Slam issues

[Newdude]

Doesn't it all die at shock level?

Spots with little or no circulation, like behind the lights, or inside ladder rails (not applicable buy just for the point) can stay nasty and keep reintroducing algae as soon as the SLAM is over. Normally we skip the lights and it usually doesn't matter. In cases like yours, it's clearly still coming from somewhere. Hopefully this is the AHA moment we've all been rooting for.

 

[IceShadow]

Algae also forms a film over itself to protect itself from chlorine. That's why brushing is important.

 

[tcat]

Curious if black mold acts like algae (screws with FC). Just looked under the auto fill lid. Black mold growing, mostly above waterline. It's dark right now, will deep clean that area in the am. I'm about to give up and turn SWG back on.

 

[proavia]

Don't give up, stay the course.

Clean the autofill and its lid.
Look in the skimmer too - and the weir door.

This learning process will help you in the future - if nothing else but to check all these areas several times during the year to be sure no nasties are present.

 

[tcat]

Not getting much better.
7:00 am FC=23.5 added 31oz (had lost 2)
11:00 am FC=21 added 82oz
6:30 pm FC=23.5 added 32oz
10:00 pm FC=23 added 0 for oclt
6:30 am FC=22 (drop of 1 better than 2!)
But CC still 1.0

I'm adding to hit slam of 25. Should I be adding to hit 27, so it's always above 25? I will brush auto fill and weir/skimmer this am.

 

[IceShadow]

SLAM is overnight drop of 1ppm or less. So a drop of 1ppm is passing the OCLT.

I would wait one more day and do the OCLT again tonight and see if the drop is 1ppm or less again, but otherwise you might be done (if no signs of algae and water is crystal clear). The stuff you got on the autofill cover might have been the last of it.

Going above SLAM level isn't needed. If your CYA is 60, you don't need to go above 24 ppm FC.

 

[proavia]

Patience is what it takes now.
It can take at least a couple days or more AFTER you get the lights, autofill, skimmer, etc totally clean.

Be sure you are passing all 3 SLAM Process criteria.
There are no shortcuts.

 

[tcat]

1 gallon of LC left, hopefully tonight is it! Started last Sunday, pool has been clear each day.

Edit: 10pm 24, 6:30am 25! CC still .75-1. Turning on SWG today, after it shuts off at 7:30 tonight, I'll run oclt again. What I find really odd is pool has been clear all week. Daily brushing has produced no cloud of dust all week.

 

[tcat]

May have found source, if not all the black mold/algae growing in the auto valve area. Down in the skimmer equalizer line I saw some dark balls or leaves. I put a strainer over suction hole and shut the weir. These leaves came up, maybe been there 10 years.

 

[tcat]

Dropped 4 last night with CC 1 . It did storm like crazy and all kinds of leaves and branches in the pool, plus 2 extra inches of water. Will check again after pump bumps from 1000 to 2900 at 8am. Other than leaves, water is clear as glass.

 

[proavia]

When is the last time you cleaned your test vials really well?

 

[tcat]

When is the last time you cleaned your test vials really well?

I wash them in the sink with tap water, but don't really scrub them. CYA tube is fairly ugly. Bought some Pool time algicide at HD (I know it's a no no), but getting desperate. Just poured a few oz in the auto fill reservoir, and a few more in the skimmer (not nearly recommended amount). It's the kind without copper.

 

[proavia]

Algicide won't actually kill algae. It's more a preventative thing and some use it at closing.

Wash all the tubes with soap and water. Then sanitize with a strong bleach solution OR with rubbing alcohol. Rinse thoroughly with clean tap water. Before doing your next tests, rinse each vial with a little pool water first. Before you put the vials away, iknse with tap water - and clean again if there is gunk in them.

 

[tcat]

Since I ran out of LC this morning, I set SWG to run 11hrs to produce what I guess is load during day. This morning at 8:30 FC=25. Just now after SWG off, FC=25.5, CC=0. Now if I pass tonight, I'm done! Good thing, probably have about 50 drops left. More coming Tuesday.

Edit: this morning FC=25, CC=0


I'm guessing it was the decaying leaves in the equalizing line, mold growing in the auto fill, and/or cleaning the test tubes.

 

[tcat]

Dang, 7 days wanting FC to stay high, now with SWG off FC still 25 after 36 hours! Was mostly cloudy yesterday, what level is safe to swim?

 

[PoolStored]

Was mostly cloudy yesterday, what level is safe to swim?

If you cannot see the bottom, I would not swim. If you can see the bottom, then any level of FC up to SLAM level is ok to swim.