Question about mustard algae SLAM

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PoolFrog

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Aug 9, 2013
130
Dallas, TX
I have what appears to be mustard algae in certain places on the pool walls, in the shaded areas. When I brush, it just dissipates, but returns a day or two later. Meanwhile, water looks crystal clear and test numbers are good. I've read the info here about mustard algae, and I understand that first a normal SLAM is needed. My question is, do I need to backwash during a normal SLAM if water is clear and CC is 0? Should I wait to backwash until after I'm at MA shock level, or even wait until after that?

We're going to be disassembling and cleaning our DE filter later this month before we start using the pool again, so I'm trying to figure out the best time to do the MA shock.
 
If the FC levels are high enough, the MA should be killed. I suppose it would not hurt anything to clean the filter after you have passed the SLAM and the 24hr MA high FC soak.
 
We've had a lot of rain here over the past few weeks, and I was trying to wait for dryer weather to do our SLAM & MA shock to solve the problem first mentioned at the start of this thread. Finally had to start really tackling this MA problem, despite the continued rain forecast. Had DE filter disassembled and cleaned today after noticing a jump in psi and low circulation. The yellow stuff on the walls continued to build in the meantime. I started the regular SLAM today after the filter cleaning, and my numbers are as follows:

FC 13 (as of sundown - PoolMath says SLAM level is 12)
CYA 30
pH 7.2
CC 0 (has been all along during this MA issue)

The FC has held well this afternoon since starting the SLAM. I've been sweeping the entire pool, and the water is a bit cloudy as a result. I'm hoping this will clear up as the now-clean filter is able to catch what I stirred up. Pump is running continuously now after being shut off for a couple of days because of excessive psi reading.

I will check FC in the morning to see how much was lost in the night. If I lost 1 ppm or less, and assuming I'm still showing 0 CC, can I move on into the MA shock with water that's still a little cloudy?
 
I checked yesterday morning, and I passed an OCLT, water is clear again, and still show 0 CCs. I would have moved straight into the MA shock, but it was pouring down rain here yesterday and last night, so my husband wasn't able to get in and remove the lights from their niches. We're supposed to have more rain again today, so we probably can't remove the lights until this weekend when the weather is supposed to clear up. Since I already passed all 3 SLAM criteria, do I need to continue to maintain FC at SLAM level in the meantime until we can start the MA shock?
 
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