I've been a bad/lazy pool owner

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Nightmare

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Jan 21, 2011
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Riverside, CA
We just hit our 1 year anniversary for the pool. During the first summer I was testing and brushing every week.

Well over the winter I got lazy. I'd brush the pool only 1 or 2 times a month. And I only checked the levels about the same ...

It's starting to warm up and I'm ready to get back on schedule.

Overall the pool did very well this winter. The Liquidator was doing a pretty good job and I never ran below a 1 on the FC. My pH did stay on the higher side, so I went through about 3 Gallons of Acid over the winter.

Here is my last reading:

pH - 7.8 (I already added 4 Qts of Acid)
FC - 2.5 (drop test)
CC - less than .5
TA - 60
CYA - 40-50

Pool Store info:
TDS - 1400
Hardness - 365 (I think one of my chemicals is bad)


The pool does collect dust/dirt along a couple of the corners. I assume there is some algae in there too. I brush it up into the pool and it is gone for probably 1-2 weeks.

Is there any reason to bring the Chlorine level up to a Shock Level? Or just back to where is should be for the CYA.
The Pool Store didn't think the TDS would be a problem until it was much higher.
I've been running the Liquidator for about 9 months, it might be time to shut it down and clean it out (I'll start that thread in the LQ Forums).
I cleaned out the Pool Filter about 6 weeks ago, it was very dirty. I think I cleaned it 5 times in the last year.

Anything I'm missing?
 

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Nightmare said:
The pool does collect dust/dirt along a couple of the corners. I assume there is some algae in there too. I brush it up into the pool and it is gone for probably 1-2 weeks.

Is there any reason to bring the Chlorine level up to a Shock Level? Or just back to where is should be for the CYA.
Click to expand...
Algae should not be in the pool if it is properly balanced/maintained. I would raise your pool up to shock level and do a OCLT (see my sig). If you pass (and your CC level is below 0.5 ppm), all is good and let the FC level come back down on it's own, if you do not, you are already into the shocking process and can continue.
Nightmare said:
The Pool Store didn't think the TDS would be a problem until it was much higher.
Click to expand...
No need to worry about TDS, it is not a problem for a properly maintained pool.
Nightmare said:
I've been running the Liquidator for about 9 months, it might be time to shut it down and clean it out (I'll start that thread in the LQ Forums).
Click to expand...
This I am not sure about. Maybe someone else can chime in :whip:
 
You numbers look good, but from you pictures it looks like the "dirt" may be on the side of the pool? If this is what you brush and it leaves and comes back, I would guess it is not just dirt or it would not be on the side. If there is something on the side, it could organic, or inorganic staining. Am I seeing your picture right?
 
Yes, there is something on the sides that the Pool sweep can't reach. I brush it up into the water and it dissipates like a cloud of dust. It doesn't seem to come back for over a week. We do have a lot of dust up here on top of the hill.
 
I would be surprised if dust would accumulate on the walls like that, especially with less preponderance on the bottom. Since it brushes off fairly easily it is not a stain. That leaves use with some sort of organic. I am not an expert on Mustard Algae, but that is looking like it to me. Here is the poolschool article on Mustard Algae: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/mustard_algae
 
It's hard to be absolutely definitive but I believe you have mustard algae as well.

My suggestion would be to run your chlorine levels up around 10ppm and brush those spots where it accumulates every day for about 4-5 days.

Then let your FC drift back down to normal (4-6ppm) and see if it reappears.
 
Last week I opened up the Liquidator full blast to wash out the last gallon of chlorine.

I took it apart on Monday (4/16), cleaned it out and filled it back up with 8 gallons of chlorine.

Yesterday (4/17) I brushed the pool again, the 'stuff' was back on the lower section of the walls around the steps.

I took a drop test of FC = 10.5
My CYA is somewhere around 50, so I should be well above the Mustard Algae minimum.

We have a lot of dust (and I assume pollen) up here.

Is there a test I can run for Mustard Algae?
Is there a problem with using something like an algaecide? (it is going to take just over 3 gallons of chlorine to reach the Mustard Algae Shock Level)

I found this on the net (http://www.poolmanual.com/manual/algae.html#howmustard)
 

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Nightmare, it sure sounds like mustard algae to me, too :(

If you follow the links Buford listed, you can get this under control.

I hate that this happened to your new beautiful pool, but as you said in your subject title,
"I've been a bad/lazy pool owner" :hammer:

Once you get this under control, I doubt if you ever let it happen to your pool again! :)
 
We have some people coming over this weekend. I think if I start the Mustard Shock now, the FC level is still going to be over 20 by Saturday. I can't find that maximum swimming FC number, is the the same as the Normal Shock level?

How does this plan sound?

Maintain FC level at 10+ through the end of next week
Brush pool every day from now until Sunday, then stop for several days

If the 'Stuff' Reappears can I assume it is NOT Mustard Algae? FC level if over the Min Mustard Level for my CYA

If nothing reappears then I'm still ok, slowly drop FC below the Min Mustard Level (Back to normal target for CYA)
- If the 'Stuff' only reappears at that time, assume it IS Mustard?
 
Nightmare said:
I can't find that maximum swimming FC number, is the the same as the Normal Shock level?
Click to expand...
The recommendation is up to (but not above) normal shocking level for you CYA level.

Nightmare said:
If the 'Stuff' Reappears can I assume it is NOT Mustard Algae? FC level if over the Min Mustard Level for my CYA
Click to expand...
Although I have heard discussion on having your FC at 15% of cya level keeps mustard algae growth from occuring in bulk pool water, I would not rely on that to "prove" it's not mustard algae...MA is really tough to predict and kill.
 
I don't know if your plan will work or not. I also am confused as to where the 10 ppm with cya at 50 is coming from, I get 29+. Whoever wrote the instructions in Pool School did a fine job, it worked for me. I can only suggest following the instructions, completely.
 
I did a standard Shock last week (FC 20.5). It held with less than 1.0 ppm drop overnight.

There is another number for the Mustard Algae Minimum FC here (chlorine-cya-chart-t2346.html#p18157)

I'll keep it above the 7.5 FC (for a CYA of 50) just in case I misread the correct CYA level. Here is part of the chart.

CYA ........... Min FC3 ..... Target FC ...... Yel/Mstrd Min ...... Shock FC ..... Yel/MstrdShock
0 ................. 0.071 ........... 0.111 ................ 0.151 .................. 0.641 .............. 1.501
10 ............... 0.81 ............. 1.21 .................. 1.61 .................... 4.5 .................. 7.1
20 ............... 1.51 ............. 2.4 .................... 3.1 ..................... 8.3 ................ 12.7
30 ............... 2.2 ............... 3.5 .................... 4.6 ................... 12.2 ................ 18.2
40 ............... 2.9 ............... 4.6 .................... 6.1 ................... 16.0 ................ 23.8
50 ............... 3.7 ............... 5.7 .................... 7.5 ................... 19.8 ................ 29.42
60 ............... 4.4 ............... 6.8 .................... 9.0 ................... 23.7 ................ 34.92
 
I brushed the pool several days in a row before the weekend
FC started out at 12.5 Last Saturday and it has been slowly dropping.

No signs of anything yellow in the shallow end after 5 days of no brushing.

Today's tests
pH - 7.5-7.6
FC 4.5
CC 0
TA 50
CYA 40-50

I added 2 cups of 12.5% Chlorine and I plan to keep the FC at 5-6 for the foreseeable future.

I want to add about 6 lbs of Baking Soda (actually Bioguard Balance Pax that I purchased a full year ago). I searched the forums, but I don't see the recommended way to add the Baking Soda. Do I dissolve it in a bucket of water and pour that into the pool or?
 
I'm pretty sure I don't have any Algae.

I accidentally let the Chlorine level drop down to 0.5 :hammer:

And nothing seemed to happen...Even without brushing for a week.

I refilled the LQ and added a gallon of 12% to the pool. It should be back to normal by the end of the day
 

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