There is something seriously wrong with my pool. I've been SLAMing it for two weeks now and I can't figure out what the problem is. Started b/c I was getting brown build up daily along the folds and such in the liner.
Initial stats:
FC: 5
CC:0
PH: 7.2
TA: 70
CYA: 60
NOW:
FC: 14.5
CC:0.5
PH: 7.6 (know it may not be accurate)
TA: 80
CYA: 30
Now, last summer I had a high CYA (around 140+ b/c of using tablets at first) and have hovered at 60 since opening in May (after winter and draining/refilling).
But now look at my numbers! How did the CYA drop so much? I've only done three backwashes since the SLAM started. I have added maybe an inch or so, and it has rained a lot. But that's a big loss, no? I've just assumed it's been 60 so I had been SLAMing to 24. So WAY more than I've even needed for mustard and still no luck!
To make matters worse, I cannot, for the life of me figure out how many FC's I'm ever adding. I don't know if it's inconsistency in the bleach (so far all has been 12% from same store, stored inside, day 162 of 2020). I've gone from getting as low as 12oz per FC or up to 25oz per FC (after retesting an hour later, in the same spot each time).
And NOW, my FC results aren't even accurate I think. I can use the same sample of water and get three different counts. I'm not an expert, but I've been doing this since last June and know what I'm doing. Getting it elbow deep, away from return/skimmer.
Steps are out. Nothing is in the pool or has been since Sunday. No people, only bugs and rain. There's not even any leaves falling in it. How can I be losing this much FC?! Just the past 24 hours has been insane. Remember, I thought I had 60CYA:
Lost 6F overnight W-Today (25.5 at 10pm)
6:30am: 19.5FC, lost 6 overnight (no rain); added 86oz
8:30am: 23.5
10:00am: 17.5; added 128oz
3pm: 14.5, so I lost potentially 10 in 5 hours on a partly sunny day?
We're heading out of town in an hour until Sunday night. No way will my dad test, but he'll add a gallon of bleach each day if I ask. ETA: none of the chemicals are expired. Brand new powder and the closest to exp is the FC reagent and that's 10/20. everything else is 2021 or 2022.
I've vacuumed daily, brushed every other. Ran the pump 24/7. Completely clear, minimal dead algae each day (less than when I first started). Pump pressure only went up when I added a bit of DE in the early days, hence the backwashing. Been normal ever since. WHAT could be happening?
Initial stats:
FC: 5
CC:0
PH: 7.2
TA: 70
CYA: 60
NOW:
FC: 14.5
CC:0.5
PH: 7.6 (know it may not be accurate)
TA: 80
CYA: 30
Now, last summer I had a high CYA (around 140+ b/c of using tablets at first) and have hovered at 60 since opening in May (after winter and draining/refilling).
But now look at my numbers! How did the CYA drop so much? I've only done three backwashes since the SLAM started. I have added maybe an inch or so, and it has rained a lot. But that's a big loss, no? I've just assumed it's been 60 so I had been SLAMing to 24. So WAY more than I've even needed for mustard and still no luck!
To make matters worse, I cannot, for the life of me figure out how many FC's I'm ever adding. I don't know if it's inconsistency in the bleach (so far all has been 12% from same store, stored inside, day 162 of 2020). I've gone from getting as low as 12oz per FC or up to 25oz per FC (after retesting an hour later, in the same spot each time).
And NOW, my FC results aren't even accurate I think. I can use the same sample of water and get three different counts. I'm not an expert, but I've been doing this since last June and know what I'm doing. Getting it elbow deep, away from return/skimmer.
Steps are out. Nothing is in the pool or has been since Sunday. No people, only bugs and rain. There's not even any leaves falling in it. How can I be losing this much FC?! Just the past 24 hours has been insane. Remember, I thought I had 60CYA:
Lost 6F overnight W-Today (25.5 at 10pm)
6:30am: 19.5FC, lost 6 overnight (no rain); added 86oz
8:30am: 23.5
10:00am: 17.5; added 128oz
3pm: 14.5, so I lost potentially 10 in 5 hours on a partly sunny day?
We're heading out of town in an hour until Sunday night. No way will my dad test, but he'll add a gallon of bleach each day if I ask. ETA: none of the chemicals are expired. Brand new powder and the closest to exp is the FC reagent and that's 10/20. everything else is 2021 or 2022.
I've vacuumed daily, brushed every other. Ran the pump 24/7. Completely clear, minimal dead algae each day (less than when I first started). Pump pressure only went up when I added a bit of DE in the early days, hence the backwashing. Been normal ever since. WHAT could be happening?
Maintain that SLAM level of 12 until you pass all 3 criteria. As for the CYA test, did you also do that one in the shade? Remember the key points about CYA testing as noted below. Good luck!
