Sick of Algae!

[PoolStored]

For the TA test, when the color no longer changes, that is the last drop. Ignore that last drop. 31 drops or 310. That is high. High TA is not really an issue. The only implication is that your pH will rise fairly quickly. The article below will explain a bit. It might be a bit of a pain, as you will need to monitor pH fairly closely. You have a choice. You can simply ignore TA and manage pH by keeping it in the 7s. When pH rises to 8, reduce it to 7.0 to 7.2. When it rises to 8, reduce it again. When TA gets to about 80, stop forcing pH to 7/7.2 and only drop it to 7.8...at TA of 80, pH will be stable between 7.8 to 8.0. As the article indicates, you can accelerate the process by using aeration to raise the pH. This is how it works. Muriatic acid lowers pH and TA. Aeration (or just simply waiting), pH will rise, without raising TA. The trick to rapidly lowering TA is to cycle pH between 7.0 and 7.4 (CO2 outgasses at the highest rate), and create LOTS of VERY tiny bubbles. I built this rig on top of a sump pump. I can lower TA by 10 in 12 hours in a 30K gallon pool.



In either case, TA is a minor worry. Focus on replacing water and the SLAM to get rid of algae. TA and pH come later.

Lower Total Alkalinity

A lower Total Alkalinity level can help a pool owner stabalize their pH increase. We'll explain how to lower TA with a little help from muriatic acid.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[jdfreeman]

Do I need to do anything with this algae on the bottom before I start refilling?

 

[PoolStored]

For the TA test, when the color no longer changes, that is the last drop. Ignore that last drop. 31 drops or 310. That is high. High TA is not really an issue. The only implication is that your pH will rise fairly quickly. The article below will explain a bit. It might be a bit of a pain, as you will need to monitor pH fairly closely. You have a choice. You can simply ignore TA and manage pH by keeping it in the 7s. When pH rises to 8, reduce it to 7.0 to 7.2. When it rises to 8, reduce it again. When TA gets to about 80, stop forcing pH to 7/7.2 and only drop it to 7.8...at TA of 80, pH will be stable between 7.8 to 8.0. As the article indicates, you can accelerate the process by using aeration to raise the pH. This is how it works. Muriatic acid lowers pH and TA. Aeration (or just simply waiting), pH will rise, without raising TA. The trick to rapidly lowering TA is to cycle pH between 7.0 and 7.4 (CO2 outgasses at the highest rate), and create LOTS of VERY tiny bubbles. I built this rig on top of a sump pump. I can lower TA by 10 in 12 hours in a 30K gallon pool.

View attachment 589578

In either case, TA is a minor worry. Focus on replacing water and the SLAM to get rid of algae. TA and pH come later.

Lower Total Alkalinity

A lower Total Alkalinity level can help a pool owner stabalize their pH increase. We'll explain how to lower TA with a little help from muriatic acid.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[PoolStored]

Do I need to do anything with this algae on the bottom before I start refilling?

Nope.

 

[jdfreeman]

For the TA test, when the color no longer changes, that is the last drop. Ignore that last drop. 31 drops or 310. That is high. High TA is not really an issue. The only implication is that your pH will rise fairly quickly. The article below will explain a bit. It might be a bit of a pain, as you will need to monitor pH fairly closely. You have a choice. You can simply ignore TA and manage pH by keeping it in the 7s. When pH rises to 8, reduce it to 7.0 to 7.2. When it rises to 8, reduce it again. When TA gets to about 80, stop forcing pH to 7/7.2 and only drop it to 7.8...at TA of 80, pH will be stable between 7.8 to 8.0. As the article indicates, you can accelerate the process by using aeration to raise the pH. This is how it works. Muriatic acid lowers pH and TA. Aeration (or just simply waiting), pH will rise, without raising TA. The trick to rapidly lowering TA is to cycle pH between 7.0 and 7.4 (CO2 outgasses at the highest rate), and create LOTS of VERY tiny bubbles. I built this rig on top of a sump pump. I can lower TA by 10 in 12 hours in a 30K gallon pool.

View attachment 589578

In either case, TA is a minor worry. Focus on replacing water and the SLAM to get rid of algae. TA and pH come later.

Lower Total Alkalinity

A lower Total Alkalinity level can help a pool owner stabalize their pH increase. We'll explain how to lower TA with a little help from muriatic acid.

www.troublefreepool.com

That's a pretty slick setup!

Filling the pool back up now. The water got to a depth of about 16-1/2".

Are there any articles about putting steps back in after the SLAM? Obviously cleaning the steps is a must but we have some hollow steps that fill with water. I think these steps need to be cleaned inside and out so that algae isn't reintroduced back in the pool. I'm not even sure this can be done properly with this type of steps.

 

[jdfreeman]

Water replacement should be complete later today (I'm a couple inches below skimmer right now) and then I'll be ready for the SLAM process. I did a preliminary CYA test and it was 60. According to the pool math and my goal, a CYA level of 60 requires a SLAM level of 24. I did a preliminary check of ph and it was 7.6. Once the water level gets to where it needs to be, I'll check the CYA and Ph again. If Ph is still at 7.6, is that ok to start SLAM or do I need to reduce it down to 7.2?

 

[PoolStored]

With your high TA, I would reduce it to 7.2. Use muriatic acid.

 

[jdfreeman]

I am running my pump now. I just added the recommended muratic acid to reduce ph. How long should I wait before testing ph again to see if it lowered it?

 

[PoolStored]

15-30 minutes.

 

[jdfreeman]

Just checked it again and looks like pH is 7.4. I added a touch more MA. Will check pH again in about 15 minutes.

 

[Flying Tivo]

The water got to a depth of about 16-1/2".

You can fill it to 30 inches and drain back again to 16 and get 30CYA.

 

[jdfreeman]

You can fill it to 30 inches and drain back again to 16 and get 30CYA.

Thanks! But I've already filled it back up and getting ready to start the SLAM process!

 

[PoolStored]

What is your CYA testing?

 

[jdfreeman]

15-30 minutes.

pH is now at 7.2, FC is 1.5

What is your CYA testing?

CYA is about 55. According to the pool calculator, with the data input and SLAM selected, it says I need to put in 761 oz. or 5.9 gal jugs of 10% liquid chlorine. Does that sound reasoable?

 

[PoolStored]

Use a CYA of 60. Your FC Target is 24. How big is the pool in gallons? What is the % liquid chlorine?

 

[jdfreeman]

My water capacity is 26,400 gallons.

 

[PoolStored]

Yep if 10%! Go. Pour slowly, like a gallon every 2 minutes. In front of a return, pencil thin stream. Use the brush and brush around and the bottom. We don't want it to sit on the liner, we want it mixed.

 

[jdfreeman]

Chlorine is in the pool, bottom is brushed. I guess now I need to wait a couple of hours and retest FC? I would think there is no need to do an OCLT on the first day of SLAM because I know the chlorine is being used up to kill the algae, even with the absence of sunlight.

 

[PoolStored]

Do all your FC testing with 10mL sample. Each drop is .5.

You can to get a sense of the situation you are in..it does use reagents. Toss up choice. Personally, I would do it, just 'cause I'd want to know. Won't mean much. OCLTs can give you some sense of progress, but don't be disappointed if one is worse than the last.

 

[jdfreeman]

I might wait until tomorrow night to do OCLT. I've got water bugs swimming around, algae dust on the bottom, dead ants floating on the surface that seem to reappear as fast as I can net them out. I know all of that is going to eat up the chlorine so I might wait a day before I start with OCLT. Thank you again for your help! What a resource! Just starting the SLAM process so I'm sure I'll have some questions as I progress in the coming days. Did I mention that I'm sick of this algae!