Salt Cell - is this clean or dirty?

[Stoopalini]

great...thank you for this information.

and just to clarify, if my CYA is 60 and FC is 24...good to swim?

and after the swim, add liquid chlorine to get it back to target FC of 24 at night and continue with slam?

If you notice, SLAM targets are 40% of the CYA. So a CYA of 60 gives you a SLAM target of 24ppm FC. A CYA of 100 would give you a SLAM target of 40ppm FC.

Because of how CYA and chlorine interact, it is safe to swim up to SLAM levels of FC.

 

[wireform]

By looking at your poolmath logs I see swinging between 60 and 70 CYA. If your not adding any stabilizer how can it be. My recommendation is call it 70 and slam for it at FC 28. Maybe that's what's going that you slamming short of the true CYA level.

 

[rich6429]

By looking at your poolmath logs I see swinging between 60 and 70 CYA. If your not adding any stabilizer how can it be. My recommendation is call it 70 and slam for it at FC 28. Maybe that's what's going that you slamming short of the true CYA level.

Good catch on the swing of 60 to 70...and perhaps likely the reason. I did consider that as well.

out of all the tests with the Taylor Kit, I find the CYA to be the most tricky (looking for the dot to disappear). And sometimes I second guess myself with whether I saw the dot or not. LOL (that explains the swing from 60 to 70)

 

[IceShadow]

Good catch on the swing of 60 to 70...and perhaps likely the reason. I did consider that as well.

out of all the tests with the Taylor Kit, I find the CYA to be the most tricky (looking for the dot to disappear). And sometimes I second guess myself with whether I saw the dot or not. LOL (that explains the swing from 60 to 70)

It is, and light can play a part in it too. You want it to be a very bright space but not direct light - recommended is a sunny day outside, but with the vial in your shadow.

Fill to a line, then hold it down at your waist and glance. If it's visible at more than a glance, lift back up to your head level and fill up to the next line, then back to the waist level to glance and check, etc. You can also pour it back into the squeeze bottle and do it a second time.

If it really bugs you, you can get the 50ppm standard sample from TFTestKits and test that, and see what it looks like at 50. Then replicate that lighting condition and you'll know what to look for.

 

[rich6429]

It is, and light can play a part in it too. You want it to be a very bright space but not direct light - recommended is a sunny day outside, but with the vial in your shadow.

Fill to a line, then hold it down at your waist and glance. If it's visible at more than a glance, lift back up to your head level and fill up to the next line, then back to the waist level to glance and check, etc. You can also pour it back into the squeeze bottle and do it a second time.

If it really bugs you, you can get the 50ppm standard sample from TFTestKits and test that, and see what it looks like at 50. Then replicate that lighting condition and you'll know what to look for.

i have been doing the fill up to the line and put at waist level technique (saw that on another post some time ago). Will take a look at the TFTestKits on the 50.

 

[wireform]

Or you can pour it back and forth as many times as you need to make a confident decision.

 

[pb4uswim]

Hoping for an update on the pool and the party. Maybe tomorrow morning?

 

[rich6429]

Update…
Went ahead with the pool party without the Slam. I was worried that something was going to happen that may prevent the pool party from happening.

That being said…I did start the Slam last night. Off work this week so I will be able to continue testing throughout the day and topping up with liquid chlorine.

2 questions…
Do I keep the SWG off during the Slam process? Or leave it on to help maintain the FC?

If I brush the walls, can I leave my Dolphin to do the vacuuming? Or should I do the manual vacuum?

 

[Texas Splash]

Do I keep the SWG off during the Slam process?

You can leave it off. SWGs are not designed to try and maintain a really high FC level. Adding liquid chlorine is generally more efficient and predictable.

If I brush the walls, can I leave my Dolphin to do the vacuuming?

Yes

 

[rich6429]

Ugh…so frustrated.

Started the Slam 3 nights ago. And this mornings OCLT showed a gain of FC. I thought I counted wrong so I figured I could end the slam process today. Only to find out my salt cell was left on…but I swear I turned it off.

In other words…no real answer here other than a waste of time. Unless I have done something that actually could have benefited anything.

Ugh.

PS: CC less than 0.5 and water is clear. Oclt (can’t trust that since I had my cell on).

 

[IceShadow]

The SLAM is still doing something, so it wasn't a waste. Just turn the cell off and run the OCLT again tonight without it on. Good that it went up at least! If it went down even with the SWG on, then you'd know you're losing FC still.

 

[pb4uswim]

Yeah, you’re still killing algae, if there’s any left. Just lost a day in order to get a good overnight test. Hopefully you’ll be all set.

 

[rich6429]

I guess my worry is that I was still losing chlorine during the day. I was losing 4 FC a day. Even though my Swg was running.

 

[IceShadow]

At higher FC levels you lose more FC to the sun. Daily loss will drop when FC goes down to standard maintenance levels.

 

[rich6429]

At higher FC levels you lose more FC to the sun. Daily loss will drop when FC goes down to standard maintenance levels.

Ah…good to know. Thanks again.

 

[rich6429]

So an update…

Swg finally off…and topped up the chlorine early evening. Vacuumed and brushed as well. Low and behold, finally passed my OCLT. Pool super clear, CC less than 0.5 also.

One thing I would like to say…I always thought my pool was clear. And to a certain extent, it really was clear. But after slamming the last 4 days, it looks like glass now. My wife even asked if I did anything because it looks so clear. I honestly contemplated putting some clarifier as a quick fix at some point 2 weeks ago. But as the other posts says…likely just masking the issue. I am happy I didn’t and trusted the process. I feel good about what I did and I am a SLAM believer .

Now just gotta get the FC back to normal levels and turn on my Swg and be back to normal.

Still don’t know what caused the fc loss since I stayed within levels.

One question…when can I start testing again and adjusting the other chemicals. Haven’t tested them since I started slamming. But did test prior to slam.

 

[ajw22]

Let your FC drop below 10 then resume normal testing.