Algae Problem

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G

GZelano

0
LifeTime Supporter
May 16, 2008
53
Hockessin, Delaware
OK so i am at the end of rope with this pool this year. First of all my readings.
5.5 - FC
0 - CC
70 - TA
PH - 7.6
CH - 270
CYA - 70

Pool is constant sunlight from sunrise to sunset. Water temerature yesterday peaked at 86 degrees.
Now the problem is the stains that you will see in the following pictures all the way around my pool that i believe to be algae. I brush the pool every single day but the algae continues to grow. Water is sparkling clear. I have a new Jandy Aquapure 1400 SWG set at 85%, pump runs 14 hours per day, and i keep two 3" trichlor tabs in skimmer basket at all times, using polyquat 60. Seams to use a ton of chlorine. I have tried and checked everything. Shocking constantly, almost daily. Are the 2 different types of chlorine counteracting each other ?

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j313/ ... olPic3.jpg
 
Sorry for all of the questions. I am going to try and do this major shock treatment to see if this is mustard algae. It does not brush off when i try to brush it. According to the chart i will need to get my shock level up to about 40 ? Has anyone ever tried the non chlorine shock ? I have never used the clorox bleach before but cant stand the smell. Do you smell it when adding to the pool at such a high level ?
 
First, when you brush those stains, do they make a yellow cloud?
This video is good at showing what it looks like. DO NOT FOLLOW THEIR DIRECTIONS ON CHEMICALS!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsY7hyuGxys
EDIT: I see you say it does not brush off. The video above will still be helpful for you to know what MA looks like.

Next, with your CYA level, I strongly suggest you stick with Clorox.

To answer your question about smell. When you smell a bleach-like smell in a pool, that's not from free chlorine. That is chloramines, from the chlorine clearing out an organic problem. When your pool is sparkly clean, you will NOT smell a bleach-like scent from your pool.

Please realize the chlorine in Clorox is exactly the same chemical as any chlorine shock, tablets, or powder. It's not like the pool stores came up with a new chlorine element for the periodic chart. ;)

Now, since your stain is not MA, do you have any trichlor tablets? Try scrubbing the stain with one of the tablets (wear a glove) and see if that removes the stain. That will help to determine if it is organic or not.
 
can anyone else look at the stains in the above picture. They are definitely spreading and now seem to be appearing on the bottom of the pool not just the walls. When you brush them a little bit of a cloudiness occurs but the stain does not go away at all.
 
Sure looks like algae.

What test kit are you using? When do you test?

With CYA at 70, minimum CL is 5ppm, target is 10, and shock is 20. If it is mustard, then 39ppm is indicated.

Are you aware that shocking is a process rather than a product? If you shock and then do nothing, you are always going to be backtracking because you never kill all the algae. It re-grows.

Have you read the information about the shocking process in pool school?
 
Well, the stains are surely organic. Confirm that by taking one of those pucks and holding it against the stain for a couple of minutes. If the stain is removed or gets lighter, it is organic.

Report back the results of that test and we'll go from there.

As an aside, completely remove the pucks....they are doing little or nothing to help you.
 

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GZelano said:
So i googled algae brushes and the stainless steel bristled ones look like they would work the best. are they O.K. to use on the plaster finish of a pool ?
Click to expand...

That's what they are made for.
 
SO once again thank you to this forum. I received my stainless brush today and boy what a difference. The water now clouds when i brush the stains and they got lighter. So i started the shock process. cya is 60 and FC is 30 using liquid chlorine. Brushed the entire pool and it is very cloudy, YEAH !!!! I cant believe i brushed the pool every stinking day with a normal pool brush and nothing happened. My question now is approximately how long will it take before the pool is at safe levels for my kids to be able to swim in ?
 
GZelano said:
SO once again thank you to this forum. I received my stainless brush today and boy what a difference. The water now clouds when i brush the stains and they got lighter. So i started the shock process. cya is 60 and FC is 30 using liquid chlorine. Brushed the entire pool and it is very cloudy, YEAH !!!! I cant believe i brushed the pool every stinking day with a normal pool brush and nothing happened. My question now is approximately how long will it take before the pool is at safe levels for my kids to be able to swim in ?
Click to expand...
If you indeed have mustard algae, (which it looked like it to me), you should follow the direction for Mustard Algae shocking in Pool School. Don't forget the light niches, ladders, and pool equipment. Then the swim suits and everything that had contact with the water.........
Complete directions in Pool School.pool-school/mustard_algae

Make sure you do the entire episode of shocking, or it will just come right back and bite....

Best to just forget about swimming until the shock process is completed by having met all three criteria to be done shocking, and then the FC will be allowed to drop. Once it then drops below normal shock level for your CYA (below 24) swimming will be okay.

Congrats on getting the s/s brush! There is nothing like having the correct tool to do a job! :goodjob:
 
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