Do I have mustard algae?

[Lori5548]

Biofilm at water line of hot tub


Day 4 of slam. Do you think this is algae in biofilm or copper? Had pink slime 3 years in a row. Never fully treated it. Only see this when hot tub "running". during the day I run the pool 1/2 the day; the hot tub the other half; then just the hot tub all night.
FC 16.5 on waking up
cc in hot tub 1
cc pool .5
CYA 50
TA 130
CA 200
PH 7.8

 

[pooldv]

Re: Biofilm at water line of hot tub

That is not copper. It is some sort of organic goo. Have you used some Ahh-some for jetted tubs? That will work better.

 

[JVTrain]

Re: Biofilm at water line of hot tub

Whew... good thing I didn't just have breakfast. Yuck!

Anyway... I would also highly recommend using the Ahh-some product Amazon.com : Ahh-Some Hot Tub/Jetted Bath Plumbing Jet Cleaner (2 oz) : Bathroom Cleaners : Office Products to clear your spa plumbing of nasties (bacteria biofilms) and then start with a fresh fill. You might need more than one treatment. The 2 oz container will treat a spa about 4-5 times.

 

[Lori5548]

Re: Biofilm at water line of hot tub

Ordered! Thanks guys!

- - - Updated - - -

Not sure about fresh fill? Attached to 25,000 gallon pool?

 

[JVTrain]

Re: Biofilm at water line of hot tub

If you can isolate the spa from the pool, then you can do the ahh-some treatment on just the spa. You don't want to use it on the entire pool as it's a product designed to be used on spa water, then drained. However, you want to drain out that treated water from the spa, not into the pool as you'll have foaming in the pool for quite a while if you do that. If you have no way of draining the spa other than into the pool, then I would rent a submersible pump or buy a cheap one at a discount hardware store like harbor freight, etc.

 

[Lori5548]

Re: Biofilm at water line of hot tub

yes I have a pump and I will do that. Thanks!

 

[pooldv]

Re: Biofilm at water line of hot tub

Good plan!

 

[Lori5548]

Re: Biofilm at water line of hot tub

So; I have the ahh-some. My hot tub is attached to pool. So I close my valves to pool and open to hot tub and add the product and let run thru my filters and heater and back to hot tub for 30 mins? Then drain my hot tub, refill, and start the system back up?

 

[JVTrain]

Re: Biofilm at water line of hot tub

Pretty much. Rinse very well after draining. Don't want too much of the product getting into the pool. Won't really hurt the pool but you'll have foaming, bubbles for a while.

Sent from mobile device. Beware of brevity and spelling errors!

 

[Lori5548]

Re: Biofilm at water line of hot tub

thank you!!!!

 

[Lori5548]

Re: Biofilm at water line of hot tub

Thanks Joel!

 

[Lori5548]

Been slamming since July 5th. I have a couple yellow stains on my wall that will not brush off. I'm thinking yellow algae can be brushed off? My hot tub when running would get a slimy yellow substance on bubbles that looked like pollen. Also a green slimy goo at water line. These problems are gone now If I have yellow algae I need to know so I can continue slam at higher levels.thoughts? FYI: I've gone thru 16 cases of shock

 

[pooldv]

No, that is not mustard algae.

More about mustard algae, Pool School - Mustard Algae

 

[Lori5548]

Ok; so the yellow stain is probably just a stain? Another reason I asked about mustard algae is because I get little piles of sand on the floor if my pool. I rubbed it between my fingers and its grainy. How would I get this in my pool? I also notice this when I clean my filter housing. There is a small round area at the bottom where debris can collect. I swear it's sand in there??

 

[Lori5548]

Ok maybe a dumb question. If I'm going to clean out my pool light housing just shut off the circuit breaker to the lights and clean while the lights are fully under water? Talk to me goose...

 

[Lori5548]

Is this mustard algae? It will not brush off

 

[pooldv]

Yes, turn off the breaker, remove the light and clean the back of the light and inside the niche with a brush.

Did you read the mustard algae article? First complete the SLAM and then raise FC to mustard level after the SLAM is complete.

I had a little sand in my pool from some ants digging around under the skimmer. A little Home Defense fixed it.

To check the stain rub a trichlor pucks on it for a few minutes to see if it lightens the syain. If it does then it is organic and elevated chlorine and brushing should lighten the stain over time.

If not then rub a Vit C tablet on the stain for a few minutes to a few hours. If it lightens the stain then it is a metal stain, Pool School - Metals in the Water and Metal Stains

 

[Lori5548]

Thank you. I cleaned out the light housing and they were indeed filled with algae. So I'm still working on the slam. Last 2 nights lost 2.5 FC. Have passed the other 2 tests days ago. You said not to raise to mustard levels until slam is complete so I'm assuming I can pass the OCLT with mustard present. I will do the rub test. Vitamin C supplement tablets I'm assuming? Then if it's metal no need for mustard slam. Thank you for your help!!!

 

[Lori5548]

I didn't think of that but yes we have ants in the cracks of concrete around our pool with little sand piles!

 

[Lori5548]

The stains are metal. And I passed the OCLT test! Thanks to everybody who took the time to help me. It took 2 weeks and 18 cases of chlorine but I feel in control now!