SLAM ing 3.0ppm combined chlorine

Jump to latest Follow Reply
CYA of 30 is the bottom of the recommended range and a good level for slamming the pool. You can swim in water at slam level, however if your CYA has dropped the slam level has dropped as well. With 30 CYA your slam level is 12 ppm of chlorine.
 
xyz said:
A few thoughts that may help.

Skimming this thread tells me you are fairly new to the key measurements. So I'll suggest you take a look at the TFTest kit videos and the taylor videos. There may be some simple ah-ha moment.

For example, your CYA can't be 45. If you follow the directions to the letter you round up.

Second, if you have a good amount of DPD reagents, why not try the 25ml test? It is more precise, and may tell you something that the less precise measurement it not. If you are low on reagent, get to TFT and get some more. Knowledge is power here for sure. I find accuracy helps, especially when you are looking for trends.

Are you swirling a lot? Maybe consider buying a speedstir?

As for replacing water to lower CC, this may or may not help. The CCs tell you you are killing off a lot of stuff. If you lower FC you will stop or slow down the ammo you are slinging at the enemy. So whatever it is that you are killing will start growing more.

Another question; with CYA at 50 your shock level is 20; are you keeping it at 20 all day and all night? The more you keep your side armed with a constant onslaught of FC, the faster you will vanquish the enemy. Said another way, CCs is measuring the enemy's casualties; as the enemy's size is diminished, this will lower. Basically, what I'm saying here is, since you are letting your FC drop below the SLAM, you may be in a stalemate. You get the FC up, you start to beat back the algae, then the algae uses up the FC such that it falls below the SLAM level, allowing the algae to recover, meanwhile creating plenty of CCs. Then you raise it up again, and make a whole bunch of CCs, but then the depleted FC allows more Algae to grow, etc. Basically, I'm speculating that maybe you just are not getting it up there enough to win the fight, so you are just holding and killing a lot of growing Algae, but it keeps getting replenished because you are not up there all the time.

So...Keep that FC at 20 all day and all night. Any chance this could be mustard algae? If so, the SLAM levels are significantly higher, and this could explain what is going on too.

Also, if the CYA test measured a little on the low side, and it is actually 60, your slam level would be 24, so that may be an explanation why you are neither winning nor losing the war. Since emptying the water could be diluting the CYA, this also could be evidence that your CYA is higher than you think.


TFTest kits has a slightly different CYA test [the tube is larger], that I find easier to get a good CYA measurement. If you wanted to go all out, you can buy a CYA reference [TFT happens to have a CYA standard at 50]. So you can compare the standard to your water, if they match, you are at fifty.

Also, test CYA with your back to the bright sun so that your body creates a shadow in front of you and do the CYA test in your body shadow--don't stare at the dot, take a quick look, add a little more solution, take a quick look, add a little more, etc.
Click to expand...

xyz thanks for such a comprehensive reply. Especially the part about the accuracy of the test. With my free chlorine at approx 30ppm I can't justify doing the 0.2 test at 150 drops/test but your point about accuracy was well taken and in hindsight is proven to be true. You did convince me to keep throwing chlorine at it and now it appears to be working.

Mike.
 
zea3 said:
CYA of 30 is the bottom of the recommended range and a good level for slamming the pool. You can swim in water at slam level, however if your CYA has dropped the slam level has dropped as well. With 30 CYA your slam level is 12 ppm of chlorine.
Click to expand...

Doesn't it also mean that the pool is closed to swimming until the FC is below 12? That's a problem to those who only want to know "when can go in the pool"? Life is full of compromise.

Mike.
 
xyz said:
How the heck did you find that? Another reason to stick with the basics. Great work!
Click to expand...

I sent a message to Sustain and a chemist responded very promptly. They apologized and asked how they could make me a happy Sustain user and I am in the process of telling them the problem with their marketing practices. They have admitted to me that this testing problem is not documented and that my pool store clerk should have schooled me on how to use the product.

I've been caring for my pool for 20 years using liquid chlorine, 3" tablets and manually adjusting others as necessary and I don't go to the pool store to be schooled by a store clerk. I know that they have some knowledgeable people in most stores but they never seem to be there when I ask questions of them. I bought the Sustain from the same people that supplied me through the years and they told me to follow the instructions on the product as I did. I feel cheated.

Mike.
 
Good find Mike.

This is another reason to give full disclosure of all products added to the pool when stating your issues. Especially when normal methods continue to not provide the expected results.

Same idea as when your doctor asks his questions about "products" you "consume". He doesn't want to join you for a weekend party, he wants to know what kinds of things to look out for and guide you to what might help fix your problem.
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply