Pool build was finished in January. 15k gallons. IC40 SWG. Current salt is at 3400 and CYA has dropped from 80 to 55 as of this morning. For the last month, the FC has gone to 0 or right at it, three times. Two of those times the water did get a bit cloudy. The first time, I SLAMMED it and ran the pump for three days and got the FC to 6. The second time, just last week, it started looking cloudy again and the FC was close to 0 and there was combined of 0.5. I added enough liquid chrlorine to bring it back to 6, ran the pump two days and it looked normal again the next morning. Today, one week later, it was at 0.2 with no combined. I am running the SWG higher and longer than the Pool Math shows (75%@7hrs) and this is the result. I just added more liquid chrlorine to bring it back to 6 and added some liquid stabilizer to get it to 65 for now. Any ideas?
SWG Not working or something else?
- Thread starter ckc2023
- Start date
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,873
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Welcome to TFP! 
It's safe to assume at some point in the past few weeks your FC level dropped too far and you started getting algae. At that point it requires a SLAM Process, maintaining the elevafed FC level required as noted on the FC/CYA Levels until you pass all 3 SLAM criteria. So if you didn't pass those 3 criteria, you never really completed the SLAM.
That would be my first recommendation. If you have any doubts about the SLAM, at the very least do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test.
It's safe to assume at some point in the past few weeks your FC level dropped too far and you started getting algae. At that point it requires a SLAM Process, maintaining the elevafed FC level required as noted on the FC/CYA Levels until you pass all 3 SLAM criteria. So if you didn't pass those 3 criteria, you never really completed the SLAM.That would be my first recommendation. If you have any doubts about the SLAM, at the very least do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,873
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Remember also that SWGs are convenient but not designed to create huge increases in FC or maintain an elevated FC SLAM level. For that you need to use liquid chlorine. During the SLAM Process we recommend turnng off the SWG.
Sorry I guess I should’ve added I did pass all three on the SLAM test and I did use liquid chrlorine.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,545
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Please fill out your Signature.
The below is all but useless information without it.
Overnight Chlorine Loss Test to rule out algae. Then raise the CYA appropriately for FL, once proven clean or post SLAM if proven to be algae. Unless you're caged. (Again.... the Signature HELPS lol)
Pay close attention in the meantime and step in with LC anytime you near minimum.
The below is all but useless information without it.
Is it a T-15 on a 9k gallon pool, or an IC20 on a 30k pool ?
Overnight Chlorine Loss Test to rule out algae. Then raise the CYA appropriately for FL, once proven clean or post SLAM if proven to be algae. Unless you're caged. (Again.... the Signature HELPS lol)
Pay close attention in the meantime and step in with LC anytime you near minimum.
My post has that in there…like literally the first two lines.Please fill out your Signature.
The below is all but useless information without it.
Is it a T-15 on a 9k gallon pool, or an IC20 on a 30k pool ?
- May 3, 2014
- 58,545
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Your settings of 75% for 7 hours in a 15k pool is adding 2.4 ppm FC per day. That is quite low for this time of year in your climate.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,545
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Thanks for all the feedback. I’ll do the overnight test tonight and will SLAM again if needed.
ckc,
How old is the cell? Mfg. date is on the bottom side..
Here is a quick test.. Set the output to 50%.. Give it a few minutes and then monitor the 'Cell" light. It should come on for 2.5 minutes and then it will be off for 2.5 minutes. This will just keep repeating. If the cell light test works, then your cell is making chlorine.
Your pool is not different than my pool, or any other pool. If you still have algae, after a SLAM, it means that you did not do something correctly. I have no idea what, but something.. If I were in your shoes, I would run a new SLAM at higher than the FC I thought I needed, and for a couple days longer than I thought I needed, and I would make sure to brush more than I thought I needed. I know running a SLAM is a pain, but you really should not need to do it but once in a pools life.
Thanks,
Jim R.
How old is the cell? Mfg. date is on the bottom side..
Here is a quick test.. Set the output to 50%.. Give it a few minutes and then monitor the 'Cell" light. It should come on for 2.5 minutes and then it will be off for 2.5 minutes. This will just keep repeating. If the cell light test works, then your cell is making chlorine.
Your pool is not different than my pool, or any other pool. If you still have algae, after a SLAM, it means that you did not do something correctly. I have no idea what, but something.. If I were in your shoes, I would run a new SLAM at higher than the FC I thought I needed, and for a couple days longer than I thought I needed, and I would make sure to brush more than I thought I needed. I know running a SLAM is a pain, but you really should not need to do it but once in a pools life.
Thanks,
Jim R.
- Feb 6, 2015
- 6,166
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Post a full set of current test results from one of the recommended test kits.
What exact test kit are you using? Add your test kit to your signature.
How are you testing the salt content?
Chances are you are not adding enough chlorine to your pool daily and/or you allowed the FC to go below minimum for your CYA level.
Update your signature with manufacturers and model numbers for all your equipment- include test kits.
What exact test kit are you using? Add your test kit to your signature.
How are you testing the salt content?
Chances are you are not adding enough chlorine to your pool daily and/or you allowed the FC to go below minimum for your CYA level.
Update your signature with manufacturers and model numbers for all your equipment- include test kits.
My goodness. I half apologize. I read it 3 times looking for it. While doing so, Marty posted asking about the lights on the unit, leading me to believe he found the info somewhere. After reading the post 3 more times, I checked your profile and your 'about me' and came up empty. Yet it was there in sentence 2.
The reason why I half apologize is because the point still stands. I could have missed the posted info and found it anyway, along with other relevant info to your problem.
I did the OCLT test and had no FC loss between 9p last night and 6a this morning. However, it did drop a lot during the day yesterday. FC yesterday should've went from 0.2 to 6 with the liquid chlorine I added at 9a (I used the Pool Math to determine how much) but it was 3.6 at 9p and has stayed at 3.6 all night. There was 0.2 combined chlorine last night and this morning there is no combined chlorine. I'm going to scrub the walls really good again, clean the filter and add more chlorine this morning and check it again in a day or two unless it really seems there is a reason to SLAM it based on all of this? The water is crystal clear and has been clear.
Here are the full numbers as tested by my Taylor K-2006
FC 3.6
Combined 0
Ph 7.8 (will add some more MA today to bring this to 7.6)
TA 75
CH 260
CYA 65 (was 55 but added liquid stabilizer yesterday to get to 65)
Salt 3400
Also, I've updated my signature with everything.
Here are the full numbers as tested by my Taylor K-2006
FC 3.6
Combined 0
Ph 7.8 (will add some more MA today to bring this to 7.6)
TA 75
CH 260
CYA 65 (was 55 but added liquid stabilizer yesterday to get to 65)
Salt 3400
Also, I've updated my signature with everything.
So if neither the SWG or liquid chlorine are holding, that points to the CYA level having dipped too low for this time of year in FL.
Your choice if you want to raise the CYA now and see if the FC holds, or do a overnight *gain* test with the SWG instead to prove the SWG is producing.
Pool Math shows ideal CYA to be 70-80 so I can definitely add more to get it to 70 or 75 today. I will also do the overnight gain test with the SWG just for good measure. Thanks!
reggiehammond
Gold Supporter
- Oct 4, 2020
- 1,509
- Pool Size
- 30000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
I am shocked every year when it starts getting hotter and my SWCG seems to be working poorly, but actually my CYA is just a bit too low. The difference between 50-70 or 80 is huge.
I usually end up turning my SWCG down 25% or so once my bone head realizes CYA has dropped.
I usually end up turning my SWCG down 25% or so once my bone head realizes CYA has dropped.