Slamming

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Nicoleacre

Member
May 11, 2022
5
Grand Rapids, mi
Hello,

I need some help. Please be gentle with responding, I am very much still learning as this is only my 2nd pool season. I purchased the Lamotte- ColorQ 2x Pro7. I have been using liquid chlorine (12.5%) and last season I did not touch CYA and listened to the advice of the pool store based on water testing. This year I am trying to do better so bought the test kit and have been following PM for chemical adds. I just installed 2 weeks ago a new pool motor as mine died (Came 2 days later so pool ran without filtration for 2 days). I replaced with what was already on there-- Centry USQ1102 1HP, 3450 RPM. I have a DE filter and heater on the pool. My pool size is: 16x32 with shallow (3ft) and deep end (8ft). I have been struggling to know exactly how many gallons my pool is also. The best calculation I could get to be 26,500 gallons. My pool has a vinyl liner. When I opened this year, we were extremely dirty, and it took me 10 plus days to get from being green and filled with algae. I opened early May. My pool is currently crystal clear, 80 degrees, no debris except for leaves that fly in occasionally and is brushed every other day. I am slamming and have been running the filter 24/7. My slam is due to not being able to hold chemicals (FC, CC, PH). I know that some of this issue is the low CYA and still working on raising that. I have read so many posts about slamming and watched videos. Here are my continued numbers. I used pool maths recommendations on adds.

I am on day 3 (6/19) of a slam. When I started this was my numbers:
6/19-Morning:
FC:0
CC:0
PH:7.4
TA:91
CH:162
CYA:0
Added per PM- liquid chlorine only.

6/19- midday:
FC:9.9
CC:10.1
PH:7.7
TA:73
CH:157
CYA:4
Added per PM- liquid chlorine only.

6/19- Evening:
FC:18.0
CC:18.1
PH:7.5
Added per PM- liquid chlorine only.

6/20-Morning:
FC:9.6
CC:9.8
PH:7.5
TA:101
CH:174
CYA:12 (Highest CYA all season. I added 2 lbs on 6/18)
Added per PM- liquid chlorine only.

6/20 afternoon:
FC:5.5
CC:5.5
Added per PM- liquid chlorine only.

6/20 evening:
FC:7.9
CC:7.9
Added per PM- liquid chlorine only.

6/21 Morning:
FC: 5.9
CC: 6.4
CYA: 6
Added per PM (liquid Shock and 4lbs of Dry stabilizer). Disclaimer the dry stabilizer makes me nervous, so I am using the sock method and adding slowly.

6/21 Midday:
FC:4.4
CC:4.4
Added per PM- liquid chlorine only.

6/21 Evening:
FC:82.
CC:8.2
PH:7.3
TA:89
CH:132
CYA: 27
Added per PM- liquid chlorine only.

6/22 Morning:
FC: 8.5
CC: 8.5
CYA:21
Added per PM- liquid chlorine only.

6/22 Midday:
FC: 7.4
CC:7.5
CYA:24
Added per PM- liquid chlorine only.

Based on my CYA (I know I need to add more dry stabilizer but doing that in a few days to make), I should be getting my FC currently to 10. I have not been successful at the overnight loss test and my CC is nowhere near a 0.5.

So here are my wonders:
-How do I get my cc lower? Once my water is properly balanced, does my CC lower? Because at this point it feels like I will be adding chlorine daily for forever.
-Should I add more cyanuric acid now to raise the CYA to 30? Pm tells me to add 1 lbs 5 oz to get to 30. Once I get to 30, I know I should raise my FC to 12.

Is there anything else I should currently be doing? Is there any other helpful tips here?

Appreciate the help! This community has been so incredible helpful so thank you!
 
Nicole,

Can you please tell us what test kit are you using to come up with those numbers?

I have the ColorQ and it provides an FC reading up to 10ppm. It does not directly give you CC, but it does give you TC So...

TC-FC = CC Total Chlorine - Free Chlorine = Combined Chlorine

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Jimrahbe said:
Nicole,

Can you please tell us what test kit are you using to come up with those numbers?

I have the ColorQ and it provides an FC reading up to 10ppm. It does not directly give you CC, but it does give you TC So...

TC-FC = CC Total Chlorine - Free Chlorine = Combined Chlorine

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...
Thank you all for clearing up that issue. I’ve had my colorQ for about a month now. I’m frustrated with myself that I did not pick up on that difference. So I should now try the overnight loss test? And if I don’t drop more than 1ppm then my slam is done? Or do I need to get my cya to 30 before my slam is complete?
 
Last edited:
Nicole,

FC is a good thing

CC is a bad thing.. You don't want to try to increase your CC's. If less than .5 don't do anything.

If your CYA is 20 to 30 then just leave it there until you finish your SLAM.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
CYA should be at 30 during the SLAM. I’d go ahead and raise that now. It will help ensure loss to the sun is reasonable.

If the pool is clear, like CRYSTAL clear, able to see if a quarter is heads or tails in the deep end, this shot of my pool I just took now clear, then do and OCLT to ensure no algae hides anywhere and if passes, SLAM is over. :)

Edit: Jim knows way more than me, so leave CYA alone as he says ^.^

image.jpg
 
Hi,

So my morning got delayed and I was planning on doing this before the kids woke up but that didn’t happen and the sun was very hot when I went out.

Here are my readings:
Last night
Fc-10:41
Cc: .1
CYa:23

9:15 am
Fc: 9
Cc- .1
CYa-23

So based on this I would need to continue slamming because I lost 1.4 overnight.

Do you agree? Or should I take in any consideration that the sun was up for hours before I tested?

Thanks!
 

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Jimrahbe said:
Nicole,

If you have to guess, you have to do it over... :(

My ColorQ will not read above 10ppm. Is yours different?

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...
Jim-

Mine read as 10.41+ I’ve had it read up to 19+ before. This is the one I have—LaMotte #2086 ColorQ 2X PRO 7 -New 2nd Generation Model https://a.co/d/bQv6Vyy

Is the Lamotte a good machine? I was advised from a pool friend to buy that one but obviously it was very pricy. If there is a better one, I’d like to figure that out now.

I will do the test again tonight/ tomorrow and wake up before the sun!
 
Last edited:
Nicole,

I still have the original one, so mine stops at 10ppm.

I use mine a lot and like it, but you have to understand its limitations. Not sure the same is true about your newer model, but I suspect it is.

They say it measures Calcium Hardness, but it actually measures Total Hardness. Depending on your local water supply the two reading could be way apart.

I have found that the CYA tablets vary greatly from batch to batch. I've seen difference of 30 ppm from one batch to the next. Hard to know which batch is correct?

My unit reads an FC that is about 1 or 2 ppm less than my TF-Pro test kit.

I find that the pH test is pretty accurate.

It is a professional looking test kit that I am not ashamed to show my friends here at TFP, even if they "hate" me for it. :mrgreen:

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
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