Slam process question

[Petebacher]

Quick question -

Is 6:30 AM a reasonable time to check FC for OCLT purposes? In other words, should the AM OCLT test be done while it's still dark, or is daylight OK so long as the pool is not yet in direct sunlight? I'm also doing a SLAM out here in Kennett Square not too far from the7guys - I've been soing the AM check at 6 AM when the sky is bright but my pool is not yet getting direct sunlight.

-Pete

 

[the7guys]

This morning at 7:30, the FC=0.5, and I added another 2.3 bottles of bleach. This afternoon at 5:50, the FC was less than 0.5. I am 49 hours and 26 bottles of bleach into it, and still have FC that is getting lower and lower. The CC=12.5. I feel like i'm throwing good bleach after bad. The water is crystal clear. (but the pH=5.4 and Alk=10. I know these values are worthless at this point in the process, but I was curious.)

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I thought the slam instructions indicate not to check less than an hour after the bleach is poured. My pump does 60 gpm. That would be 3600 gallons in 1 hour, which is not even half the pool volume. If I check the FC in 15-20 minutes, and haven't reached the target of 24, what then? and if I hit the target, how long do I wait to dispense more bleach?

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I thought the slam instructions indicate not to check less than an hour after the bleach is poured. My pump does 60 gpm. That would be 3600 gallons in 1 hour, which is not even half the pool volume. If I check the FC in 15-20 minutes, and haven't reached the target of 24, what then? and if I hit the target, how long do I wait to dispense more bleach?

 

[Mr Bruce]

That CC number is incredibly high. Can you post step by step how you are testing, with exactly what test kit and what the numbers on the bottles are? How old are the bottles in the test kit?

 

[the7guys]

I'm using[h=1]TAYLOR TECHNOLOGIES INC K-2006 TEST KIT COMP CHLORINE FAS-DPD. I bought it on 06/20/17 via amazon. Tonight I used the 10ml sample. I use the scoop provided with the DPD powder (R-0870), using 2 scoops, but tonight the sample remained clear, so I added a 3rd scoop, to get a pinkish hue to the sample. One drop of the titrating reagent (R-0871) immediately turned the sample clear. I then added 5 drops of the reagent#3 (R-0003). The sample turned magenta. It took 25 drops of the titrating reagent (R-0871) to clear the sample again.[/h]

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all 3 chemicals have expirations in the year 2018 or 2019

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Should I stop slamming and just drain, at least partially, and refill the pool?

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Should I be trying to overshoot the target FC of 24 for CYA of 60?

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Let me rephrase that..... Should I be trying to overshoot the shock level of 24 for CYA of 60?

 

[the7guys]

I've slammed for 48 hours and 26 bottles of bleach but......

I've slammed for 48 hours and 26 bottles of bleach. I haven't been able to get the FC above 6, and that was only in the 1st few hours. After that the FC hasn't been above 2, and for the past 13 hours, it hasn't been above 1. The pool has never been clearer or bluer. Should I keep pouring in bleach, or should I drain (at least partially) and refill. I should mention that the current CC=12.5. The pH is now 5.4 and the Alk is now 10. Does this influence whether I should continue slamming, or drain instead?
My initial CYA was 70, but 24 hours later it was 60. This makes my shock level to be 24. I'm feeling frustrated and would welcome any sage advice.
This is related to a thread I started on 06/25/2017 at 11:07am titled "Slam Process Question"

 

[JV63]

Re: I've slammed for 48 hours and 26 bottles of bleach but......

Several things sound off here.
How are you testing?

 

[PAGirl]

Re: I've slammed for 48 hours and 26 bottles of bleach but......

Have you put anything other than bleach in the pool for the last week?

Your PH and Alkilinity are dangerously low.


From Pool School:

Raising PH

PH can be raised in three ways: borax, soda ash, and aeration. Borax is usually the best choice. Borax raises the PH and also raises the TA level just a little. If your TA level is low soda ash will raise both the PH and TA levels. If your TA level is high, aeration is best as it will not raise the TA level at all. However, aeration is rather slow compared to the other two.

Borax is available as 20 Mule Team® Borax Natural Laundry Booster. It is sold in the laundry detergent section of most larger grocery stores and some big box stores. Borax is best added by pre-dissolving it in a bucket of water and then pouring that slowly in front of a return.

Soda ash is available as ARM & HAMMER® Super Washing Soda Detergent Booster. Do not confuse this with ARM & HAMMER® laundry detergent! It is sold in the laundry detergent section of most larger grocery stores and some big box stores. It is also sold by pool stores under various names, including PH Increaser, PH Up, Balance Pak 200, etc. Soda ash is best added by pre-dissolving it in a bucket of water and then pouring that slowly in front of a return.

Aeration can be provided by a SWG, spa jets, waterfall, fountain, return pointed up so it breaks the surface, air compressor, kids splashing, rain, etc. It can take some time for aeration to raise the PH. The higher your TA level, the faster aeration will work.


TA - Total Alkalinity

TA is raised by adding baking soda. For directions on lowering TA see How to Lower Total Alkalinity.

Baking soda is common household baking soda from the baking aisle of any grocery store. If you can find them, larger containers are less expensive per pound and easier to handle. Some larger grocery stores sell baking soda in 4 lb boxes and some big box stores have it in 12 lb bags. Baking soda can be added by spreading it across the surface of the deep end of the pool.

 

[pooldv]

Your pool is acting like it has ammonia or antifreeze in it. Ammonia and antifreeze are two things I've seen consume crazy levels of chlorine. Sometimes bacteria can convert CYA to ammonia. Are you pretty confident that the CYA hasn't dropped?

As long as FC is below 10 ppm then the pH test is valid. And the TA is always valid. Add some baking soda to raise TA to 60. That will push up your pH some. Check on 30 minutes or so after adding the baking soda and raise it to 7.2 with borax.

 

[the7guys]

Re: I've slammed for 48 hours and 26 bottles of bleach but......

When I started the slamming process, the pH was 7.2 and the alkalinity was 90. That was 2 days and 26 bottles of bleach ago.

I'm usingTAYLOR TECHNOLOGIES INC K-2006 TEST KIT COMP CHLORINE FAS-DPD. I bought it on 06/20/17 via amazon. Tonight I used the 10ml sample. I use the scoop provided with the DPD powder (R-0870), using 2 scoops, but tonight the sample remained clear, so I added a 3rd scoop, to get a pinkish hue to the sample. One drop of the titrating reagent (R-0871) immediately turned the sample clear. I then added 5 drops of the reagent#3 (R-0003). The sample turned magenta. It took 25 drops of the titrating reagent (R-0871) to clear the sample again.

- - - Updated - - -

all 3 chemicals have expirations in the year 2018 or 2019

- - - Updated - - -

Should I stop slamming and just drain, at least partially, and refill the pool?

- - - Updated - - -

Should I be trying to overshoot the target FC of 24 for CYA of 60?

- - - Updated - - -

Let me rephrase that..... Should I be trying to overshoot the shock level of 24 for CYA of 60?

 

[jblizzle]

Sounds like something in the water is either converting the FC to CC or interfering with the test.

Did you add any non-chlorine shock to the pool?
You could get an ammonia test from a pet store.

 

[PAGirl]

Have you added anything other than bleach in the past week? (Non-chlorine shock, clarifier , sequestrant, anything at all?

 

[the7guys]

pooldv..... so you think I should continue slamming after I get the alk and pH back up?

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I have a trichlor puck in the floater.... I added dichlor shock (chlorbrite) a week ago. Prior to that the CYA was between and 30 and 40. After that it was 70, but now CYA is at 60.

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My biggest question is "keep slamming, or replace water?"

 

[the7guys]

I have a trichlor puck in the floater.... I added dichlor shock (chlorbrite) a week ago. Prior to that the CYA was between and 30 and 40. After that it was 70, but now CYA is at 60.

 

[jblizzle]

You may not be able to drain your pool if you wanted to as it might destroy the liner.

I would suggest an ammonia test.
You should keep SLAMing, but you could likely just start targeting 10ppm for FC and then be testing your FC and CC after only 10-15 minutes to see when the CC drops and the FC starts to hold.

 

[Pam Jo]

Hang in there, 7guys!
I dropped thirty gallons of bleach in my pool for a week and kept wondering why I couldn't hold FC overnight, until someone mentioned that it could be ammonia. I bought an ammonia test at a pet store and it showed slight ammonia (0.25). Three days later and another 27gals bleach and my slam was finally over. It took about nine days start to finish. I believe I had a lot of ammonia in my pool from cya converting to ammonia over winter and by the time I finally tested for ammonia, it was almost gone.

All the while my pool was really pretty clear, just wouldn't hold the chlorine. But it is amazingly clear now that the process is finished.

The TFP people were a great help to me. So easy to take care of now!

 

[the7guys]

Should I get pH and Alk back to a certain level before continuing slam?

 

[pooldv]

Yes, see posts 27 & 28 above.

 

[the7guys]

Pooldv...... thank you for the support!!! I will keep trying. I added baking soda at 9pm. At 9:30pm the alk was up to 60. I had to go out to buy the borax. I added 130 oz (2 boxes) at 10:30pm. How long should I wait to test the pH?
Also, if there is ammonia present, should I do anything else, or will it be resolved by the continual slamming?

 

[YippeeSkippy]

It will be resolved with the continued application of bleach. It just may take a lot. :/

Maddie

 

[pooldv]

You're welcome! Yes, chlorine fixes all possible issues.