Problem Pool - More issues after rain - SLAM in progress

[drsaxman]

I'm having a heck of a summer with this pool. After an Ascorbic run and adding the purple stuff, everything was great. Then I went out of town, and it rained like crazy. Came home to a hazy and green pool.
Got the FAS-DPD test and did a OCLT last evening/this morning.

Original readings:
Salt: 3000 PPM
FC: 8 PPM
PH: 7.4
ALK: 124
CYA: 20

OCLT
Last night:
FC: 3 PPM
CC: 4.5 PPM

This morning:
FC: 3 PPM
CC: 3 PPM

Based on the CC reading, I started a SLAM this morning. I'm hoping this is the right direction to go in. Every time I SLAM, the pool gets stained with Iron, so once my SLAM is complete, I plan on doing a run of Ascorbic acid again to get the stain off. The pool this summer has been a maintenance nightmare. Also learned yesterday that my return jets were set up wrong. They were pointed center straight up (both sides of the steps) and I adjusted them down and to the right. Now I have a good circular movement of the water and hopefully will help me keep the PH balanced better since there is less aeration with the new configuration. Thanks for this group for advising to get the additional testing gear I need. Hopefully we'll be able to enjoy this pool at some point this summer.

 

[drsaxman]

I'm having a heck of a time here. I added bleach around 6:00 in the evening, over a gallon per the TFP calculations. I tested a couple of hours later, and my FC is like between .5 and 1 when I expected it to be around 11. I added another over another gallon just now, I'll test again in the morning, but it seems like something is just chewing through my FC.

 

[Newdude]

added another over another gallon just now, I'll test again in the morning, but it seems like something is just chewing through my FC.

That's good. It means you are killing it. You will want to M(aintain) that SLAM FC as often as possible. The more effort you put in, the quicker it goes at any level.

If the week is not so favorable time wise, do the best you can and plan on hitting it hard on the weekend. You can cheat and test/dose earlier than 2-3 hours to buy yourself the next 2-3 hours for errands or a kids soccer game.

 

[jeffchap]

Yup. A pool that green will consume chlorine like crazy. It'll slow down once it turns teal.

 

[drsaxman]

That's good. It means you are killing it. You will want to M(aintain) that SLAM FC as often as possible. The more effort you put in, the quicker it goes at any level.

If the week is not so favorable time wise, do the best you can and plan on hitting it hard on the weekend. You can cheat and test/dose earlier than 2-3 hours to buy yourself the next 2-3 hours for errands or a kids soccer game.

I'll keep at it.
Should I be worrying about my CYA at this point? It's kind of low for a SWG. Will raising CYA help keep the chlorine in the pool when it's sunny out? My pool is kind of in the woods and doesn't get direct sunlight except for a few hours a day. After 5:00 PM, it's in the shade.

 

[Newdude]

Slam needs a minimum of 30 CYA. 20 and below mess with the eyes even more than normal and is hard to pin down exactly. It may be 20 or it may be 12 (etc). Add in 10s in a soaking sock in front of a return and give it a day to mix well. Stop when it reads 30 for now because for each 10 over that, you'll need more FC to match the 40% SLAM rule.

Once you've passed all 3 exit criteria, Raise the CYA to 70 to help protect the teeny bit of FC the SWG produces at any given time. With liquid bleach you are spiking the FC in one shot and can afford it drifting down in the sun over the next 24 hours. SWGs add FC like you are standing there adding one drip at a time and need the extra help.

 

[Newdude]

If you'd like to have a pool on easy mode when this is done, switch to the LC chart and use high target as your target. It will give you just enough leeway to weather any proverbial or literal storms.

Once you are at one with your pool, you can dance the minimum line as close as you wish, but I dance free and clear away from the minimum cliff. Others take selfies hanging off the cliff. It's up to you.

 

[drsaxman]

If you'd like to have a pool on easy mode when this is done, switch to the LC chart and use high target as your target. It will give you just enough leeway to weather any proverbial or literal storms.

Once you are at one with your pool, you can dance the minimum line as close as you wish, but I dance free and clear away from the minimum cliff. Others take selfies hanging off the cliff. It's up to you.

I was "one" with my pool last summer. Now it's kicking my behind all over the place.
BTW, I went to the pool store to get some CYA, and brought some water to be tested. Their test came back at 60, my test came back at 20. I don't see how it's feasible that they came up with 60. I would definitely be able to "see" that in my taylor test.

 

[Newdude]

I don't see how it's feasible that they came up with 60

You have a reliable test kit. Maybe you are off by 10. The system still works great if you are and that is an acceptable tolerance.

I don't even know you and I trust your reading. You should trust you too.

 

[drsaxman]

You have a reliable test kit. Maybe you are off by 10. The system still works great if you are and that is an acceptable tolerance.

I don't even know you and I trust your reading. You should trust you too.

A little about me: I have a degree in Computer Science Engineering and work as a Solutions Architect in IT.
I've been testing and adding 10% bleach every couple hours today (I work from home) and I'm happy to report some progress. I don't have all my readings, but at 4:30PM I was at 4.5, at 6:30 I was at 7.5. This was the least amount of drop all day.

 

[drsaxman]

SLAM + Ascorbic Acid treatment. Results are looking pretty good compared to the before picture. Thanks for your help!