Should I SLAM or should I continue as is? - FC is climbing

[diamonddog]

Over the summer I had a lot of algae on my pebble Tech walls. I suspect now, its because I did not understand that you have to use more chlorine as you add more CYA. I used to keep my CYA at 40ppm, but read a saltwater pool should be at 70. So I did that and kept my FC the same at 3-5.

Now its winter in S Cal and I don't see much algae on the wall. When I sweep when I first posted about this a couple of weeks ago, I would see puffs of green but nothing really on the walls

I had to order the correct FC test kit and read up on SLAM and interact with all of you. While I was waiting, I turned my SWG up to max and kept brushing the walls. I am about to go get chlorine, but now notice that when I brush m y walls, I am not sure if I see any green. It could be dust, it could be green. Hard to tell now. I run my suction side pool cleaner most of the time right now during this issue.

I used the kit and in a few days my FC has gone from 5 to 18 with the SWG on high output. Im only running my pool 7 hours a day.

I understand that I need 3 things to happen. No drop in chlorine levels overnight beyond the accepted level, and no dead or alive visible algae (maybe the dust I see is visible algae?).

Still SLAM my pool at this point or will the SWG chlorine get to 24 and maintain? Some of you responded and said my SWG wont be able to keep up, but I suspect I dont have that much algae left and the cooler temps, and winter sun position give the pool a lot of shade and are allowing it to do so.

 

[Newdude]

Some of you responded and said my SWG wont be able to keep up,

Your SWG is capable of producing 8 to 10 FC per 24 hours in your pool. Most algae outbreaks would overwhelm it.

Besides that, the SWG complicates an already complicated SLAM where precision is needed to 'M'aintain a desired FC level. The SWG will be adding too much or too little. And once you have clear water, it has to be off for the overnight tests, and the daily loss is minimal by then, which is how you're overproducing now.

Still SLAM my pool at this point or will the SWG chlorine get to 24 and maintain?

For SLAM you need to get to SLAM FC immediately with liquid chlorine, and then manually maintain it. The SWG could take days to get to SLAM, if it's even capable of getting there in the first place. (Every algae outbreak is different and so is everyone's pool)

 

[diamonddog]

Your SWG is capable of producing 8 to 10 FC per 24 hours in your pool. Most algae outbreaks would overwhelm it.

Besides that, the SWG complicates an already complicated SLAM where precision is needed to 'M'aintain a desired FC level. The SWG will be adding too much or too little. And once you have clear water, it has to be off for the overnight tests, and the daily loss is minimal by then, which is how you're overproducing now.

For SLAM you need to get to SLAM FC immediately with liquid chlorine, and then manually maintain it. The SWG could take days to get to SLAM, if it's even capable of getting there in the first place. (Every algae outbreak is different and so is everyone's pool)

If I were to SLAM, I would turn off the SWG per the points you made.

The point was, I think the SLAM is for when you have a lot of algea. My SWG which should not be able to keep up during an algae bloom, is not only keeping up but appears to be producing extra chlorine. This would seem to suggest my algae issue is now pretty small.

I know that TFP members frequently lean towards advising everyone to SLAM, but I am wondering if there is ever situations where they tell people that its not necessary.

At this rate, my SWG will reach the 24 ppm necessary for SLAM in a few days. I can shut it off at night for the overnight testing purposes. Again, my pool looks very clear right now. Its only a matter of wear on the SWG which probably is less the electric bill in S Cal for running my poll 24/7

 

[HermanTX]

Turn off the SWCG and perform an
Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
If you pass you most likely do not have an algae issue. If you not, then SLAM using liquid chlorine. It may be a short SLAM based on what you have stated but as indicated, every SLAM and pool is different so just need to see the results first.
There is no data in your PM Log so post a full set of test values.

 

[duraleigh]

The point was, I think the SLAM is for when you have a lot of algea.

No, it doesn't really work like that. You either have algae or you don't......no in-between acceptable stages.

SLAM your pool correctly and don't count on the SWG to produce enough chlorine regardless.

 

[Newdude]

+1. Algae grows exponentially. So the time lost inventing reasons why you don't need to SLAM will make you lose the upper hand in the battle.

That's one thing that seperates the rookies from the pros. The pros will SLAM at the first whiff of trouble while the rookies have reason after reason why they don't need to. One of them is gifted a swamp for their troubles.

 

[diamonddog]

+1. Algae grows exponentially. So the time lost inventing reasons why you don't need to SLAM will make you lose the upper hand in the battle.

That's one thing that seperates the rookies from the pros. The pros will SLAM at the first whiff of trouble while the rookies have reason after reason why they don't need to. One of them is gifted a swamp for their troubles.

You are right. with the chlroine at 15 ppm it doesnt take much chlorine to get to 24. Turned off the SWG, dragged my lazy Rear to the pool stopre to get chlorine and it was only a gallon I needed per the pool math.

With that being said, I have the black dot test for CYA at home and it said my CYA is 60-70 ppm. My eyes are bad.

I had them test at pool store. They have that system that uses cameras and such, not drops. They said my CYA is 56. When a pool store uses the camera water tester system , is that pretty accurate?

 

[Bperry]

You are right. with the chlroine at 15 ppm it doesnt take much chlorine to get to 24. Turned off the SWG, dragged my lazy Rear to the pool stopre to get chlorine and it was only a gallon I needed per the pool math.

With that being said, I have the black dot test for CYA at home and it said my CYA is 60-70 ppm. My eyes are bad.

I had them test at pool store. They have that system that uses cameras and such, not drops. They said my CYA is 56. When a pool store uses the camera water tester system , is that pretty accurate?

Nooooo! Never trust the pool store. I took the same water sample to two stores and they were way different from each other.

Your own CYA test is the most accurate. If it’s 60-70, it’s 70.

 

[duraleigh]

I had them test at pool store. They have that system that uses cameras and such, not drops. They said my CYA is 56. When a pool store uses the camera water tester system , is that pretty accurate?

Absolutely not!

If you want to learn TFP procedures, you will find that you need to do your OWN testing and the kit you need is drops based..........it's the best there is

 

[diamonddog]

Why would you use the 25 ml sample and multiply by .2 instead of the 10ml and multiply by .5 and use less drops in the 1515 DPD kit? The refill for the reagent is as much as the total kit!

Also I poured in the SLAM chlorine a few hours ago

FC 25 ppm
0 CC (after adding the 5 drops of R0003 the sample remained clear

 

[Newdude]

Use 10ml. For the beginning of SLAM you can even use 5ml and each drop is 1 FC. There's more error though, so switch back to 10ml for OCLTs.

 

[diamonddog]

FC seemed to have increased over night. This was most like due to me trying to add a little chlorine to get it back to SLAM level as it decreased 3 ppm during the day. I waited 2 hours to test before the overnight test and that probably was not enough time for the chlorine to mix as I established the baseline. FC was 2 ppm over the baseline in the early morning.

When I used the reagent to turn the sample pink again, it was a extremely faint pink. 1 drop made it perfectly clear

I had a suction side pool cleaner running all night in hopes of sucking up everything. I still can't tell if it's green ormjust dust in the clouds when I sweep.

 

[Bperry]

FC seemed to have increased over night. This was most like due to me trying to add a little chlorine to get it back to SLAM level as it decreased 3 ppm during the day. I waited 2 hours to test before the overnight test and that probably was not enough time for the chlorine to mix as I established the baseline. FC was 2 ppm over the baseline in the early morning.

When I used the reagent to turn the sample pink again, it was a extremely faint pink. 1 drop made it perfectly clear

I had a suction side pool cleaner running all night in hopes of sucking up everything. I still can't tell if it's green ormjust dust in the clouds when I sweep.

You turned off the power to the SWG right? Sometimes people think they did but find out it’s on again. 2 hours should be plenty of time for mixing as long as the pump is running.

 

[diamonddog]

You turned off the power to the SWG right? Sometimes people think they did but find out it’s on again. 2 hours should be plenty of time for mixing as long as the pump is running.

Yup. SWG is off.