Well Water and Slam

[bearz1]

Hi,

New member here, have been working on getting this pool ready for like a month now after I filled it with the well water with the rv filter and after tons of products and suggestions from pool company, I started the SLAM as best as I could. Its day 3 now, here are the readings I'm getting:

Hardness-100
TC-over 10
FC-over 10
Bromine-10
TA-40
CYA-30
PH-6.8

Intex Pool 32 x 16. Probably have about 13000 gallons in it.

I think have some iron in it too. I tried the Metal out before I found this website and didn't seem to help. I have the sock in the skimmer and polyfil under it to soak up some iron and it seems be doing that. Should the pool still be looking like this after 3 days? Still haven't seen the bottom of the pool. Should I put in clarifier while doing the SLAM? Very frustrating....

 

[PoolStored]

Don't add anything but liquid chlorine, not necessary and can set you back (suspect the "tons of products" aren't helping)
Answer a few questions, then we hatch the plan.

1. Have you read all of the SLAM process and do you understand it?
2. How are you testing your water (what kit)?
3. How often are you testing and replacing water?
4. How often are you backwashing your filter? (assuming you have a sand filter)?

Put your equipment model number in your signature.

Create Your Signature - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

We'll fix you up!

 

[Texas Splash]

Welcome to TFP! Being on a well, it's very likely you have iron, but it's not showing its ugly head in those pics .... yet. Along with a proper test kit and following the SLAM Process page carefully, review the article below to see how someone else managed their iron issue. Might save you some headache later.

New to pools; Water milky white, cloudy; with Iron

Hello, Hope you are all well. Unfortunately, I have been having lots of trouble with my above ground pool this year. A bit of history before I continue and I apologize for the long post but would like to be thorough: 1. I had the vinyl liner replaced and a water truck filled the pool half way...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[bearz1]

Thank you!

1. Yea
2. 7-1 Kit from Amazon, haven't gotten the recommended kit yet.
3. Every 2 hours testing water, since my Slam level was only 12, I add the recommended liquid chlorine when it goes under 10.
4. Alot backwashing, Normally a couple times per day. I was doing it every time I stopped the pump to clean out the filter for the cleaning robot, otherwise there would be some brown water that pour into the pool if I just stop it and then restart it. I have since just closed the water valve to off when I cleaning the filter and left the pool running. I was getting worried I was backwashing too often.

 

[PoolStored]

Which kit from Amazon?
When you say Haven't gotten, you mean ordered or received?
Where are you in OH?

 

[bearz1]

1. All-New 2024 Pool and Spa Test Strips 7 in 1 Quick SuperAccurate Swimming 150 Pool Test Kit - Hot Tub Test Strips & Pool Water Testing Strips for pH Chlorine Bromine Hardness Alkalinity Cyanuric Acid​

2. Haven't ordered yet, since my SLAM level was only 12 and figured I would go ahead and try without it. I also figured it would take a few days to get here since it's not Amazon and the kids are begging 2 to 3 times per day, lol. I will go ahead and order tonight though in case no success without.
3. South of Columbus, about 3 hours from you

 

[bearz1]

Welcome to TFP! Being on a well, it's very likely you have iron, but it's not showing its ugly head in those pics .... yet. Along with a proper test kit and following the SLAM Process page carefully, review the article below to see how someone else managed their iron issue. Might save you some headache later.

New to pools; Water milky white, cloudy; with Iron

Hello, Hope you are all well. Unfortunately, I have been having lots of trouble with my above ground pool this year. A bit of history before I continue and I apologize for the long post but would like to be thorough: 1. I had the vinyl liner replaced and a water truck filled the pool half way...

www.troublefreepool.com

Thank you, Yea I'm guessing I have some iron in there, the sock on the skimmer and the poly-fill thats I put inside it keep picking up brown, I'm guessing thats iron.

 

[PoolStored]

You can't safely slam without the kit, Get the TF-100 with the SLAM option. Best value. TF-100 Test Kit
If you can swing it the Pro is cheaper than the K-2006C and includes the speed stir. TF-Pro

My guess is that you haven't made progress because the strips aren't accurate (not actually killing anything), and you filter is small...small filters take a long time. You can't backwash too much. Backwash, not clean pressure. When pressure rises 25%, backwash again.

 

[Donldson]

I'll join the "Buckeyes helping Buckeyes" initiative alongside PoolStored and give a +1 that you can't SLAM with test strips. They are built down to such a low price that QC is basically non-existent. Aside from their very general range we have seen people post completely impossible numbers at the best of times and then with higher chlorine levels can bleach out showing high or low depending on the pad. I'm afraid they are about as useful as dipping your finger in and guessing.

 

[Newdude]

OK bearz. I get it. I was new once too and as skeptical as anyone ever was. So here's the skinny :

Let's ignore the inaccuracy at the moment. one could argue its subjective if it suited them. So lets just go with what the test strips actually tell you, which is nearly nothing. We need CYA by the 10 so that we can surgically maintain a proper FC value from it.

What is your 10 ?




This is what science says to do about the 10 :




If you dont have the right 10, or very close at the very least, you're either not sanitary or possibly unsafe on the high side.


*now lets add in the inaccuracy of a 1/10th of a cent strip*. They start degrading the first time the bottle seal is cracked. Each time you open them, more humidity gets in and i dont see how moisture doesnt compeltely foul a wet testing pad, if it was ever accurate to start. Test strips bring folls to us, not the other way around.

You need reliable data or its simply 'dump and pray'.

Ahem. Please excuse my terrible manners.

Welcome to TFP !!!!

 

[bearz1]

You can't safely slam without the kit, Get the TF-100 with the SLAM option. Best value. TF-100 Test Kit
If you can swing it the Pro is cheaper than the K-2006C and includes the speed stir. TF-Pro

My guess is that you haven't made progress because the strips aren't accurate (not actually killing anything), and you filter is small...small filters take a long time. You can't backwash too much. Backwash, not clean pressure. When pressure rises 25%, backwash again.

Didn't realize the test strips weren't accurate, figured since it had good reviews it was probably good. Lesson Learned.

Yea, as you can see in the photos I took today, to me it appears like the numbers I posted earlier except the FC dipped below 10(guess would be 8.) So yea, def been guessing, and the CYA looks between the 0 and 30-50 to me, so I went safe and safe and said 30.

Ok, got the TF-Pro Kit ordered, so hopefully will receive by the middle of the week, I paid for the faster shipping.

 

[Newdude]

The kit is a one time hit, mostly for the parts. The refills go on sale in the mid $40s each spring and if not are mid $50s the rest of the year.

You did good with the TFpro.

 

[PoolStored]

Do you have pool math? If not, get it, use your TFP username/password, configure your pool, and enable sharing with TFP.
Use Pool Math to determine how to add 5ppm per DAY of liquid chlorine until the kit arrives. Add nothing else.
When your kit arrives, to a full bank of tests. FC, CC, pH, TA, CH, CYA.
When you do the CYA test, follow these instructions.

CYA - Cyanuric Acid Test

Cyanuric acid (CYA) is the chemical name for the product commonly called “pool water stabilizer” … Read more…

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[bearz1]

Ok, yea I had the app but not linked or shared, did that now. Sounds good, looks like thats about 1/2 gallon. I'll continue to change out the sock and the poly-fil in the skimmer a couple times per day.(just added those today) Hopefully that eats up whatever is is binding to it that is brown(assuming iron) by the time the kit arrives.

 

[PoolStored]

Hopefully that eats up whatever is is binding to it that is brown(assuming iron) by the time the kit arrives.

It won't...but it will slow the growth.