Pool Still Slightly Cloudy after Successful SLAM?

Feernot · May 4, 2024

Good morning TFP!

I opened on 4/30 and the pump has been running continuously since.

I did not add any additional chlorine yesterday and overnight I only lost .5 in FC. All my other numbers seem good, and only my FC is obviously still higher than it should be.

Any idea why my water is still kinda cloudy?

My sand filter was new setup in 2021 and I use hairnets in my basket and don't usually have to backwash too often. So I'd hope my sand is still good after only 2 full seasons? My filter pressure is 22.0 which is just a couple above it's baseline after backwash.

Yesterday 5pm
FC 22.0
Yesterday 10pm
FC 20.5

Today 7am
FC 20
PH 7.8
TA 60
CYA 40
CH 25

ajw22 · May 4, 2024

There are three exit criteria for the SLAM Process:

CC is 0.5 or lower
AND your overnight chlorine loss test shows 1.0 ppm of loss or less
AND pool water is crystal clear with no visible sign of algae (dead or alive) on floor and walls

You meet two of the three criteria. Continue the SLAM Process and be patient.

Bperry · May 4, 2024

Feernot said:
Good morning TFP!

I opened on 4/30 and the pump has been running continuously since.

I did not add any additional chlorine yesterday and overnight I only lost .5 in FC. All my other numbers seem good, and only my FC is obviously still higher than it should be.

Any idea why my water is still kinda cloudy?

My sand filter was new setup in 2021 and I use hairnets in my basket and don't usually have to backwash too often. So I'd hope my sand is still good after only 2 full seasons? My filter pressure is 22.0 which is just a couple above it's baseline after backwash.

Yesterday 5pm
FC 22.0
Yesterday 10pm
FC 20.5

Today 7am
FC 20
PH 7.8
TA 60
CYA 40
CH 25

View attachment 570010

The filter sand is fine.

Are you just doing the SLAM because there was algae or because you just opened the pool? The SLAM is to kill organic matter in the water and not necessarily for cloudy water that hasnt been filtered all winter (unless its cloudy because of algae). If theres no algae just keep running the pump and filtering.

If there was algae, you keep SLAMing until theres no sign of it dead or alive, and THEN you do the OCLT and CC test.

Feernot · May 4, 2024

ajw22 said:
There are three exit criteria for the SLAM Process:

CC is 0.5 or lower

AND your overnight chlorine loss test shows 1.0 ppm of loss or less

AND pool water is crystal clear with no visible sign of algae (dead or alive) on floor and walls

You meet two of the three criteria. Continue the SLAM Process and be patient.

Got it. Thank you. I shouldn't have called it a successful SLAM.

Feernot · May 4, 2024

Bperry said:
The filter sand is fine.

Are you just doing the SLAM because there was algae or because you just opened the pool? The SLAM is to kill organic matter in the water and not necessarily for cloudy water that hasnt been filtered all winter (unless its cloudy because of algae). If theres no algae just keep running the pump and filtering.

If there was algae, you keep SLAMing until theres no sign of it dead or alive, and THEN you do the OCLT and CC test.

Thank you. I opened on 4/30 to algae and have been slamming since. Though I didn't have my CYA correct for the first 2 days.

I'll continue doing what I'm doing and be patient.