Thankful for finding this group

[Nickoskowski01]

I have a 28’ round above ground pool and have struggled with chemicals. I came back from vacation last week and my pool was green. Leslie’s pool store said to dump some algicide in and then 2 lbs of chlorine shock and I’d be good..Uh no! After finding this site last week I started reading up on the SLAM process but my CYA always reads essentially 0 per the test strips I have. I didnt want to wait so I started adding 2 gallons of 10% liquid chlorine 2 times a day starting Monday 16th. The FC has been all over the place. Sometimes there was barely .5 until today when I received the TF 100 test kit. I used the chlorine drop test and it was 17.5 5 hours after the second application of the 2 gallons of chlorine. I’m not sure how good or bad that is because I have no idea where the cya level is. I plan to test for it with the proper test tomorrow. Hope I can get this pool clear by Saturday

 

[HermanTX]

Welcome to TFP.
I assume you have also read the FC/CYA Levels as that is important to keep in alignment.

Post a picture of your pool as in current state. Are you seeing any improvement since you started?
Your pH (using the drops) is not valid when your FC is over 10ppm, Did you happen to know what your pH was before you started?

Thanks for filling out your signature. That is real helpful.
You may want to include your City and State so we know what type of environment you are dealing with as well.

To successfully pass a SLAM you also need to pass the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. Have you read about that process to do in the evening and early morning?

Also read ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

 

[wireform]

It's actually not great as chlorine without stabilizer is very harsh. Try to get 30 ppm of CYA in the water via the sock method in front of the pool filter return.

 

[Nickoskowski01]

It's actually not great as chlorine without stabilizer is very harsh. Try to get 30 ppm of CYA in the water via the sock method in front of the pool filter return.

Thanks I checked the cya this morning it was 35 and the FC was 14.

 

[Nickoskowski01]

Welcome to TFP.
I assume you have also read the FC/CYA Levels as that is important to keep in alignment.

Post a picture of your pool as in current state. Are you seeing any improvement since you started?
Your pH (using the drops) is not valid when your FC is over 10ppm, Did you happen to know what your pH was before you started?

Thanks for filling out your signature. That is real helpful.
You may want to include your City and State so we know what type of environment you are dealing with as well.

To successfully pass a SLAM you also need to pass the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. Have you read about that process to do in the evening and early morning?

Also read ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

Thanks for the help. I have the charts for maintenance and slam. The cya test this morning was 35 and fc dropped to 14. Would you recommend turning off the chlorinator while in the slam process? Pool isnt green anymore just cloudy still. Ive. Been reading up on the oclt, do I want to wait until the water is clear?

 

[HermanTX]

Thanks for the help. I have the charts for maintenance and slam. The cya test this morning was 35 and fc dropped to 14. Would you recommend turning off the chlorinator while in the slam process? Pool isnt green anymore just cloudy still. Ive. Been reading up on the oclt, do I want to wait until the water is clear?

It is best to turn off your SWCG if you SLAM and use liquid chlorine to raise or maintain FC as that is faster acting then your SWCG. You can try an OCLT just to see where you are - be sure your SWCG is off for that so your results are only the lost due to bacteria in the water. Call your CYA 40 as it is not a linear scale so your SLAM level is 16ppm FC.
Also you can backwash or clean your filter to help clear your pool of dead algae that is captured.

 

[Nickoskowski01]

Thanks for the help. I have the charts for maintenance and slam. The cya test this morning was 35 and fc dropped to 14. Would you recommend turning off the chlorinator while in the slam process? Pool isnt green anymore just cloudy still. Ive. Been reading up on the oclt, do I want to wait until the water is clear?

Thanks for the help. I have the charts for maintenance and slam. The cya test this morning was 35 and fc dropped to 14. Would you recommend turning off the chlorinator while in the slam process? Pool isnt green anymore just cloudy still. Ive. Been reading up on the oclt, do I want to wait until the water is clear?

 

[Nickoskowski01]

View attachment 366097

water is still cloudy, CYA read 30 FC 12.5 do I mess with other chemicals during the slam process?

 

[HermanTX]

water is still cloudy, CYA read 30 FC 12.5 do I mess with other chemicals during the slam process?

One thing you should do is lower your pH to 7.2 range. However you are already at SLAM level if your CYA is 30.
Please read and follow SLAM Process

 

[Turbo1Ton]

Nope. Keep the FC to the SLAM level until you pass all three criteria for calling a SLAM finished.

SLAM - Shock Level and Maintain

We’ve all had to deal with a green pool. Clear algae from your pool with a SLAM! Read here to use shock level and maintain to clear your pool.

www.troublefreepool.com

--Jeff

Edit: Darnit! Herman just beat me to it!

 

[Nickoskowski01]

Nope. Keep the FC to the SLAM level until you pass all three criteria for calling a SLAM finished.

SLAM - Shock Level and Maintain

We’ve all had to deal with a green pool. Clear algae from your pool with a SLAM! Read here to use shock level and maintain to clear your pool.

www.troublefreepool.com

--Jeff

Edit: Darnit! Herman just beat me to it!

I cleaned the algae out of my cartridge filter 2 days ago, brushed the bottom of the pool this morning and there was still algae blowing around. Should I clean this thing out every couple days? Also I might have to add water. Should I wait until after slam is complete?

 

[HermanTX]

If you add water that will affect your FC level so just be aware of that. You need to ensure that your skimmers are functional so water level needs to be monitored.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

Watch your filter pressure. If it increases to 25% above the clean element pressure, it is time to clean. Wouldn't hurt to clean them every couple of days regardless, as removing as much of the dead algae as you can has to be better than leaving it.

--Jeff

 

[Nickoskowski01]

Watch your filter pressure. If it increases to 25% above the clean element pressure, it is time to clean. Wouldn't hurt to clean them every couple of days regardless, as removing as much of the dead algae as you can has to be better than leaving it.

--Jeff

Thanks for the info- just from emptying the filter 3 times the water level got too low so I filled it with about 1/2 water, replaced the filter, tested the CYA which was 45 added the liquid chlorine to bring it up to 18 FC. this morning still cloudy but better than yesterday. So just keep testing CYA and FC throughout the day and add chlorine to maintain slam until crystal clear correct? Second question once it passes the clear, cc, and oclt test do I just let the chlorine fall back down to the 4-6 FC level? Do I keep my chlorinator off until it reaches that level? Sorry I’m a rookie!

 

[Turbo1Ton]

CYA would be 50. The scale is not linear so you can't estimate values between the lines.

Once you know what your CYA is so you can determine your SLAM FC level, you should not need to keep testing it unless you are doing something to change it, i.e. significant water exchanges, or adding CYA, which you shouldn't be adding during a SLAM anyway. Should just need to test FC multiple times throughout the day so you can keep it at SLAM levels.

You are correct. Keep following the SLAM instructions until you pass all three criteria for calling it done.

• CC is 0.5 or lower;
• You pass an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
  • (ie overnight FC loss test shows a loss of 1.0 ppm or less);
• And the water is clear.

Once all three of these criteria are met, just let the FC drift back down to within your normal range on the FC/CYA chart. Then you can turn your SWCG back on. I would also bring your CYA up to SWG levels, 70-90.

--Jeff

 

[Nickoskowski01]

CYA would be 50. The scale is not linear so you can't estimate values between the lines.

Once you know what your CYA is so you can determine your SLAM FC level, you should not need to keep testing it unless you are doing something to change it, i.e. significant water exchanges, or adding CYA, which you shouldn't be adding during a SLAM anyway. Should just need to test FC multiple times throughout the day so you can keep it at SLAM levels.

You are correct. Keep following the SLAM instructions until you pass all three criteria for calling it done.

• CC is 0.5 or lower;
• You pass an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
  • (ie overnight FC loss test shows a loss of 1.0 ppm or less);
• And the water is clear.

Once all three of these criteria are met, just let the FC drift back down to within your normal range on the FC/CYA chart. Then you can turn your SWCG back on. I would also bring your CYA up to SWG levels, 70-90.

--Jeff

My CYA was at zero when I started the slam last Tuesday so I had the dry chem in a sock dissolving throughout the week. I kept testing the cya throughout the day along with FC levels to make sure a was adding the right amount of chlorine as the CYA level increased. Am I good in a situation like that? Now that it’s fully dissolved it trends towards 50. It’s not a salt water set up so 40-60 right? I feel like a Dang chemist out there

 

[Turbo1Ton]

Understand. Thanks for the clarification on the CYA. You are doing great!

Sorry... I must've confused your setup with another. Yup, you got it...40-60 for non SWG pools.

--Jeff

 

[Nickoskowski01]

Understand. Thanks for the clarification on the CYA. You are doing great!

Sorry... I must've confused your setup with another. Yup, you got it...40-60 for non SWG pools.

--Jeff

Hey Jeff- thanks for all your help man!