Mustard algae

[holemania]

thanks chem,

yes 24' round 52"

is this advisable now?

or should i wait and test a couple more days to get an average?

or is 7.2 simply ok?

thanks again,

 

[chem geek]

Yes, you can add the Borax now. The calculation I used was for a 24' DIAMETER, not circumference so I assumed a radius of 12'. If the 24' is circumference, then the radius is actually 3.8' which would make the pool volume about a third the size.

 

[gonefishin]

ok...jumped in 60 degree water this afternoon with goggles and eyedropper to get some samples.

the reddish-brownish patches on the pool bottom mostly appeared to vaporize when i disturbed them, but using the eyedropper, i was able to "suck up" some samples...it almost seemed fibrous or "pulpy like".

once i colleted some of this in a jar, i let it settle and then poured the sample through a white paper towel.

i have to say it sure doesn't look like sand....seems more like a gummy dirt when concentrated together.

could this be pollens, seeds, etc. brought in by the wind to settle on the bottom?

i still don't know...

but, i'm pretty sure it's not sand or mustard algae.

When I jumped into my pool (that was in the low 60's) I found it surprising that my body did get adjusted to the temperature so quickly. But boy oh boy...was it cold at first

The picture that you took from above the water line looks very similar to what I had as well. If your still not sure if it's algae or not you can get some more samples and put it in a couple of glass jars. Then place one outdoors in the sun to see if something grows. With the other one you could introduce it to some high levels of bleach and see if you notice anything changes.

I'm not sure what the best test would be to detect if a person has mustard algae or not. But I think a good place to start is by taking some samples. Although your right...you have to be extremely careful to approach the sample slowly. It's so easy to disturb it into the water.

happy swimming!
dan

 

[holemania]

ok...

got some knee-hi panty hose socks and tucked one in-between my vacuum head and vacuum hose and manually vacuumed all the stuff up...

this stuff is definitely pollen/spores/seeds in the air....settling into the pool & drifting to the bottom...

thank goodness....i was getting ready to tear the sand filter apart to inspect the laterals or start shocking to treat for algae...

this is the best thing it could be....hopefully, the pollen season will be shortlived!!

 

[matt4x4]

I'd be more tempted to say it's mustard algae towards late july, august. it seems relatively early and the temps of the water too low unless you had something left over in there from last year.
Mustard algae definitely has a slippery feel if you touch it with your foot or hand.
a side question to all concerned, so far I'm mainly seeing this stuff in the country or smaller towns on the oputskirts - rarely in cities - where are oyur locations?

 

[xp800]

in these pics, it looks more yellow than it does to the naked eye...

thanks for any feedback!

I am having the exact same problem you are having . I have spent more money on yellow out , shock , new water everytime i vaccum on waste, but this stuff still comes back . i just recently paid someone to come out and look at it , he says it is not mustard algea. He is trying to find out what it is , he has some other people that he takes care of having the same problem . mine was fine for 2 yrs and this year and last yr it is worse. I also tried the pantyhose trick today really didnt get anything in there but just some small bugs. This stuff is real real fine.............. If anyone else knows what it is please help !!!!!!!!!!!!I am getting real desperate.

 

[Snowymoon]

I have the same thing. I noticed it in the fall just before we took the pool down. Once I began refilling, it was back, and lots of it. Looks like dirt settling on the pool bottom, but you can't even pinch some of it to get it up. It disappears and clouds the water a bit. I just started putting the CYA in, so it is very low. I added bleach and brought the chlorine up to shock for mustard algae based on the chart and brushed the floor/walls, and in 1/2 hour, there was no chlorine in the pool at all!

I just went out and added more bleach to bring it up to shock again. Oh my. I do believe it is mustard algae, at least in my case. It looks pretty much just like the photo that were posted...almost like dirt on the floor.

 

[Snowymoon]

Keeping bleach levels up to shock and brushing. I am checking the levels nearly every single hour right now. The pool is not yet full enough to run the filter, but that will be turned on later this afternoon. I will be able to vacuum tomorrow morning. Each time I add bleach and brush, there is less and less of the MA on the bottom. Yay! :-D

 

[Snowymoon]

Well, I thought I was rid of the stuff. As soon as the chlorine level drifted down to normal, it has returned. There is not a whole lot, but it is there. I also noticed some brown spots on the walls of the pool last time I vacuumed. :? My filter cartridge was very yellow/light brown when I went to clean it.

Maybe it came back because I did not change my cartridge after shocking?