager to get the water clear and ready to go again. Hoping that I didn't screw up the pool over the winter . I'm committed to SLAM until all 3 criteria are met. Looks like I'm close already on the OCLT and CC.

I turned on the solar heating system for the first time today. No leaks and the water in the returns was noticeably warmer.

 

[arisal2k]

10:15 pm
FC = 15 ppm

Added 52 oz of 6% bleach.

 

[Casey]

Any updated pics?

 

[ghall6292]

Hi arisal2k, and welcome to TFP. Last season I converted from Bacquacil to chlorine. Waaay worse than a SLAM, IMHO. Just stay the course, you are making progress. One suggestion for you though... try placing a filter sock on your filter basket to help cut down on your backwashes. I use the hair covers (Amazon) because they're really cheap vs. filter socks, and they come in packs of 100 instead of singles. Just take the hairnets out and throw them away as they fill with crud. I went through about 4-5 per day for three days, but water my cleared quickly. If you go with the socks, you'll need to clean them, so buy several to keep them working. Once complete, keep using the hairnets on a daily basis- you'll be amazed at how much they catch, and one may last you a week or more, depending on what's in the air. Once my conversion was complete, I only backwashed three times last season, including closing. Good Luck!

 

[red-beard]

You are in great hands! I will make only one suggestion: follow the advice here; don't listen to advice from the pool stores. You need just a few chemicals and patience to clear your pool. Do not fall for the "pool store" magic potions. And it looks like you are on you way! You might dig through and find a "pool noob" thread from last summer. She had a MUCH worse go than you and ended up with a crystal clear pool and a happy family.

On your CYA, I would suggest doing a partial drain and refill of your pool to get the CYA closer to 30. And this will probably help your higher CH readings. If you do it now, you won't need to add so much chlorine. But it seems your extreme additions are nearly done.

Long term - Consider a Variable Speed Pump - reduces energy significantly. Then you might look into a SWCG (Salt Water Chlorine Generator) which makes trying to find liquid chlorine a thing of the past. Everything the people here have put together are around reducing the work to keep your pool crystal clear and safe.

 

[arisal2k]

8:15 AM (45 hours into SLAM)
FC = 14 ppm
Added 104 ounces of the 6% stuff

Water is *slowly* clearing up.

@Casey Updated photos attached. You can see down the steps to the shallow end. A week ago you couldn't see the 3rd step down. The last photo has the brush at about 6-7 feet down to give an idea of how cloudy the water is.

@ghall6292 Thanks for the welcome! A hair net like this would work?

@red-beard Before TFP I bought a few boxes of Super Green to Blue stuff and 15 extra pounds of calcium shock. I dumped almost all the shock in and looks like I raised my CH really high. Was about to dump the flocculant stuff in and am really glad I halted that! In hindsight I probably should have partially drained as you are suggesting.

 

[red-beard]

Honestly, after testing and finding the CYA high, that should be one of the first suggestions. But for a pool full of "muck", I think draining the pool and scraping out the muck would be best. However, that is not practical for vinyl liner. Using the net to scrape the bottom and remove as much matter as possible is always good.

And there is nothing wrong with a sand filter, but they do take longer to clear a pool of dead algae. Since you don't know the condition of the sand filter, you might want to do a deep clean after all of this. Deep Cleaning a Sand Filter

 

[arisal2k]

Deep cleaning the sand filter looks to be above my pay grade at this time. Don't think I can easily get it out without breaking and redoing lots of plumbing. If I get desperate though....

2:30 pm update
FC=14.5 ppm
Added 76 ounces

10:30 update
FC=17.5 ppm
CC=1 ppm

dunno how but the free chlorine went up, significantly! Letting it ride for the night...

 

[arisal2k]

Oh and I added about 1.5 cups of DE into the skimmer. Pressure went up barely, not even half a psi. So I added another half cup with no apparent increase further. Just gonna watch this. Don't want to overdo things just in case.

 

[Casey]

POP

In the near future, you're probably going to want to crack that filter and get wet.

 

[red-beard]

The deep clean is for after. The simple way is sucking the sand out with a wet vacuum and replacing. The regular way you are just hosing out the sand. Sand should never need replacing. Unless is it a sticky mess from too many pool store potions.

What does your pool look like today?

 

[ghall6292]

You are correct on your choice of hairnets. $.10 apiece sounds about right. One bag of nets lasted me about two years, until I decided to dump the Baqua and do this pool thing right... the TFP way. I probably used 25 in one week getting thru that process at the beginning of last season, then about one a week thereafter. They make your job easier, are easy on the equipment, and they're cheap. Win-Win-Win! (Don't find many of them anymore. )

 

[red-beard]

@red-beard Before TFP I bought a few boxes of Super Green to Blue stuff and 15 extra pounds of calcium shock. I dumped almost all the shock in and looks like I raised my CH really high. Was about to dump the flocculant stuff in and am really glad I halted that! In hindsight I probably should have partially drained as you are suggesting.

The Cal-Hypo doesn't raise the CH that fast. 15 pounds won't do it. Last year, before I installed my SWCG (Salt Water Chlorine Generator), I was using Cal Hypo to chlorinate and to raise my CH. It took 6 months to get the CH to 350 ppm. It is not like CYA, where the ratio is 1 ppm FC to 0.6 ppm CYA. Or at least it doesn't raise it that fast compared with the normal levels. With CH, as long as you are under 450, you should be fine.

With CYA, in a matter of a few weeks you can have CYA that is much too high. Been there, done that! I drained my pool to get the CYA to 0 in 2019 so I could go the TFP way. And I didn't watch my CYA and way overshot 30 with pool tablets. I think I was around 70 in less than 6 weeks in the spring. I should have done another drain, but instead I struggled another season! Drained the pool in 2020 and kept the levels based on TFP methods and my pool has been perfect since.

Now you have your kit, you should run the tests on your house water, so you know what you are putting in your pool.

 

[arisal2k]

FC=14.5 ppm @ 8:00 am
Will add 78 oz, but coffee first!

Must be some measurement variability or error on my part.

Ordered the hair nets

Will investigate opening the sand filter and replacing sand.....

 

[arisal2k]

Alright team.... I've opened up the sand filter. News Flash: it's pretty gnarly inside. I'm going to close it on up and keep the pump/filter running.
We are dealing with a vintage Triton PAC-Fab sand filter circa ~1991. I don't know when/if the sand has last been replaced.

Should I
a) Deep Clean the Sand Filter
b) Replace all the sand

Guidance appreciated