Swamp pool at opening, now stuck milky

[Newdude]

What are your thoughts

Disregard any pool store tests besides copper and iron. Disregard *ALL* pool store advice.

Continue SLAM until you pass the 3 criteria.

FC is all that matters at the moment, once you get a calcium # just for knowledge. If FC is holding, then it will be that much easier to maintain SLAM FC.

Ph is invalid at 10+ FC, don't even bother trying.

Deep clean the filter and give it a good once over as it's now suspect.

 

[Edge70]

Like you, I opened our pool up to a green algae mess. Water was still cold (low 50's) but algae was flourishing. I SLAM'd it and green disappeared in a day. I continued the slam for a few weeks but water clarity was an issue. I also have a Sand filter and it seems to really struggle to remove all that dead algae. I did a deep clean of my filter a couple weeks ago and that seems to have helped but water clarity still isn't 100% yet. I'd say I'm at 95% right now and almost there. My point is that I can confirm Sand Filters are very slow at clearing up the water. Once the water is clear and properly balanced they seem to work fine but they certainly aren't speedy at cleaning it up when things go astray. Good Luck.

 

[Trhod12]

Well, I am on weekend 3 of my version of "swamp to swim 2022". Been SLAMming the entire time, has only taken a gallon of 12.5% liquid chlorine daily to maintain my FC level. Did a deep clean of sand filter last weekend and am still using DE on top of sand filter after every backwash. I am still meeting my 2 of the 3 criteria for SLAM, pool just isn't crystal clear.

The good news, I can actually see the bottom of the shallow end this week. So the pool is definitely clearing. It is certainly taking its own sweet time, but we are progressing. Thank you all for talking me off the ledge and helping me stay thee course. I was getting firmly convinced that I needed clarifier, but you all kept me away from it.

I do have 1 question: The pool is not clear, but is clearING. Can I consider this to be all 3 of my SLAM criteria and turn on the SWG and monitor till clears. Or should I continue SLAM until crystal clear??

Again, thanks for keeping me on the straight and narrow.

 

[Newdude]

Or should I continue SLAM until crystal clear??

Full speed ahead. If you let your foot off the gas you will be right back at square one, and soon.

You may use the SWG to assist, but it likely won't do it all by itself, so supplement whatever it contains handle. It certainly wouldn't have done much at the start, but it will do better as the FC holds longer.

It needs to be off for the OCLT at the end though.

 

[Trhod12]

Just wanted to follow up my version of "swam to swim with SLAM." I started a month ago to the day to open the pool. It took me 4 weeks but finally her she is. I tried to convince myself that I need to use a clarifier, and the forum talked me off the ledge. I got my chemistry balance, then stayed on the SLAM for 30 days. Used 40 gals of 12.5% liquid shock, and approx 2-3 lbs of DE on top of the sand to help filter. Did a "deep filter clean" about 2 weeks into the SLAM. All of this because of listening to the experts on this forum, and following what was told. And most importantly, STAYING PATIENT!!!!!

When you all say it is a slow process with a sand filter, it is a SLOOOWWW process with a sand filter. But it definitely works. Now back to working getting clean up again after the long SLAM and we are off and swimming.

Again, thank you to this great forum for all you help, guidance and encouragement. Like I said earlier, I remember finding this site back in 2006 when we first got the house with the pool, and I had no clue what I was doing. This group taught me a ton back then, and are still teaching me to this day. Chalk this up as another success story to the forum. Thanks again.

T

 

[mknauss]

Again, thank you to this great forum for all you help, guidance and encouragement.

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