Let the lynching begin - Used copper algaecide and I like it

[jparr]

I've been managing my pool for a few years now, and have always been struggling with mustard algae. I can scrub and shock to 50+ppm, and it will all go away, until it rains or I have to refill the pool with tap water. I live in a tropical climate, and the fill water is well sourced. I know for a fact that there is algae coming in from the fill water, as I have to clean the foot valve on the well every year or two as it gets overgrown with algae 40' down. Yes, the well gets treated with chlorine, but it is a constant battle. Last week I stopped by the pool store for some more trichlor granuals to shock the pool and get rid of the mustard algae again, and on a whim picked up a bottle of copper algaecide. The directions called for about 7oz for the size of my pool, so I went ahead and put it in, along with the trichlor to shock it. Due to the amount of mustard algae, as soon as I scrub the walls (it had been about a week) the visibility drops to almost nothing. Because of this I wasn't able to scrub every square inch. Typically I will shock/scrub, let it mostly filter out, backwash, and then scrub again. After the pump had run overnight and the water mostly cleared up, I noticed something very strange. There were no "missed" patches of algae left! Presumably the copper had taken care of what was on the walls.

Since treating last week we've had two parties, with probably 50 people (including leaky kids!) in and out over the past few days. I tested this afternoon, and found chlorine levels at 16ppm, and CC at <0.5ppm. Typically after having that many people in the pool, especially kids, the water will be cloudy and hazy, however after an abnormally large number of people, the water is still crystal clear. In a few days it will prove whether the copper is doing its job or not.

Edit:

Full test results:
Ph at 7.2
CYA at 70-80
Water Temp 80F
Salt at 3000ppm
Some borates in water, no test kit.
Phosphates at 250ppm, but that is a whole other can of worms

Also, it should be noted that nobody got out of the pool with green hair!

 

[JasonLion]

Re: Let the lynching begin - Used copper algaecide and I lik

Copper is indeed effective, and it doesn't always cause problems. But when it does cause staining, which fairly often, it can make for some very unsightly stains that are very difficult/expensive to remove. In effect you are gambling that you get to be lucky and don't have staining/green hair. That really doesn't sound like such a good tradeoff to me.

 

[jparr]

Re: Let the lynching begin - Used copper algaecide and I lik

Copper is indeed effective, and it doesn't always cause problems. But when it does cause staining, which fairly often, it can make for some very unsightly stains that are very difficult/expensive to remove. In effect you are gambling that you get to be lucky and don't have staining/green hair. That really doesn't sound like such a good tradeoff to me.

I'd gladly take stained gunite over algae covered gunite

Seriously, this was an act of desperation. Keeping chlorine between 15-20ppm with cya at 60-80 wasn't enough to keep the mustard algae at bay.

 

[RobbieH]

Re: Let the lynching begin - Used copper algaecide and I lik

I can easily get rid of algae, can't easily get rid of copper.

 

[JasonLion]

Re: Let the lynching begin - Used copper algaecide and I lik

Given those numbers you have something really strange going on. I've had mustard algae a number of times, and raising FC to 9 or 10 was always enough to get it to go away (at least till the FC level came down). With FC at 15+ you should not have seen any mustard algae at all as long you maintained that FC level.

 

[jparr]

Re: Let the lynching begin - Used copper algaecide and I lik

Given those numbers you have something really strange going on. I've had mustard algae a number of times, and raising FC to 9 or 10 was always enough to get it to go away (at least till the FC level came down). With FC at 15+ you should not have seen any mustard algae at all as long you maintained that FC level.

Feel free to come play with my pool chemistry! Shocking to 50ppm *will* kill the mustard algae, and it stays gone until the water is refilled, or there is heavy rain. Within a day or two of either of these things happening, the MA is back. The water stays crystal clear, and there is no chlorine demand, it seems the algae isn't bothered in the least by the non shock chlorine levels.

 

[chem geek]

Re: Let the lynching begin - Used copper algaecide and I lik

As you noted, you reintroduce new yellow/mustard algae from the well water. At any rate, use of algaecide to control it is always a viable last resort. While we normally recommend trying to get rid of it completely, if for whatever reason that doesn't work and one must live with it, then an algaecide approach is fine. Polyquat 60 weekly or 50 ppm Borates would both likely take the edge off enough for normal chlorine levels to work and neither of these has negative side effects like staining. As Jason noted, copper works to prevent algae growth. If it weren't for the plaster staining and blond hair turning green risks, it would be on the recommended list for algaecides.

By the way, this paper explains why copper turns blond hair green and why this can occur more readily in pools with chlorine (but not, of course, in pools with only chlorine and no copper).

 

[Patrick_B]

Re: Let the lynching begin - Used copper algaecide and I lik

Someone please begin the lynching!!!


:lol:

 

[crek31]

Re: Let the lynching begin - Used copper algaecide and I lik

Why did you add trichlor as opposed to liquid chlorine if your CYA is already on the high side?

 

[jparr]

Re: Let the lynching begin - Used copper algaecide and I lik

Why did you add trichlor as opposed to liquid chlorine if your CYA is already on the high side?

Between the slow leak(s?) in my pool, high levels of splash out, and possibly the degradation due to sunlighthttp://www.troublefreepool.com/degradation-of-cyanuric-acid-cya-t8880.html my CYA levels don't stay high for long. I can lose up to 10PPM in one month, so a spike to 80 or 90 doesn't bother me for long.

 

[jparr]

Re: Let the lynching begin - Used copper algaecide and I lik

It has been a month and a half now, with no signs of mustard algae returning. This is the longest I have ever gone without any signs. No ill effects either, no staining, no green hair. No additional copper has been added. I've even been able to drop my FC levels from 10+ to 5-6ppm.

 

[dattia]

Re: Let the lynching begin - Used copper algaecide and I lik

I don't think you should be lynched at all. I think this board is about taking control of your pool, and you did. You have seen the affect of this product on the issues you were having with your pool and you are satisfied. You are also aware of issues that may occur in the future as a result of using this product and will be armed with the information you need to address those issues should they occur. Until your problem with the fill water is resolved, if ever, you have found something that is working for you... and I think you have control of your pool.

 

[duraleigh]

Re: Let the lynching begin - Used copper algaecide and I lik

For newbies reading this thread, TFP will never encourage the use of copper in any pool.

It's just not worth the monumental staining issues that are more frequent than many people think. jparr is absolutely free to manage his pool water as he sees fit but it is quite misleading to represent copper algaecide as the "magic bullet" implied in this thread....it is not.

Anecdotal evidence of one pool is quickly contradicted by the hundreds of copper problems that have been posted on this forum over the years.

Chlorine is the reasonable answer to algae prevention and it remains the most trouble free

 

[jparr]

Re: Let the lynching begin - Used copper algaecide and I lik

For newbies reading this thread, TFP will never encourage the use of copper in any pool.

It's just not worth the monumental staining issues that are more frequent than many people think. jparr is absolutely free to manage his pool water as he sees fit but it is quite misleading to represent copper algaecide as the "magic bullet" implied in this thread....it is not.

Anecdotal evidence of one pool is quickly contradicted by the hundreds of copper problems that have been posted on this forum over the years.

Chlorine is the reasonable answer to algae prevention and it remains the most trouble free

All things in moderation. I spent a few years using nothing but bleach, trichlor, muriatic acid, salt, and Borax. It took responsible judicious use of the copper to keep the MA away.

 

[Donldson]

Re: Let the lynching begin - Used copper algaecide and I lik

Anecdotal evidence of one pool is quickly contradicted by the hundreds of copper problems that have been posted on this forum over the years.

These arguments always remind me of my uncle swearing that doctors don't know a thing because he smoked his whole life and hasn't had any major health problems.

Not that using copper algaecide is life threatening, but the "I did it fine so it's not as bad as everyone says" argument is very familiar.

@jparr: Have you properly SLAMed your pool, or are you just shocking it overnight?