Serious help needed

[kimkats]

I would go ahead and get your PH down to 7.2 so it will be ready as soon as you are to SLAM.

Pool Math to the rescue! :super: See the link in my siggy or at the top of every page. This will tell you how much of every thing to add or do.

It tells me that your pool of 30000 with a FC of 4 will need 279 oz of 11% chlorine to get to a FC of 12. Note you can and should change the % to match the % of what you are using.

You can and should go ahead and start your SLAM as soon as you lower you PH to 7.2.

Kim

 

[Swampwoman]

Whenever you see a blue link in one of my posts it will take you where you need to go to read
PoolMath
SLAM Process

 

[richardc]

I would go ahead and get your PH down to 7.2 so it will be ready as soon as you are to SLAM.

Pool Math to the rescue! :super: See the link in my siggy or at the top of every page. This will tell you how much of every thing to add or do.

It tells me that your pool of 30000 with a FC of 4 will need 279 oz of 11% chlorine to get to a FC of 12. Note you can and should change the % to match the % of what you are using.

You can and should go ahead and start your SLAM as soon as you lower you PH to 7.2.

Kim

Assuming all things being equal how is it determind that a FC level of 12 (or whatever the target number is) will oxidize whatever is in my water? Recall that my first reading indicated a FC of 16, albeit with no CYA. Do you see where I'm coming from?

 

[Mike1162]

I caught that also. Something isn't adding up.
How many days was the FC up around 16?

 

[richardc]

I would go ahead and get your PH down to 7.2 so it will be ready as soon as you are to SLAM.

Pool Math to the rescue! :super: See the link in my siggy or at the top of every page. This will tell you how much of every thing to add or do.

It tells me that your pool of 30000 with a FC of 4 will need 279 oz of 11% chlorine to get to a FC of 12. Note you can and should change the % to match the % of what you are using.

You can and should go ahead and start your SLAM as soon as you lower you PH to 7.2.

Kim

Lowering the ph is dry acid ...yes? Pool math indicated an amount of aroud 100 oz.

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I caught that also. Something isn't adding up.
How many days was the FC up around 16?

I don't know but we kept adding liquid chlorine, and the pool went from dark black/green to mint green. It has remained stable at a mint green color?

 

[richardc]

I caught that also. Something isn't adding up.
How many days was the FC up around 16?

Liquid chlorine was added in large amounts with no measurements being taken. In fact, I can tell you that I alone purchased and used 80 gallons of 9 percent bleach. My pool guy used I don't know how much liquid pool shock. The chlorine was added at a time when there were wheelbarrows full of leaves, algae and muck at the bottom of the pool. I still don't know if all solid organic materials have been removed as one cannot see down in the pool.

Two attempts at vacuuming the pool bottom yielded inconsistent results as the pool guy's vacuum became pugged with solids during the process. Lots of muck was removed along with debris, but as I said the process was not finished to a point wherein one was satisfied that all yuck was sucessfully removed. Thus, I still do not know if the pool bottom is lined with debris. The pool guy's position was to clear the water so he could see the bottom and vacuum. The two attempts heretofore mentioned were "braille'.

So, I don't know what else to say?

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Liquid chlorine was added in large amounts with no measurements being taken. In fact, I can tell you that I alone purchased and used 80 gallons of 9 percent bleach. My pool guy used I don't know how much liquid pool shock. The chlorine was added at a time when there were wheelbarrows full of leaves, algae and muck at the bottom of the pool. I still don't know if all solid organic materials have been removed as one cannot see down in the pool.

Two attempts at vacuuming the pool bottom yielded inconsistent results as the pool guy's vacuum became pugged with solids during the process. Lots of muck was removed along with debris, but as I said the process was not finished to a point wherein one was satisfied that all yuck was sucessfully removed. Thus, I still do not know if the pool bottom is lined with debris. The pool guy's position was to clear the water so he could see the bottom and vacuum. The two attempts heretofore mentioned were "braille'.

So, I don't know what else to say?

I was hoping that with the proper technical support and input from this forum that I could get the water clear.

 

[richardc]

I went back out to the pool and decided to do some leaf raking. I went around the pool at least twice, and must have raked about 25 or more times. Ironically, the first rake brought up a small amount of liquified muck, perhaps about an inch deep in the leaf net with afew leaves and a twig. It also brought up the familiar brown haze that my pool guy believed was algae. After seeing this first response I, of course, was disheartened. Yet, after that first scoop there were no more yields other than a few leaves. So, it is my opinion that the greater majority or about 90 plus percent of the debris has been removed. It is obvious to me that this brown substance, likely being a mixture of algae, decomposed leaves, dirt, and gosh knows what else is causing the discoloration of the pool. However, I am confident that most of the stuff is gone. My CC reading was 3 to 3.5 does that give a clue as to the amount of contaminants that have been in the pool?

Without knowing more, (oh the challenge of the naive and innocent !) I remain convinced that a nuclear amount of chlorine can knock this out. Thanks for helping !

 

[zea3]

We can help you get your pool clear, if you follow the SLAM Process procedure once you get started. The most important part of a slam is maintaining the slam level as long as possible with frequent testing of FC and adding chlorine as needed. It does work, but it takes persistence and patience. Once the pool is clear it will be much easier to maintain.

 

[richardc]

We can help you get your pool clear, if you follow the SLAM Process procedure once you get started. The most important part of a slam is maintaining the slam level as long as possible with frequent testing of FC and adding chlorine as needed. It does work, but it takes persistence and patience. Once the pool is clear it will be much easier to maintain.

I hear you, and thank you....will do

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I would go ahead and get your PH down to 7.2 so it will be ready as soon as you are to SLAM.

Pool Math to the rescue! :super: See the link in my siggy or at the top of every page. This will tell you how much of every thing to add or do.

It tells me that your pool of 30000 with a FC of 4 will need 279 oz of 11% chlorine to get to a FC of 12. Note you can and should change the % to match the % of what you are using.

You can and should go ahead and start your SLAM as soon as you lower you PH to 7.2.

Kim

I retested the PH and it was spot on at 7.5. Do I still need to bring it down to 7.2, and if so, is dry acid ok?

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Whenever you see a blue link in one of my posts it will take you where you need to go to read
PoolMath
SLAM Process

Thank you for your kind assistance ! I appreciate the links !

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BTW, although I have saved a half dozen or so, and many tadpoles, I am still pulling dead frogs from the pool. The other day, I had three oxidized in the skimmers, and one today floating.....it's a shame, but ...

 

[richardc]

My retest of my PH was right at 7.5 do I still need to lower it to 7.2 ??

I have read and understand the SLAM process. What danger, if any, is there in maintaining a shock level greater than what corrsponds to your CYA level ? Is it potential damage to the liner ?

 

[kimkats]

Yes, do lower the PH to 7.2. The reason is it may go up during the SLAM but PH dose not measure correct if the FC is over 10 so we aim for lower (7.2) to give you some wiggle room during the SLAM.

Don't go too far over or you may damage the liner/plaster and equipment.

Kim

 

[richardc]

Yes, do lower the PH to 7.2. The reason is it may go up during the SLAM but PH dose not measure correct if the FC is over 10 so we aim for lower (7.2) to give you some wiggle room during the SLAM.

Don't go too far over or you may damage the liner/plaster and equipment.

Ok, I have added dry acid to lower the PH;according to pool math 70 oz of dry acid was required. I have used about 50-60 oz so far, and afrer 15 minutes there is no change in the PH reading. My numbers this morning are as follows:

FC 1
CC 2
TC 3
CH 100
TA 210
PH 7.5
CYA aprox 46

According to Pool Math, I will require a shock level of 20 with a CYA of 50, which, based on 12.5 % liquid shock at 128 oz per bottle will be about 4.85 bottles.

How long does it take for the dry acid to lower the PH ?

Thanks again

Kim

Ok, I have added dry acid to lower the PH;according to pool math 70 oz of dry acid was required. I have used about 50-60 oz so far, and afrer 15 minutes there is no change in the PH reading. My numbers this morning are as follows:

FC 1
CC 2
TC 3
CH 100
TA 210
PH 7.5
CYA aprox 46

According to Pool Math, I will require a shock level of 20 with a CYA of 50, which, based on 12.5 % liquid shock at 128 oz per bottle will be about 4.85 bottles.

How long does it take for the dry acid to lower the PH ?

Thanks again

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Is it ok to begin SLAM in bright sunlight, or best to wait to evening? Ty

 

[kimkats]

I have not used dry acid so don't really know............I would think once it was mixed in good and had a little while for the pump to move it around it should test good. Not sure why you have not see it yet. Try brushing the pool to help mix it in good.

I would start the SLAM asap to get it started and on the way to done.

Kim

 

[richardc]

I have not used dry acid so don't really know............I would think once it was mixed in good and had a little while for the pump to move it around it should test good. Not sure why you have not see it yet. Try brushing the pool to help mix it in good.

I would start the SLAM asap to get it started and on the way to done.

Kim

I wanted to see if the PH comes down b4 slamming ...yes?

 

[richardc]

Do shock chlorine levels get adjusted as the process unfolds? For example, if I am starting with a CYA close to 50, and therefore use the 20 shock level, what do I do the following day, if say, CYA is reduced down to 30 so that the chart would indicate a very different chlorine shock level? I assume I would adjust the shock to the correct and present level, and limit it to the corresponding level for CYA 30? Yes? Please advise. TY

 

[pooldv]

CYA doesn't change that much or that fast. But, yes, the shock level is always based on the CYA level, [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA].

It is better to use muriatic acid to lower pH because sodium bisulfate adds sulfate to the water which build up and attack concrete and metal surfaces.

 

[richardc]

My PH came down to about 7.2, Accordingly, I started my SLAM about 2 PM CST with 5 gallons of 12.5%. I will re-test my FC and CC levels in a few hours. What would be the ideal length of time to re-test? When I re-test, must all tests be done today, or am I ok to do just the FC, CC , and CYA levels???

BTW the dry acid brought the PH down perfectly according to Pool Math calculations !

 

[kimkats]

For right now the only thing you will need to re test is the FC. We will do the CC much later and CYA once everything is done. The FC is the most important right now.

If at all possible try to test every 2 hours. IF you see that you are not losing much FC in the 2 hours then you can back off to every 3 hours. IF you see you have lost a LOT of FC in the 2 hours bump it up to every hour. It will ebb and flow as the algae dies.

During the times you cannot baby sit the pool dose the FC up to your SLAM level and do the best you can to get it back to SLAM level asap.

Kim

 

[richardc]

For right now the only thing you will need to re test is the FC. We will do the CC much later and CYA once everything is done. The FC is the most important right now.

If at all possible try to test every 2 hours. IF you see that you are not losing much FC in the 2 hours then you can back off to every 3 hours. IF you see you have lost a LOT of FC in the 2 hours bump it up to every hour. It will ebb and flow as the algae dies.

During the times you cannot baby sit the pool dose the FC up to your SLAM level and do the best you can to get it back to SLAM level asap.

Kim

FC 23.5 as of 2 1/2 hours after initial SLAM. I will test again in 3 hours which is 7:30 CST

 

[richardc]

FC 22.5 at 7:30 PM

The good news is that I brushed the pool bottom and sides a bit (need a new brush), and nothing was stirred up as in the brown yuck/particle/algae type material. At the most, the brush picked up literally two "oxidized looking" single strands of plant/root/leave material. I say oxidized looking because the organic material looked like it had been bleached !