Fairly sure I have mustard algae after Pool Co left filter open / pump off for 2+days. Then it took 2 more weeks for Pool Co / Property Management Co / Home Warranty Pool Co to fix cracked part inside filter allowing water to bypass cartridge. I'm forced to use all three parties with lease, but did recently change spa light myself as I was tired of waiting weeks.
The light brown dust-like substance clings to side of pebble-coated pool but brushes off easily, clouds, and dissipates quickly. Problem was not resolving on its own and pool wasn't shocked to my knowledge, pool co seemed not helpful, so I decided to add 3 lbs of Shock from hardware store. I also bought test strips also, but didn't record pre-shock results. I was reading a lot of posts indicating that a weekly shock was advisable. The chlorine levels seemed high before I started, but so was stablizer.
Yesterday I ordered a Taylor K-2006 test kit, so hopefully I'll have a better feel for the readings when I get it next week.
Its been three days and I have the following readings using test strips:
TH: 500+
TC & FC: off-scale >10
PH: 7.8
TA: ~20?
Stablizer: 150
I diluted 1:1 with RO water and got:
TH: ~250
TC & FC: off-scale >10 but closer
PH: 6.8?
TA: ~0?
Stablizer: ~75
So I turned the autochlorinator to off (I don't know what exactly is in it...). I'm waiting for the TC/FC to go down but based on stabilizer I may be waiting a long time and I'm still finding brown-ish dust on walls every day. Not as bad today as yesterday. I'm brushing walls daily and running pool vac 12+ hrs.
I'd like to get to the point of feeling comfortable using a solar pool cover and heater but want to ensure the algae and high chlorine levels. Family and friends from Newfoundland Canada are coming Nov. - Feb. and will want to swim / sit in spa. We've just moved to Texas.
I'm thinking the pool water need to be diluted (drain/refill) to reduce the stabilizer and the method of chlorination has to change. In the meantime I'm guessing we need to stay out of the pool??
HELP!!
The light brown dust-like substance clings to side of pebble-coated pool but brushes off easily, clouds, and dissipates quickly. Problem was not resolving on its own and pool wasn't shocked to my knowledge, pool co seemed not helpful, so I decided to add 3 lbs of Shock from hardware store. I also bought test strips also, but didn't record pre-shock results. I was reading a lot of posts indicating that a weekly shock was advisable. The chlorine levels seemed high before I started, but so was stablizer.
Yesterday I ordered a Taylor K-2006 test kit, so hopefully I'll have a better feel for the readings when I get it next week.
Its been three days and I have the following readings using test strips:
TH: 500+
TC & FC: off-scale >10
PH: 7.8
TA: ~20?
Stablizer: 150
I diluted 1:1 with RO water and got:
TH: ~250
TC & FC: off-scale >10 but closer
PH: 6.8?
TA: ~0?
Stablizer: ~75
So I turned the autochlorinator to off (I don't know what exactly is in it...). I'm waiting for the TC/FC to go down but based on stabilizer I may be waiting a long time and I'm still finding brown-ish dust on walls every day. Not as bad today as yesterday. I'm brushing walls daily and running pool vac 12+ hrs.
I'd like to get to the point of feeling comfortable using a solar pool cover and heater but want to ensure the algae and high chlorine levels. Family and friends from Newfoundland Canada are coming Nov. - Feb. and will want to swim / sit in spa. We've just moved to Texas.
I'm thinking the pool water need to be diluted (drain/refill) to reduce the stabilizer and the method of chlorination has to change. In the meantime I'm guessing we need to stay out of the pool??
HELP!!