SLAM - How To Kill Algae Fast

Adjust pH Before SLAM

Set pH to 7.2–7.6 before starting. pH tests are unreliable during SLAM, so wait until FC drops below 10 to test again.

Shock

Use 2x, 3x or 4x the recommended shock dosage based on colour of your pool water.

Test & Adjust

Test water hourly on day 1, adjust chemicals as needed and add shock as needed to keep FC at 10. Continue to test and adjust 2-3 time per day until resolved.

Brush, Vacuum and Backwash Daily

Brush and vacuum pool daily, be sure to brush steps, ladders, skimmers and return jets.

Backwash or clean the filter when filter PSI increases by 25% over your clean filter pressure or once daily.

General Timeline:

• Day 1-2: You’ll notice some improvement, with the algae starting to die off. The water may still be cloudy.
• Day 3-5: The algae should be visibly less, and the water may start to clear up, but you’ll likely still need to run the pump and keep chlorinating.
• Day 6-10: The water should be much clearer, and you may need to continue brushing the walls and vacuuming. If the water is still cloudy or there's still some visible algae, keep the process going until the chlorine levels stay steady and no algae is visible.

If after 7-10 days you're not seeing a noticeable improvement or the algae is coming back, it's time to check your chlorine levels again, scrub the pool more thoroughly, and possibly backwash or clean your filter.

The key with SLAM is persistence, keep your chlorine levels high, run the filter continuously, and clean your pool as needed. It’s a bit of a marathon, not a sprint!