Is this Dirt or Dead Algae sitting at bottom?

[blbncsu]

I am wondering if I have just fine dirt/silt that settles to the bottom of the pool or is it algae/dead algae?

Its brown in color and it settles at the bottom of the pool when the pool is still. I recently vacuumed it all out (not to waste) and then about a few days later more of it appeared on the bottom. I'm afraid if I vacuumed straight to waste I'd end up draining a whole lot of my pool!!
I've always thought it was fine dirt - coming from the kids running and jumping in, debris blowing in, and the fact I use solar covers and that when I take them off stuff rolls off of them into the pool. But now I'm not sure since it returned within a few days.

The water has been clear and my test results have all been good through the past few months and not losing chlorine. My latest results are:

FC: 5
CC: 0
CYA: 50 ( I recently added more CYA to get back up to 70)

Just not sure if others have had this issue or any input? Sorry I don't have any pictures. Thanks.

 

[duraleigh]

Can you pinch it between your thumb and finger? That's dirt.

If it just whooshes away when you try to catch it, it is dead algae

 

[blbncsu]

Good point.
I'm going to go with the more whooshes away scenario pointing to the dead algae.

Given the pool is clear and numbers have been good - whats the best next step then to help clear that up?

 

[JVTrain]

I'd elevate your FC to the shock level for your current CYA (using bleach of course!), give the pool a healthy brushing with some attention to ladders and lights and then perform the OCLT. That would be a good indication if there is anything going on in the pool or not.