I've been filling my pool for 5 days and current level is 30" for the 30' x 30' x 54" pool. I have been putting chlorine daily with gradual increase according to the amount filled that day. Up until today the water has been crystal clear but we has a heavy rain last night and today is is greenish yellow! Since I can't run the pump until the water level is up any suggestions for what I should do at this point? I put a gallon of bleach in and the Chlorine test is 5.1.
Still Filling Pool
- Thread starter V.Todd
- Start date
Mendy48
Bronze Supporter
Hello Todd!!
Are you testing your own pool yourself. What's your CYA? Your target chlorine level is based on your CYA. Also, since you can't run the pump, when you add your Chlorine/Bleach in your pool, it isn't necessary mixing accordingly. Thus, an option would be that you could wait until you're done filling your pool and then plan accordingly and move towards slamming your pool and balancing all your levels (FC, CC, pH, CYA, TA, CA). Do you have your own test kit?
Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals
Pool School - SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain
Are you testing your own pool yourself. What's your CYA? Your target chlorine level is based on your CYA. Also, since you can't run the pump, when you add your Chlorine/Bleach in your pool, it isn't necessary mixing accordingly. Thus, an option would be that you could wait until you're done filling your pool and then plan accordingly and move towards slamming your pool and balancing all your levels (FC, CC, pH, CYA, TA, CA). Do you have your own test kit?
Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals
Pool School - SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain
Last edited:
You can use a brush to mix it up. Run around the pool with the brush in the water on the floor and get it a swirling. Sounds like you've got yourself a little algae bloom going. You need to add the CYA or your chlorine will be 100% gone every day.
I used the old Pool Math web page to calculate that you've got 13,200 gallons now. 2 gallons 2 cups or 2.1 (128 oz) jugs will raise your FC to SLAM level of 10ppm. But chances are that whatever you add now will be consumed with a quickness since there's algae a brewin and no CYA. Read up on the SLAM Process because you'll likely be doing that once you get enough water.
Check out the Pool Math web page, you can re-calculate your volume as you fill at the bottom of that page.
I used the old Pool Math web page to calculate that you've got 13,200 gallons now. 2 gallons 2 cups or 2.1 (128 oz) jugs will raise your FC to SLAM level of 10ppm. But chances are that whatever you add now will be consumed with a quickness since there's algae a brewin and no CYA. Read up on the SLAM Process because you'll likely be doing that once you get enough water.
Check out the Pool Math web page, you can re-calculate your volume as you fill at the bottom of that page.
Thank you both..sounds like I need to just wait and SLAM! I will still put the bleach and brush to maybe keep it down 
You can safely add CYA now. I'd aim for 20ppm CYA for your current volume now if you're about half full. Then calculate how much bleach to add for 20ppm CYA and run and brush. If you get the Chlorox stabilizer (seems to be available most places) it is very soluble and you can squish the sock about 20 minutes after you soak it and probably get it dispersed with your new fitness regimen of brush and run. When you're 3/4 full add another 7-10ppm CYA for your last CYA add volume (don't use your current volume, you don't want to overshoot this with your slow fill situation). If you test once it's full then you should be somewhere around 20ppm (maybe a bit over), but test it and see before you add more CYA. Once full with a good CYA result (give it 24-48hr after it is all dispersed), only then add enough to reach 30ppm CYA. Depending on your sun situation, you may not need more than 30-40. Since you probably will need to SLAM, 30 is as high as you want to go.
I am at 32" now so maybe by tomorrow evening it will be full. The only conditioner pool co sent is powder so I will get the liquid tomorrow. Thank you for your help.
- Jul 17, 2019
- 3,730
- Pool Size
- 13000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
6 days of filling to not have a full pool seems like a really long time. If I'm reading correctly, it only came up 2" in a day and you have 24" to go (12 more days at that rate ). Can you have water trucked in to finish the job?
). Can you have water trucked in to finish the job?
You can use the powder. You don't need to buy liquid stabilizer.
Put it in a sock (like a sock for your foot), tie it off and hang it in the water with a string. Then go squish it about 20-30 minutes later. Run with your brush and swirl (you can walk... lol). Run the opposite way for a really good mixing. If it doesn't all come out at that time, wait 20 minutes and go squish again.
Again, don't overshoot this. Less is better when adding CYA. You can always add more. Don't forget to add bleach!
Put it in a sock (like a sock for your foot), tie it off and hang it in the water with a string. Then go squish it about 20-30 minutes later. Run with your brush and swirl (you can walk... lol). Run the opposite way for a really good mixing. If it doesn't all come out at that time, wait 20 minutes and go squish again.
Again, don't overshoot this. Less is better when adding CYA. You can always add more. Don't forget to add bleach!
I am on a well but haven't been able to run all day every day due to work...dogs might knock hose out etc. I am at 32" now so probably one more day..
Just did chlorine only test and it is a 4 ppm so probably don't need CYA now. The pool gets full sun so that will more than likely drop by tomorrow evening -- The add the CYA? I apologize for appearing so dense but all of this is very new to me as this is my first pool.
Just did chlorine only test and it is a 4 ppm so probably don't need CYA now. The pool gets full sun so that will more than likely drop by tomorrow evening -- The add the CYA? I apologize for appearing so dense but all of this is very new to me as this is my first pool.
Yes, it will drop. It'll drop to 0 for sure. If you can, add the stabilizer tonight. That will help. Also add bleach. If you add stabilizer to 20ppm, then add enough bleach for target which is 5ppm (I'd actually suggest 1-3ppm more in your case with the fill water going in), hopefully it won't drop to 0 tomorrow but maybe end up closer to your minimum. 0ppm in the sun ain't good. 0ppm ever ain't good. You do not want to fall below minimum, at the very least.
With what you're describing as a green tint... I'm afraid even that won't handle the bloom. BUT... it should be less of a bloom once you're full if you do this. If you let it go to 0, your SLAM will take longer.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that even if you don't add the stabilizer tonight, that you can safely add bleach to reach 10ppm tonight. That is the SLAM level for 20ppm CYA and 0ppm CYA. Whatever you can do to reduce the algae bloom, even a little will help. It will surely all disappear tomorrow if you don't add stabilizer, but it might help a little.
Oh, and you can probably secure the hose to the pool with some duct tape or a zip tie, etc. so the dogs don't knock it out.
With what you're describing as a green tint... I'm afraid even that won't handle the bloom. BUT... it should be less of a bloom once you're full if you do this. If you let it go to 0, your SLAM will take longer.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that even if you don't add the stabilizer tonight, that you can safely add bleach to reach 10ppm tonight. That is the SLAM level for 20ppm CYA and 0ppm CYA. Whatever you can do to reduce the algae bloom, even a little will help. It will surely all disappear tomorrow if you don't add stabilizer, but it might help a little.
Oh, and you can probably secure the hose to the pool with some duct tape or a zip tie, etc. so the dogs don't knock it out.
I know when the pool is full i am suppose to back wash..do I SLAM before or after I backwash?
I'm not familiar with that recommendation/method. I just turned my newly filled sand filter on and backwashed when it lost pressure. I honestly don't know how you'd backwash without at least filtering for a little bit before hand. What would there be to backwash anyway? Maybe the water in the hoses? idk... maybe they want you to filter, then backwash, then rinse to make sure the sand is settled properly?
SLAM isn't a one time application at any rate. When you SLAM, it means "Shock Level and Maintain". You raise FC to shock level (SLAM level around here), then test frequently (at least 3x a day) and raise FC back up to SLAM level. What you're doing is maintaining that high shock level. You run your filter 24/7 while doing this. You keep on SLAMming till you pass the 3 criteria. Maybe brush up on the SLAM Process while you fill?
You do have your test kit already, right?
SLAM isn't a one time application at any rate. When you SLAM, it means "Shock Level and Maintain". You raise FC to shock level (SLAM level around here), then test frequently (at least 3x a day) and raise FC back up to SLAM level. What you're doing is maintaining that high shock level. You run your filter 24/7 while doing this. You keep on SLAMming till you pass the 3 criteria. Maybe brush up on the SLAM Process while you fill?
You do have your test kit already, right?
- Jun 13, 2017
- 450
- Pool Size
- 9600
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
The backwash when you turn on the filter is to “clean” the sand. Don’t forget to also run it in rinse mode for 10 to 15 seconds after the backwash to help settle the sand in the filter and prevent channeling of the sand.