Question about cleaning out debris

[cj3737]

Ugh.. pool store results....
I would seriously wait until your test kit comes...

All those zeros are suspect..

Have you added any bleach in the last few days?

 

[Ashleigh]

Ugh.. pool store results....
I would seriously wait until your test kit comes...

All those zeros are suspect..

Have you added any bleach in the last few days?

Pretty sure all the 0s are right. My test kit, even though I know it's substandard was reading 0 also, and usually I get some reading of chlorine. I haven't added chlorine in 24 hours.

 

[cj3737]

Chlorine is key to sanitation...I would start adding bleach... your slam will be a lot less painful if you have a head start.. I know you are cleaning regularly as well so thatll help it along too...
4 gal of 8.25% will bring you up to 9.5 which will still yield valid PH results. Youll also start to get CC readings once the chlorine takes over

 

[Swampwoman]

Hi there.
Re:

So, am I correct in thinking I need to replace some water first before I do anything else? What's my target CYA for starting a SLAM?

Your ideal cya for a slam is around 30 ppm cya, in terms of how much bleach/liquid chlorine you'll need to maintain slam level. BUT pool stores are often wrong on cya -- plus its also possible to slam at a higher rate if need be.

I'd rather see you do your own cya test when your new kit gets in -- once you've mixed it, you can practice reading it a few times to get comfortable.

Knowing and controlling the cya level is the true key to TFP and why it works. SO for the immediate moment, use the [FC/CYA][/FC/cya] to determine what your SLAM Process level would be, then use the PoolMath calculator to figure out how mch liquid chlorine/bleach to add...and add that once for now so that there's some decent FC working in the pool to help stave off getting worse...even if your cya level is actually higher.

Tomorrow, just add a gallon (to add a few ppm ...you have a pretty large volume pool) to help maintain -- what day does your test kit arrive? This will help you not go backwards for a few days, but when the kit comes, you can determine how many patrial water changes or what percentage of change you need to do to get into a better cya range for a full slam mode.

Part of the reason I want you to wait on the water change is I'd like you to check your home/sale records to see if you have iron in your well -- and if so, how many ppm the last known report says.

If you do, there are a few things to consider regarding a water change and slamming and ill walk you through the options. You've gotta slam to get clear, but we need to have an idea if the metals are high enough to tint with new raw water.

Report back on the well situation and I'll fill you in a bit more tomorrow Don't want to drown you in details at the moment and want you to absorb the immediate steps first that I linked to

Cheers to clear...its just around the corner.

 

[Ashleigh]

Hi there.
Re:

Your ideal cya for a slam is around 30 ppm cya, in terms of how much bleach/liquid chlorine you'll need to maintain slam level. BUT pool stores are often wrong on cya -- plus its also possible to slam at a higher rate if need be.

I'd rather see you do your own cya test when your new kit gets in -- once you've mixed it, you can practice reading it a few times to get comfortable.

Knowing and controlling the cya level is the true key to TFP and why it works. SO for the immediate moment, use the [FC/CYA][/FC/cya] to determine what your SLAM Process level would be, then use the PoolMath calculator to figure out how mch liquid chlorine/bleach to add...and add that once for now so that there's some decent FC working in the pool to help stave off getting worse...even if your cya level is actually higher.

Tomorrow, just add a gallon (to add a few ppm ...you have a pretty large volume pool) to help maintain -- what day does your test kit arrive? This will help you not go backwards for a few days, but when the kit comes, you can determine how many patrial water changes or what percentage of change you need to do to get into a better cya range for a full slam mode.

Part of the reason I want you to wait on the water change is I'd like you to check your home/sale records to see if you have iron in your well -- and if so, how many ppm the last known report says.

If you do, there are a few things to consider regarding a water change and slamming and ill walk you through the options. You've gotta slam to get clear, but we need to have an idea if the metals are high enough to tint with new raw water.

Report back on the well situation and I'll fill you in a bit more tomorrow Don't want to drown you in details at the moment and want you to absorb the immediate steps first that I linked to

Cheers to clear...its just around the corner.

Thank you for your advice! I've been busy for the past couple days but I have added bleach and kept the walls brushed. It's still improving. My iron level is 0.2 and Copper is 0.4.

Current stats--
FC .02
Cc .08
TA-5
CH-5
CYA-74

I'll post a pic in a bit.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ashleigh]

Chlorine is key to sanitation...I would start adding bleach... your slam will be a lot less painful if you have a head start.. I know you are cleaning regularly as well so thatll help it along too...
4 gal of 8.25% will bring you up to 9.5 which will still yield valid PH results. Youll also start to get CC readings once the chlorine takes over

Yes, I certainly didn't want to start from ground zero again, so I've been adding 4-5 gallons of bleach a night. Pool is still blue thank heaven!

- - - Updated - - -

Ok, so I got my CYA test kit! Tonight, I tested my level for myself and the reading was 55...I hope I did it right. I've added 29 lbs of baking soda to bring up the TA and ph. In the morning I'll test again and add more if need be. I brushed the walls, and vacuumed the floor. This was the first time I was able to see the debris on the shallow end floor. I also added 4 gallons of 8.25% bleach. Here's pics of today's pool. I took these in the evening, so it's not quite as sunny.

 

[Swampwoman]

Excellent news and looking like swimming is in your reasonably near future - can you post up your complete set of test results?

FC higher than 10 will skew your ph, but it would be good to have a starting set of numbers so maybe before the next time you dose if you let it drop under 10 or if you go ahead with the water change I propose, after your refill.

Suggested Intermediate Step Pre-Slam:
In your case, with copper at .4, which is above the staining level of .3, I would personally go ahead and consider a 30% water change before slamming IF you knew that your well level of iron was also low (like the .2 iron of the pool). If your well is higher, you can help reduce the iron load going into the pool with pre filtering -- you'll want to do this every time you fill anyway to keep things hassle-free down the road.

I'm going to link you to one filter I've used attached straight to a hose, and a second filter that I've since switched to because the cartridges are replaceable and inexpensive with mch better flow rate. The first one is easy, just attach to a hose...the second you need to fool around a bit to fit to a hose but then its there permanently if you want -- the connections are meant more for pipe so you need converter fittings.

#1 - easy but exhausts itself at about 8,000 gallons, with your large pool, not ideal: Amazon.com : Pre Fresh Garden Hose End Water Filter all purpose, pool, spa, hot tub, pets, car wash : Garden Hose Parts : Patio, Lawn Garden

#2 - bit o English to attach via fittings, but you can get replaceable 1 micron filters cheaply and use it forever: Pentek 150469 3/4 Scientific

And 1 mcron filter: Pentek DGD-2501 Spun Polypropylene Filter Cartridge, 10 Scientific

You could slam with your cya level as is, but if you do the partial drain now, and get a filter on your fill from well, I think long term you'd be better off -- your call.

Unlike iron, copper doesn't come from the well and is most likely from prior algaecide use, piping, or heater heat exchanger degradation. So diluting it will ultimately help management of it down the road. You will also, post-slam, need to add a good metal sequestrant like Metal Magic or Jacks Magic (called HEDP types) and then maintain to prevent staining. But the Slam FC levels would degrade it if you add it now, so best to add it once you're finished.

So after your water change, adjust your ph to 7.2 (it makes the slam work better and also helps keep metals in solution) and slam away! You could get to crystal by next weekend from here if you maintain.

When you feel really close, shutting down your pump overnight and doing a slow vac to waste will nail that last bit of silt! Or if doing a partial water change, you could vac to waste to remove some of the water, then continue partial drain.
Cheers to clear

 

[Ashleigh]

Now that it's Monday, I can give this my full attention and I think I'm about ready to slam! I have done a water exchange, almost 30 % and I filtered the water. I will add the metal sequestrant after I slam. Yesterday morning, the pool for the first time ever, was clear and blue! I added the remaining amounts of baking soda and washing soda to increase my TA and PH. I added 3 gallons of liquid chlorine, thinking that was enough to stave off the algae, but boy was I wrong, it was green again this morning. So, here's my readings today:

CYA- 30 (YAY!!!!!)
Ph-7.6 (is this too high to start? )
TA-110
FC-4
CH-10

Should I be concerned about CH? I don't have a heater on my pool, if that makes a difference. TIA!!

 

[triptyx]

Use Muratic Acid to reduce the pH to 7.2.

Your TA is already probably too high. Stop trying to raise TA, just use MA to lower your pH as needed after your SLAM and TA will drop to where it needs to be by itself. As long as it doesn't dip much below 50 you don't need to mess with it.