Vacuuming and brushing during SLAM

[jz2753]

Hi everyone, new to TFP here after experiencing cloudy water and learning all about CYA and trichlor tabs, which I’ve now ditched.

I’m part draining and refilling my pool to get CYA to a decent level. Once that’s done, I want to deal with what I think is algae. It’s greyish dust sitting in the liner seams, corners of the pool and a few blobs here and there. This stuff has been there pretty much since the pool was built 2 years ago, although it doesn’t really seem to have increased over the years. Just keeps appearing after vacuuming. The CC test seems to be around 0.5 and haven’t really done an OCLT because with my CYA so high I’m not sure my testing is accurate.

Assuming I have algae, when I come to SLAM, I only have an automatic robot vacuum, which I understand from this site is not good enough for dealing with algae. I see a lot about vacuuming to waste functions or backwashing, but I don’t think I have any or these functions. I’m a little intimidated by the manual vacuum with hose into skimmer route. What do you think about a cordless vacuum cleaner for use in the SLAM process? I’ve seen some YouTube vids with people recommending adding pool socks to the vac filter so that it catches very fine material including algae. I don’t mind spending a few hundred bucks on one of these.

Also, when it comes to brushing, are you supposed to clean/disinfect the brush each time so as not to reintroduce algae? How do you guys clean your brushes?

Tks so much. Looking forward to getting back on track and looking after my pool properly!

 

[reggiehammond]

Your robot, if it has fine filters, can pick up algae easily. But it'll also help disturb it so that it stays in the water column and can get picked up by the filter.

It doesn't sound like your pool has a lot of algae, so SLAM should be fairly quick, and I don't think I'd worry about trying to pick up the dead algae. Just worry about keeping SLAM levels at correct dose, brush daily to disturb algae, and see where you get. I expect great results.

 

[Newdude]

Hey JZ and Welcome !!!

How are you testing? The 0.5 CCs sounds promising but I have to ask.

I’m part draining and refilling my pool to get CYA to a decent level

Multiple drains remove new water with the old and each subsequent round loses some efficiency. You need 12 to 18 inches of water in the shallow end to keep the liner in place, so consider larger rounds of draining down to that depth.

I don’t mind spending a few hundred bucks on one of these.

Thise are fine for spot cleaning but wont help much here IMO.

when it comes to brushing, are you supposed to clean/disinfect the brush each time so as not to reintroduce algae?

Nope. The SLAM water will do it's thing. If you were to reintroduce some algae on the brush, 13,500 gallons of properly chlorinated water would laugh at it. At slam FC it would laugh like a maniacal bad guy.

 

[jz2753]

Hey JZ and Welcome !!!

How are you testing? The 0.5 CCs sounds promising but I have to ask.


Multiple drains remove new water with the old and each subsequent round loses some efficiency. You need 12 to 18 inches of water in the shallow end to keep the liner in place, so consider larger rounds of draining down to that depth.

Thise are fine for spot cleaning but wont help much here IMO.

Nope. The SLAM water will do it's thing. If you were to reintroduce some algae on the brush, 13,500 gallons of properly chlorinated water would laugh at it. At slam FC it would laugh like a maniacal bad guy.

Hi Newdude, thanks for your comments.

I’m testing CC using the Taylor k2006, but I’m not 100% confident in my chlorine testing because I don’t seem to be able to get all my dpd powder to dissolve. I get the water clear with drops, but then a minute later it’ll be pink again because I think the last grains finally dissolve.

The draining is v annoying as I already did it a few weeks ago to have my faceplates changed out, but I didn’t know about CYA and trichlor tabs at that time and I guess the tabs worked their CYA magic pretty quickly once I refilled! Haven’t had my water bill yet for that round of drain and refill!

 

[Newdude]

but I’m not 100% confident in my chlorine testing because I don’t seem to be able to get all my dpd powder to dissolve

If you use too much, the extra doesn't dissolve. If the sample goes barbie pink, you used enough powder.

Then if you let it sit, it goes pink again sometimes. Get your clear result and move on. If something sidetrack you, any more pinks don't count.