First, let me admit that I am a first time pool owner and I have no idea what I am doing!! We purchased our pool from Family Leisure and it came with the PermaSalt system and chemicals that we needed for the season. I very quickly started having trouble keeping the water clear, so I started doing some research and ran across this wonderful site. I have learned so much but am still needing lots of help. Our water turned completely green a few weeks ago. I ordered one of the recommended water test kits and found out that the Ph and TA was too low as well as FC was registering at 0. So, I bought some Borax and because I don't know what I am doing, I put in a whole box (big mistake). I also immediately started adding liquid bleach twice a day to my water. Now the Ph is reading 8.0, TA is 150 and even though I am adding 2 gallons of liquid bleach every day I cannot get the FC level above a 0.2. The water is not green anymore but it is very cloudy. I also know that CYA is very important. I have order a bag of Water Conditioner and am awaiting it's arrival currently. Current CYA is around 30 from what I can tell. I am completely stressing out about my water knowing that I also need to be closing the pool for the winter very soon. Please help!
SLAM Help!!!
- Thread starter kglover1
- Start date
- Jun 24, 2021
- 7,685
- Pool Size
- 30000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60
Do not add anything to the pool (like water conditioner) except muriatic acid to lower pH and liquid chlorine.
Can you post a full set of pool water results?
You need to print this out, read it three times, then start the process, keep the print out in your back pocket for reference...Link-->SLAM Process
Can you post a full set of pool water results?
You need to print this out, read it three times, then start the process, keep the print out in your back pocket for reference...Link-->SLAM Process
Hello. I order one of the recommended test kits.....Taylor K-2006C.
This is what I know so far:Post up a full set of test results when it comes and we'll go from there.
Ph 8.0
TA 150
CYA 30
FC 0.2 (but reduces very quickly)
Should I be testing anything else?
- Jun 24, 2021
- 7,685
- Pool Size
- 30000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60
What is your CH and CC?
What is "very quickly?"
What type of pool do you have? Plaster, vinyl or Fiberglass...
What is "very quickly?"
What type of pool do you have? Plaster, vinyl or Fiberglass...
I will test the CH and CC this afternoon.
It is an above ground 32" vinyl pool. The highest I can get the FC level is to a 0.6 but by the next day it drops down to a 0.2.
It is an above ground 32" vinyl pool. The highest I can get the FC level is to a 0.6 but by the next day it drops down to a 0.2.
Ok. GREAT. You'd be surprised how many people don't know they can supplement the SWG on the side. I, for one, was told to never add chlorine by my PB on pool #1. I refused to let any of them speak about chemistry for pool #2, post TFP.
So here's the deal. A SLAM has 2 basic stages. First is a chemical fight where you have to stop the runaway train because algae grows exponentially. Once it's dead or mostly dead, the green turns to cloudy/milky and the fight turns mechanical, needing to filter out the dead algae. You keep the FC up because it could still be on the walls (brush and vac daily) and you don't want to lose any ground in the battle as you filter it all out.
It sounds like you're mostly to the filtering stage. The 20 CYA likely isn't buffering the FC enough to hold in the sun. If you lose it as quickly once the sun goes down, you still have algae growing rapidly.
Get some CYA in there to 30. SLAM target is 12 and you want to remain at 12 so dose back to 12 as often as you can. 2 to 3 hours is best at first, it'll hold longer as the process plays out and you can adjust your doses further apart to match.
Read up the SLAM Process. Have a coffee and take a moment to digest it. Then read it twice more. And again tomorrow. Follow it to a T and you'll be How Clear is TFP Clear? in no time.
So here's the deal. A SLAM has 2 basic stages. First is a chemical fight where you have to stop the runaway train because algae grows exponentially. Once it's dead or mostly dead, the green turns to cloudy/milky and the fight turns mechanical, needing to filter out the dead algae. You keep the FC up because it could still be on the walls (brush and vac daily) and you don't want to lose any ground in the battle as you filter it all out.
It sounds like you're mostly to the filtering stage. The 20 CYA likely isn't buffering the FC enough to hold in the sun. If you lose it as quickly once the sun goes down, you still have algae growing rapidly.
Get some CYA in there to 30. SLAM target is 12 and you want to remain at 12 so dose back to 12 as often as you can. 2 to 3 hours is best at first, it'll hold longer as the process plays out and you can adjust your doses further apart to match.
Read up the SLAM Process. Have a coffee and take a moment to digest it. Then read it twice more. And again tomorrow. Follow it to a T and you'll be How Clear is TFP Clear? in no time.
Okay - this afternoon I did another round of testing and here is what I currently have.Ok. GREAT. You'd be surprised how many people don't know they can supplement the SWG on the side. I, for one, was told to never add chlorine by my PB on pool #1. I refused to let any of them speak about chemistry for pool #2, post TFP.
So here's the deal. A SLAM has 2 basic stages. First is a chemical fight where you have to stop the runaway train because algae grows exponentially. Once it's dead or mostly dead, the green turns to cloudy/milky and the fight turns mechanical, needing to filter out the dead algae. You keep the FC up because it could still be on the walls (brush and vac daily) and you don't want to lose any ground in the battle as you filter it all out.
It sounds like you're mostly to the filtering stage. The 20 CYA likely isn't buffering the FC enough to hold in the sun. If you lose it as quickly once the sun goes down, you still have algae growing rapidly.
Get some CYA in there to 30. SLAM target is 12 and you want to remain at 12 so dose back to 12 as often as you can. 2 to 3 hours is best at first, it'll hold longer as the process plays out and you can adjust your doses further apart to match.
Read up the SLAM Process. Have a coffee and take a moment to digest it. Then read it twice more. And again tomorrow. Follow it to a T and you'll be How Clear is TFP Clear? in no time.
Ph 8.0
TA 150
FC 0.6
CC 0.2
Ch 130 (is this okay?)
CYA 30
My worries are this....the TA is way too high, right? Also, by adding 2 gallons of liquid chlorine per day I am only able to get the FC level to the 0.6. How much more do I need to be adding to get the FC level all the way up to a 12?? That number almost seems impossible for me to reach.
You need to keep adding chlorine till it reaches 12ppm and holds there. The reason 2 gallons didn't do anything because it's being consumed by organics/algae immediately. Then add 2 more and wait 10 minutes and check. Then as per poolmath calculation add more .....rinse and repeat till it holds once Then you can wait 2 hours and check, only the chlorine test and no other testing from the kit. Keep the FC at slam level minimum 3-4 times a day. As you progress it'll be losing less and less but for now keep the slam going. Brush throughly twice daily to hasten the slam.
- Jun 24, 2021
- 7,685
- Pool Size
- 30000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60
^^^^This.
BUT FIRST, Reduce your pH to 7.2-7.4. Use muriatic acid. Use pool math (link-->PoolMath) to calculate how much muriatic acid to add to to reduce pH by .4. Add enough MA to reduce pH .4, circulate the water, then test 30 minutes later. Add enough again to reduce pH by .4, test with pump running 30 minutes later. Repeat until your pH is 7.2-74.
WHEN your pH is 7.2-7.4, THEN start adding chlorine per @wireform instructions.
THEN, pull out the printed version of the SLAM process (You printed out my like earlier right? link-->SLAM Process) and follow them exactly.
Ignore TA for now, it doesn't matter at this point. Chlorine (FC) matters.
BUT FIRST, Reduce your pH to 7.2-7.4. Use muriatic acid. Use pool math (link-->PoolMath) to calculate how much muriatic acid to add to to reduce pH by .4. Add enough MA to reduce pH .4, circulate the water, then test 30 minutes later. Add enough again to reduce pH by .4, test with pump running 30 minutes later. Repeat until your pH is 7.2-74.
WHEN your pH is 7.2-7.4, THEN start adding chlorine per @wireform instructions.
THEN, pull out the printed version of the SLAM process (You printed out my like earlier right? link-->SLAM Process) and follow them exactly.
Ignore TA for now, it doesn't matter at this point. Chlorine (FC) matters.
Don’t stress out. There’s no need to close the pool this early in our climate. You can likely go all the way through November before closing.
I do not know what I am doing wrong. Today my readings look like this but I CANNOT get the water crystal clear. The water has tiny white specks floating around and is still cloudy.
PH 7.7
TA 125
FC 8.5 (I added 3 gallons of liquid bleach right after this)
CC 0.2
CYA 45
What am I doing wrong?
PH 7.7
TA 125
FC 8.5 (I added 3 gallons of liquid bleach right after this)
CC 0.2
CYA 45
What am I doing wrong?
How big is the pool ?
What is your SLAM target ?
How often are you testing/dosing ?
What has the loss been at those times (average) ?
Has it slowed down any ?
What kind of filter do you have ?
What is your SLAM target ?
How often are you testing/dosing ?
What has the loss been at those times (average) ?
Has it slowed down any ?
What kind of filter do you have ?
33’ Round Above Ground. SLAM target is 16. Testing once/day. Avg loss rate 3 ppm per 12 hours . Element Filter
- Jun 24, 2021
- 7,685
- Pool Size
- 30000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60
^^^^This. It will take a looooong time to clear testing once per day. I would test and add at a minimum 3-4 times per day. Every 2-4 hours is best.
Have you ever cleaned your filter? You should clean the filter, and note clean pressure. When your pressure rises 25%, you should clean again.
