Start over or try to clear up
- Thread starter Piper Mike
- Start date
Was thinking of you and wondering how it is going and wanted to share something one of the experts on this site once told me when I was worried about money. If you want to do this with as little money as possible, once you start, don't stop. Each day, technically each hour, that your spend without the ph balanced, without the FC at shock, and without the filter running you're letting the algae bloom/grow/multiply and you're losing ground, going to have to buy more bleach for the new algae. Also, once the pool is crystal clear, make sure you clean the ladders, returns, steps, lights, wherever algae might hide, or else it will always be multiplying and need killing forever. You want to get to zero algae, keep at your correct FC forever, and never have to waste money killing algae. Something like that anyway. We're here if you want us. Pictures are always nice.
Mike, SLAM means Shock Level And Maintain. You get to the shock level of your pool which is dependent upon your CYA level and you keep it there (maintain). The algae and debris in the pool is going to consume (eat) the chlorine (shock level) you're trying to keep in the pool. So you have to keep adding chlorine sometimes hourly and as the chlorine works, the consumption slows down to where you're just adding every 5, 6 or even 8 hours in between doses to maintain the chlorine loss until it clears and then, and only then, will you start to see the water go from black, to maybe brown, to a milky greenish cloudy color, dull blue and finally it will clear. This can take some time.
While you're going through the color changes and testing your water parameters with the recommended test kit, you'll need to get a leaf rake and try to get everything (debris) off the bottom of the pool and keep rinsing your filter.
Here's the catch though... once your pool becomes crystal clear, you can not stop the SLAM. You have to perform an OCLT. The reason for this is because there are only 2 things that consume chlorine. One is algae and the second is sunlight. The Overnight Chlorine Loss Test (OCLT) is taking sunlight out of the equation and will definitively tell you that you've either killed all the algae and you can stop OR if you have to keep SLAM'ing the pool. If you're losing more than 1ppm over night, you have to keep going.
You need to be doing a few things.
:arrow: Testing with a recommended test kit offered through the site.
:arrow: Raking debris out of your pool, even blindly.
:arrow: Adding enough chlorine to stay at SLAM Level for YOUR pool.
:arrow: Brushing your pool daily and vacuuming up the dead algae as its dying off.
:arrow: Cleaning you filter as needed.
:arrow: POP ----> Pool Owner Patience.
While you're going through the color changes and testing your water parameters with the recommended test kit, you'll need to get a leaf rake and try to get everything (debris) off the bottom of the pool and keep rinsing your filter.
Here's the catch though... once your pool becomes crystal clear, you can not stop the SLAM. You have to perform an OCLT. The reason for this is because there are only 2 things that consume chlorine. One is algae and the second is sunlight. The Overnight Chlorine Loss Test (OCLT) is taking sunlight out of the equation and will definitively tell you that you've either killed all the algae and you can stop OR if you have to keep SLAM'ing the pool. If you're losing more than 1ppm over night, you have to keep going.
You need to be doing a few things.
:arrow: Testing with a recommended test kit offered through the site.
:arrow: Raking debris out of your pool, even blindly.
:arrow: Adding enough chlorine to stay at SLAM Level for YOUR pool.
:arrow: Brushing your pool daily and vacuuming up the dead algae as its dying off.
:arrow: Cleaning you filter as needed.
:arrow: POP ----> Pool Owner Patience.
Thanks everyone that has given advise. I think my biggest problem is I only have to filter that came with the intex pool. It's good to keep an already maintained pool maintained but the mess I've got not able to get it done, plus I can't properly vacuum etc etc. I'm having a pool guy come over tonight and give me advise about hard plumbing, putting a thru the wall skimmer in and getting a proper sand filter. I have a very small one only good for up to 10,000 gallons. Pool still thick like pea soup. I've slammed every night. Really feel defeated. I keep my pool in tip top shape all summer. I have the good kit and love going out and checking everything. This was the first winter I had the pool up all winter and the silly cover kept getting ripped and the wind here in Oklahoma is just crazy at times causing all the leaves to fall in throughout the winter. Plus we had 80 degree days throughout the fall and winter causing the scum to get worse. I can't see the bottom enough to get the leaves out. I do my best, but my pool pole isn't long enough to reach the middle anyways I just have a mess. I know about keeping a pool good as I believe I've kept my pool tip top since I became a member of this forum. My question was what steps to help get ride of this as soon as possible. I was in panic mode. I'm in fed up mode now and everyday I'm closer to pumping the silly thing out and starting over.
Thanks again
Mike
Thanks again
Mike
Im in the same boat. Last fall closed the pool and put the cover on and called it good. Then we got a freak wind storm and just shredded the cover (too loose?). Anyway didnt have the funds available for a new one at the time so just let it go. Soon the leaves started dropping and over time I just couldnt keep up with getting them out. Well now Im looking at water so dark Ive seen coffee that was a lighter shade of brown. I already know Im in for a SLAM. But my first priority is hard plumbing the pump and sand filter then scooping as much of the junk out while bringing the water level back up. Good luck follow the rules for a SLAM and all should work out fine
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