Thanks, ordered. The pool comes with a heavy sheet of vinyl with holes in it; sinks and is very hard to manipulate.
Cover on or off during SLAM?
Time to get serious
- Thread starter parteecia
- Start date
Cover on or off during SLAM?
Here's what has happened since my last post. I raised CYA to 30 with pucks that I'm trying to use up. Got pH to 7.2, started SLAM and it never improved. After a week I got disheartened and gave up.
Last week I tested it and CYA was back to 0. This time I raised it with powdered shock to 30. pH was 7.5 and TA was 130. I adjusted pH to 7.2 with MA and started a SLAM on the 23rd. Same result as last time: no change.
It didn't lose Cl very quickly, 5 parts in 12 hours. But it has been the same color and cloudiness since it improved from the primordial swamp.
Any options besides draining? I will have to buy a truckload of water to get around the restrictions so I hope there's another way. But if I do have to, can I use the pool water on St. Augustine grass? Bamboo?
The photo is of the way it has been all along.
Last week I tested it and CYA was back to 0. This time I raised it with powdered shock to 30. pH was 7.5 and TA was 130. I adjusted pH to 7.2 with MA and started a SLAM on the 23rd. Same result as last time: no change.
It didn't lose Cl very quickly, 5 parts in 12 hours. But it has been the same color and cloudiness since it improved from the primordial swamp.
Any options besides draining? I will have to buy a truckload of water to get around the restrictions so I hope there's another way. But if I do have to, can I use the pool water on St. Augustine grass? Bamboo?
The photo is of the way it has been all along.
Attachments
- Oct 25, 2015
- 5,144
- Pool Size
- 25000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
P,
Your only option is to SLAM or drain and refill. I think you're most likely falling into the same trap that many do with your SLAM. You must Maintain SLAM FC levels for your CYA level. It helps if you can test and add FC to SLAM level 3 times per day for the first day or two. Can you please post a complete set of test results from your new kit? Why are you using powdered shock and please post a photo of the ingredients?
Chris
Your only option is to SLAM or drain and refill. I think you're most likely falling into the same trap that many do with your SLAM. You must Maintain SLAM FC levels for your CYA level. It helps if you can test and add FC to SLAM level 3 times per day for the first day or two. Can you please post a complete set of test results from your new kit? Why are you using powdered shock and please post a photo of the ingredients?
Chris
- Jun 8, 2019
- 4,574
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
SLAM isn’t dumping in some chlorine and hoping for the best. You have to test often, as much as once an hour if you can, at least 2-3 times a day, and add FC back to SLAM levels each time. Liquid chlorine is the way to go.
You’ll need to add CYA to get to 30ppm or the chlorine will burn off in the sun. Follow the steps in the SLAM Process article. Scrub, vacuum. Keep the FC elevated and let the filter clean the dead algae out.
You’ll need to add CYA to get to 30ppm or the chlorine will burn off in the sun. Follow the steps in the SLAM Process article. Scrub, vacuum. Keep the FC elevated and let the filter clean the dead algae out.
I was trying to use up old chems that I already have.
For the 6/5 SLAM I used 2.5 pucks of 94% trichloro to get CYA to 30 before starting.
After the CYA dropped back to 0 I used a bag of 99% dichloro and a bag of 58% dichloro powdered shock on 6/15 to raise it. My numbers before starting the 6/23 SLAM were
FC 2.5
CC 0
pH 7.2
TA 120
CYA 30
According to the chart, for a CYA of 30 the SLAM FC should be 12. FC never dropped below 20 and CC was 0 or 0.5.
I would love to know what is going on and why the water's appearance never changes.
Currently FC is 13.5 and CC is 0.5. I have not added chlorine since 6/24 at 4pm. My previous reading - after I decided to abandon SLAM - was 17.5. That was 24 hours ago.
For the 6/5 SLAM I used 2.5 pucks of 94% trichloro to get CYA to 30 before starting.
After the CYA dropped back to 0 I used a bag of 99% dichloro and a bag of 58% dichloro powdered shock on 6/15 to raise it. My numbers before starting the 6/23 SLAM were
FC 2.5
CC 0
pH 7.2
TA 120
CYA 30
According to the chart, for a CYA of 30 the SLAM FC should be 12. FC never dropped below 20 and CC was 0 or 0.5.
I would love to know what is going on and why the water's appearance never changes.
Currently FC is 13.5 and CC is 0.5. I have not added chlorine since 6/24 at 4pm. My previous reading - after I decided to abandon SLAM - was 17.5. That was 24 hours ago.
- Jun 8, 2019
- 4,574
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Photo above shows maybe a touch of green but for the most part looks like dead algae. At this point you want to keep your FC up at SLAM levels and let the filter do the work of pulling that out of the water. Keep brushing, etc.
If your CYA is low the FC will go very quick as the sun will deplete it. Have you done a recent test after all of the trichlor/dichlor additions? If it's still low I'd add 20ppm of CYA via sock method, and plan on 16ppm of SLAM (CYA of 40). After 2-3 days you could test the CYA again and confirm if it is indeed between 30 and 40 (to round to 40).
If your CYA is low the FC will go very quick as the sun will deplete it. Have you done a recent test after all of the trichlor/dichlor additions? If it's still low I'd add 20ppm of CYA via sock method, and plan on 16ppm of SLAM (CYA of 40). After 2-3 days you could test the CYA again and confirm if it is indeed between 30 and 40 (to round to 40).
Thanks for the ideas. CYA is down to 20. Looks like I didn't manage to kill off the CYA eating bacteria after all. My high FC SLAMs only seem to slow it down.
I don't suppose it will be safe to swim if I keep pumping CYA and FC into it? I can't imagine that more SLAMs of sustained FCs of 30+ will kill off enough bacteria to make a difference. Any other methods to try?
Maybe I can sell my water to people who need to reduce their CYA and finance a refill that way.
Oddly enough, since I started ignoring it the water is the clearest it's been. I can't remember the last time I could see the bottom squares. (It is down to about 3 feet deep)
I don't suppose it will be safe to swim if I keep pumping CYA and FC into it? I can't imagine that more SLAMs of sustained FCs of 30+ will kill off enough bacteria to make a difference. Any other methods to try?
Maybe I can sell my water to people who need to reduce their CYA and finance a refill that way.
Oddly enough, since I started ignoring it the water is the clearest it's been. I can't remember the last time I could see the bottom squares. (It is down to about 3 feet deep)
- Jun 8, 2019
- 4,574
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I'm sure the bacteria is dead by now, if that's what it was. If you are holding 10+ FC it's gone. If it weren't it would be making ammonia and your FC would be 0 (or very, very low) as ammonia eats through FC like mad. And that bacteria will die to the FC super-fast once the ammonia has been neutralized.
If your CYA is down to 20, add another 10ppm to get it to 30. I wouldn't go above 12ppm of FC. At 30 with lower CYA you're risking damage to your liner and pool surfaces. If your FC is at SLAM level or below (12ppm for 30 CYA) then you're fine to swim.
If your CYA is down to 20, add another 10ppm to get it to 30. I wouldn't go above 12ppm of FC. At 30 with lower CYA you're risking damage to your liner and pool surfaces. If your FC is at SLAM level or below (12ppm for 30 CYA) then you're fine to swim.
- Oct 25, 2015
- 5,144
- Pool Size
- 25000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
Looks like you're making progress and I understand the desire to at least use up the old chemicals but just understand "other ingredients" can often cause problems of staining down the road that will cost a lot more to fix than the cost of the chemicals. If it was me I'd get rid of the chemicals and use only those that have a complete ingredients list. But that's me and everybody has to make their own decision on this.
Keep on keeping on you're doing great!
Chris
I am an idiot. The filter was full. The water is much clearer now. Thank you all.
I'm not worried about staining my pool but I should worry about reducing the life of the vinyl.
I'm not worried about staining my pool but I should worry about reducing the life of the vinyl.
- Jun 8, 2019
- 4,574
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I'm not sure if liners becoming brittle is due to low pH / acid or from the chlorine, but either way, best not to go too far with the FC over CYA levels to be safe!
- Oct 25, 2015
- 5,144
- Pool Size
- 25000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
If you stay at or below SLAM level and within TFP ranges for everything else you will be OK.