I'm just about finished slamming my pool and plan on using Borax, baking soda, etc to keep my pool balanced. My question is.....can I use my remaining pool store ph increaser/decreaser, alkalinity plus, etc before converting to Borax and baking soda? Or should I go straight to the Borax and baking soda?
Question about slam
- Thread starter kjfin
- Start date
- May 3, 2014
- 59,736
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Welcome to the forum!
Most pools do not need Borax or baking soda. All depends on your water characteristics.
pH increaser can be sodium carbonate (soda ash) or sodium tetraborate (borax), pH down is sodium bisulfate, or dry acid. Alkalinity plus is baking soda.
So yes, if you need any of those items, you can use them up. We do recommend you switch to muriatic acid when you need to lower pH. You can use up the pH down you have.
See Recommended Pool Chemicals - Trouble Free Pool
Most importantly is how are you testing your water chemistry?
Please fill out your signature.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.
Most pools do not need Borax or baking soda. All depends on your water characteristics.
pH increaser can be sodium carbonate (soda ash) or sodium tetraborate (borax), pH down is sodium bisulfate, or dry acid. Alkalinity plus is baking soda.
So yes, if you need any of those items, you can use them up. We do recommend you switch to muriatic acid when you need to lower pH. You can use up the pH down you have.
See Recommended Pool Chemicals - Trouble Free Pool
Most importantly is how are you testing your water chemistry?
Please fill out your signature.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.
Ok, thank you! I'm testing with a TF100 test kit with a vinyl liner pool.
Last edited:
- May 3, 2014
- 59,736
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Please put that and the rest of your pool information into your signature -- Create Your Signature - Further Reading
Does the cc test have to be done with the same water sample used for the OCLT or can I check it on it's own now and have it be a part of the SLAM passing criteria? I just passed the OCLT but my cc is at 1 with no covers being used on the pool. What would be the recommendation moving forward? Thank you!
You have to pass all three at the same time.
Test one is the water clear? If not, keep slamming.
Test two: now that the water is clear, does it pass the overnight test? If not, keep slamming
Test three. The FC was the same first thing this morning as it was last night. Now test CC. Is it .5 or less? Pass. If not keep slamming.
Cutting things short will only give you brief relief. I've seen it year after year. It looks good and corners get cut and in a month or six weeks, we see "I just slammed but my water is cloudy again."
Thank you! My water is definitely clear, but maybe not pass the test clear as there are still a very few clouds of gray dust on the floor when I brushed yesterday (only visible when brushing) and I'm not exactly sure if that plays into the clear water test. As I'm a new pool owner, I'm assuming that is dead algae?
Probably. Does it resemble dust bunnies? Does it go *poof* when you approach it with the brush? Those are both good indicators it's algae.
Thank you! My water is definitely clear, but maybe not pass the test clear as there are still a very few clouds of gray dust on the floor when I brushed yesterday (only visible when brushing) and I'm not exactly sure if that plays into the clear water test. As I'm a new pool owner, I'm assuming that is dead algae?
It is almost surely dead algae and yes, it counts against you as "clear" water. Keep the chlorine up and brush that dead algae up into the chlorinated water and it will go away. Run you pum 24/7 to get it filtered out.
- Jun 8, 2019
- 4,580
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Check for any hidden sources of algae - light niches, ladders, steps, skimmer throat / weir door, etc. 
Yeah, I would say it does. I don't even see it as I approach it with a brush. Just as I take a big push, you can see a light cloud form in the direction I'm pushing but nothing compared to how it was a week ago when I started the SLAM. Do you recommend I purchase some DE for my sand filter?
See if a neighbor with a DE filter won't give you a cup or two. You don;t use much and they sell it in pretty big bags. You'll end up with a lifetime supply. And sadly the smaller bags of garden DE are not the same stuff.
No neighbors with pools. Lol Should I still buy some or what are your thoughts?
If the only thing holding you back is clarity, then yes. It'll even out compared to a couple days' worth of bleach. Plus DE will never go bad. The bag will rot away centuries before the DE will break down. If you find any cellulose filter medium, that will work, too, but it is biodegradable, so seal the bag up good.
As of the little bit of gray dust I see when I brush, I had a CC of 1.0 this morning but had the exact same amount of FC this morning as I did last night.
So the CC is holding you back as well. Scroll back up to Duraleigh and IceShadow. That's more important than DE.
- Jun 8, 2019
- 4,580
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Weir door is off, inside skimmer has been wiped down, light niche is out on the deck and has been wiped down inside the housing too, rubber trim that hides the screws holding the liner to the built in stairs has been removed and the channels scrubbed, tried to get a terry cloth behind the returns, light, skimmer and the liner to wipe but it's a very tight fit to even get the cloth in so couldn't wipe very good there...no ladder in the pool. Just trying to get the pool opened for the first time. Pool was brand new last fall but opened up green and dirty this spring.