[solved] Never ending SLAM

[newbe12]

Hey, been lurking for quite awhile. I'm familiar with the method. I've used it with success In the past, but now not so much. Here are my test results

FC 2
TA 200
PH 7.0
CYA 30
CH 40

I let the FC back down to take these tests. I've been keeping it at about 12 FC per pool math. I can tend to it 2-3 a day because of work. First few days it switched from green to this opaque blue color. Maybe 14 inches of clarity before my hand disappears. I backwash at least twice a day and and scrub the sides every other day. I have a pool cleaner robot going about 6 hours or more a day. The only thing on the bottom are new leaves that have fell from the tree that day.

I need some help on how to solve this. I have gone through at least 30 bottles of chlorine and I'm not seeing progress. Started around June 20ish it's now July 6th.

It's about a 11800 gallon 24' round pool. I'll attach pictures of the pump, filter ,pool color ect.

 

[JJ_Tex]

I backwash at least twice a day and and scrub the sides every other day.

Does your filter pressure indicate you need to backwash 2x a day? That seems quite often, and I have always heard that sand filters perform better when they are a little bit dirty.

Other than that, it sounds like are you are doing everything correctly assuming the FC of 2 was just a temporary drop and you are spending as much time as possible at FC of 12.

 

[newbe12]

Does your filter pressure indicate you need to backwash 2x a day? That seems quite often, and I have always heard that sand filters perform better when they are a little bit dirty.

Other than that, it sounds like are you are doing everything correctly assuming the FC of 2 was just a temporary drop and you are spending as much time as possible at FC of 12.

Gauge stopped working this year so I've just been feeling how much water is coming out of the return and backwashing according to that. 2 times daily is more of a routine for my mom so she remembers what she should be doing. If there is no routine then she won't do anything, or dump random amounts whatever the pool store tells her to do in the pool.

But for the sand filter working a little better dirty, maybe I'll search around a bit and try to find something on that.

And yes ive been keeping FC 12-13 ish as time allows for it.

 

[duraleigh]

Go back and review the SLAM article.........you are doing things that are not necessary

Additionally, you are almost finished

I backwash at least twice a day and and scrub the sides every other day.

Overkill. Wait until you feel distinctively less flow, then backwash/

Buy a guage!

and I'm not seeing progress.

Of course you are.......just not as fast as you want.

Bring your FC back to SLAM level and keep it there. No more testing except for FC and CC.

Complete the SLAM and then you can retest

30 jugs of chlorine is a lot but nowhere near the TFP record. Take solace in that others have done FAR worse,

 

[newbe12]

Are people really slamming for 16+ days ? I've read so many threads, seems usually resolved by now or trying to pass over night chlorine lost.

 

[duraleigh]

Some people claim to SLAM for months on end. I suspect the real truth is they "dabble" with the FC additions and fail to hit the pool with the sledgehammer blow the SLAM requires. If not that, I often feel that owners are simply reluctant to replenish back to SLAM value when they test.........it's not cheap to keep doing that.

SLAM is not a timid process.........it is take-charge. That's why we want everyone to follow the SLAM article perfectly and without hesitation It is 100% reliable.

Saying again, you are quite close to the end of the SLAM, Is your pool crystal clear? If so do the OCLT testing for 1.0 or less loss of chlorine

 

[randytsuch]

FWIW, I had to slam at the start of the year, and I went to at least a few ppm above the recommended SLAM level. I'd view it as a minimum level, not an average level.
For me, SLAM was over pretty quickly, in less than a week from memory.
If you are only adding a few times a day, you really need to be higher in the morning to account for sun loss.

 

[JJ_Tex]

Gauge stopped working this year so I've just been feeling how much water is coming out of the return and backwashing according to that. 2 times daily is more of a routine for my mom so she remembers what she should be doing. If there is no routine then she won't do anything, or dump random amounts whatever the pool store tells her to do in the pool.

But for the sand filter working a little better dirty, maybe I'll search around a bit and try to find something on that.

And yes ive been keeping FC 12-13 ish as time allows for it.

We certainly do not want her dumping random stuff into the pool, you should keep her routine but can you change it to backwashing every other day?

Alternatively, you can add a small amount of DE to the filter after every backwash to help it filter better. Note I would recommend getting a new pressure gauge before starting this. For $18 its an easy fix:

Center-mounted Pressure Gauge

tftestkits.net

Add DE to a Sand Filter

A clean pool filter will increase the efficiency of your pool! ... your filter are to backwash it, clean the manifolds and grids, and add new DE.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Newdude]

Sand filters take the longest when there's a problem, and algae is growing exponentially faster now than it did in April/May, so you're getting hit on both sides.

You are making progress though, just not as quickly as you'd like. Try the DE in the post above.

Stay they course. You got this.

 

[newbe12]

42+ bottles of chlorine, $250~, and 26ish days later this situation is under control. I have never had a slam take this long. If anyone in the future is reading this from a Google search, the sand filter as the others stated just took a dang long time to filter this mess up.