Robot Cleaner Use During A Slam?

[RexO]

Is it advisable to use a robot cleaner during a SLAM? I recently bought a Warrior SI robot and used used it to clean up what I thought was pollen. But, now I suspect it is actually algae.
Pool is at SLAM levels for the night. Will check the chlorine levels before sunrise to check for loss. I used the manual vacuum and brushed well this evening after adding bleach to SLAM level.
I don’t know why I would get algae, my chlorine levels have been consistently at or above target for my CYA level.
The robot is out of the pool now, but I was wondering if it would be advisable to run it while the chorine levels are at a high level.

 

[Newdude]

Hey Rex !!! Is it on everything?? The deck, the car, etc ? Then it's pollen. Keep us posted on the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test to prove it one way or the other.

People can swim safely up to and including SLAM level based upon the FC/CYA Levels. The robot can swim safely too. He is waaaaaay sturdier than people.

The robot can also help with the cleaning If you do need to SLAM, but in this one instance, the manual vac is king. Nothing has its suction power and if you have the ability to vac to waste it's even better.

 

[RexO]

Hey Rex !!! Is it on everything?? The deck, the car, etc ? Then it's pollen. Keep us posted on the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test to prove it one way or the other.

People can swim safely up to and including SLAM level based upon the FC/CYA Levels. The robot can swim safely too. He is waaaaaay sturdier than people.

The robot can also help with the cleaning If you do need to SLAM, but in this one instance, the manual vac is king. Nothing has its suction power and if you have the ability to vac to waste it's even better.

Interesting! No overnight chlorine loss. So, I guess my original instinct was correct. Pollen, not algae. We have been dealing with high pollen counts for weeks. On the cars, decks and pool. I have kept the pool water looking OK by frequent manual vacuuming and brushing. Over the last two weeks, the pollen on cars and the deck have diminished significantly. But, just now my pool water is overwhelmed by it. The water is cloudy with a greenish tint. And, of course the green substance at the floor of the pool until I vacuum/brush it away. I don’t want to use a clarifier product. Do I just keep vacuuming and brushing and let the filter do its work to catch up? Is the filter doing its job? It is only 1 year old, as this is a new pool.

 

[NCMike]

It looks like you have a small cartridge filter. Has it been cleaned in that 1 year? Are you monitoring your filter pressure to see how much it has risen since it was installed? If its never been cleaned then I would take it out and wash it really good. It would still be full of last years stuff including plaster dust from the new pool.

 

[Newdude]

Do I just keep vacuuming and brushing and let the filter do its work to catch up? Is the filter doing its job?

Yes and Yes !! My 500 sq footers looked like this after the pollen was done every year.

it blows around all month but whatever hits the pool stays there. Adding up and up until the filter has to clear way more than its fair share. It will take some time to filter out. Watch your PSI and clean the filters at a 25% increase.

Keep your FC per the FC/CYA Levels and feel free to perform occasional OCLTs just to sleep better. Then just let the filter do it’s thing.

*Also, keep in mind that the filter isn’t working if the pump is off. So if you were running a schedule it will take that much longer.

 

[RexO]

It looks like you have a small cartridge filter. Has it been cleaned in that 1 year? Are you monitoring your filter pressure to see how much it has risen since it was installed? If its never been cleaned then I would take it out and wash it really good. It would still be full of last years stuff including plaster dust from the new pool.

Yes, I clean it every 2-3 week on a schedule. I have never seen the pressure increase because I clean before it builds up.

 

[RexO]

Yes and Yes !! My 500 sq footers looked like this after the pollen was done every year. View attachment 318886View attachment 318887View attachment 318888

it blows around all month but whatever hits the pool stays there. Adding up and up until the filter has to clear way more than its fair share. It will take some time to filter out. Watch your PSI and clean the filters at a 25% increase.

Keep your FC per the FC/CYA Levels and feel free to perform occasional OCLTs just to sleep better. Then just let the filter do it’s thing.

*Also, keep in mind that the filter isn’t working if the pump is off. So if you were running a schedule it will take that much longer.

That's what I will do. And I will run the pump continuously till it clears up

 

[Homebrewale]

Pollen season is just starting to ramp up here. The sky will fill with yellow clouds soon.