SLAM- any suggestions

[Shaz11]

moved from here.
This is almost exactly describes what i'm having, I'm glad I found this thread. I've only owned the pool about 6 months so this is the first time it's happened. I ordered the K-2006 test kit to I can accurately raise my FC to SLAM levels and over the past few days lowered my CYA to 30 and my PH to about 7.2 in anticipation. The time it's taking to deliver is killing me.

The fine dust mostly settles on the vertical surfaces and doesn't favor the shady side at all. It accumulates very evenly and 24 hours after brushing you can't even see it until you brush and send up plumes of "dust". The rate of accumulation of the dust has slowly increased over the past month to the point where it sends up very large plumes during every daily brushing. I think the water clarity/color has started to change in the past few days too, after brushing it's very murky. Also my backwash water is very brown even before my filter pressure raises and after only 3-4 days since the previous backwash.

My plan is to complete the SLAM process details on this site and then be more vigilant about my FC levels, I previously had about 45 CYA so my FC wasn't high enough. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Until you get that test kit the only advice I can give you is to add 1/2 gallon (not knowing how big your pool is) of liquid chlorine a day and brush daily. Do you know when the test kit will arrive?

Maddie

 

[Shaz11]

Until you get that test kit the only advice I can give you is to add 1/2 gallon (not knowing how big your pool is) of liquid chlorine a day and brush daily. Do you know when the test kit will arrive?

Maddie

It should arrive today. Other than using unnecessary amounts of chlorine is there any drawback to going a little higher than recommended slam FC? In order to ensure it doesn't fluctuate below the desired level.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Going higher than 1, maybe 2ppm of FC is just wasted as the sun will burn that off. The FC level we recommend for each level of CYA is the amount that will kill algae but not be wasted to the sun.

Maddie

 

[Shaz11]

Well it's been about 20 hours at SLAM FC and the pool is looking much better already.

I have a "dumb" questions about the SLAM ending criteria, not that I expect to get there anytime soon. What's a normal definition for when the water is "clear"? In the time I've owned the pool its always had a turquoise hue to it, but no problems say making out all the detail on the main drain. My pool is only about 4' deep in the shallow end but over 10' in the deep end which always has a stronger hue.

I would upload a picture but it's hard to get a representative photo with the light right now. The pool has a pebble-tec coating with mostly brown pebbles.

 

[Dirk]

Assuming you know that the end of a SLAM needs to meet multiple criteria, not just "clear," but clear to me means nothing hazy, and being able to see the details of the pebbles in the deep end (I don't have drains). Some say it's when you can tell if a quarter is heads or tails in the deep end (but then ya gotta go get the quarter!). Hue comes from the properties of light passing through water, and the color of your finish or the color of particles in the water. The more water the light passes through the blue-greener the hue (water absorbs red), which is why your pool looks different at each depth. My pool is a deep turquoise color in the deep end, but my top step looks grey. Algae in the water can affect hue, either turning it greyish or greenish or other colors, too, I suppose. We learn our pools. Once you know yours, trust your perception of the hue. You'll get used to it looking how it does when it's TFP clean, and then can spot an issue right away when it's even slightly cloudy or off color (hue).

 

[Mdragger88]

How Clear is TFP Clear? Let's See (Pics Only Please).

How clear should my water be? A very common question. Here is mine on a calm morning where I could finally vacuum. Yes I know, I'm still manually vacuuming. It took me 7 years to finally get an SWG, I'm working on a robot. :) So now let's see your water clarity.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Shaz11]

Great info. Thank you both.

 

[Dirk]

WARNING! WARNING!! Do NOT look at that thread if you ever want to swim in a public pool again!!

 

[Shaz11]

I don't want to put a coin in the pool cause the robots cruising around, but I just peered in there and i'm pretty confident I'd be able to make out which side of a quarter is facing up. Ill start checking the other two criteria in the coming mornings.

Do the symptoms I described above indicate that I should do the higher Yellow/Mustard shock FC levels for the last 24 hour period or anything like that?

 

[Mdragger88]

The MA levels aren’t until *after* u pass all 3 end of slam criteria.
Its up to u if you think it’s necessary/good insurance at that point.
It is much easier to get all the way to ma levels at that point as you’re already @ slam levels than to have it recur & have to begin again.
If u think u had mustard algae be sure to throw all pool stuff & floaties etc. in the ma level water for a bit.

Mustard Algae

Today We are going to show you how you can get rid of mustard algae in your pool. By following the steps in this guide and with no expensive chemicals.

www.troublefreepool.com

When you return to normal levels adhere to the high target for your cya as per theFC/CYA Levels so you can avoid dealing w/ algae again in the future

 

[Shaz11]

So thanks to everyone for the help. I passed the OCLT test this morning and the pool looks WAY better than it ever has. Thanks all!

 

[YippeeSkippy]

What!??!?!? And no picture for the peanut gallery!?!? I'm hurt.

<actually happy for you...but still want a picture >

Maddie

 

[CrystalRiver]

WARNING! WARNING!! Do NOT look at that thread if you ever want to swim in a public pool again!!

So true! We were looking at renting a house with a pool, and that's all we could see in all the pictures, was how not-clear the pools were. There was only one that was maybe up to snuff.

 

[Dirk]

So true! We were looking at renting a house with a pool, and that's all we could see in all the pictures, was how not-clear the pools were. There was only one that was maybe up to snuff.

Oh yikes, a rental. At least public pools and hotel pools are supposed to be regulated. Private house with pool... free-for-all...

Glad to hear the OP got the pool straightened out!!