Mustard "like" sediment in August

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May 15, 2015
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Howard, OH
Hello All,

First post. Thanks for this site, it has helped me so much over the last three years!
I just opened my sparkling clean pool here in middle Ohio. Everything is fine and readings are good. I know I'll have a sparkling clean pool for all of June and July. However, come early August, I'll start to get yellow/green sediment on the bottom of the pool(has happened every year). Very frustrating. What could it be? I am right across from many acres of farmland (corn or soybean depending on the year), is that the issue? Would think I would get that earlier when the crops pollinate.

Has happened every year since we installed. It is a weekend place for us so we can't vacuum everyday, but when we come down for the weekends, I have to vacuum to waste so it doesn't get in the sand filter as the sediment is so fine it kicks back through the filter into the return jet and pool.

Any idea? Tips? Advice?

Thanks and again, this site rocks!

Easy
 
OK, sorry I haven't responded sooner, family stuff and I'm a tech dinosaur and couldn't find my post.

Again, not sure if post went through so I'm responding again. I used to chlorinate my pool with an inline chlorinator and 3" pucks. Always fought high CYA. Last year I switched to a Salt Water System...........works great.

I haven't deep cleaned my sand filter, but did replace the sand two summers ago, so I think it should be clean.

Thanks for the reply and if you think you can help I'd appreciate it!

EASY
 
Problem started early this year. Same thing, yellowish/brown (really light and "whispy") sediment on bottom of pool. Clear path where it is evident water return moves water.
Got the Taylor Kit everyone on here recommends and here are my reading:
Chlorine = 7 ppm (this is a place 100 miles from home and we only get here on weekends....so I keep it a bit on high side)
CC = 0
PH = 7.6
TA 90
CYA 75
Vacuumed to waste, put in DE per Pool School last night, but this morning, although you can't see it with naked eye, running the brush along bottom shows whispy clouds when pushed through water. Water still relatively clear overall. Any advice?
 
Re: Mustard "like" sediment in August

zea3 said:
Your CYA is too high. What do you use for chlorine and how much did you add last week?
Click to expand...

OP says he uses a saltwater system so CYA is in line. a bit high for a SLAM but manageable.

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Easy said:
Problem started early this year. Same thing, yellowish/brown (really light and "whispy") sediment on bottom of pool. Clear path where it is evident water return moves water.
Got the Taylor Kit everyone on here recommends and here are my reading:
Chlorine = 7 ppm (this is a place 100 miles from home and we only get here on weekends....so I keep it a bit on high side)
CC = 0
PH = 7.6
TA 90
CYA 75
Vacuumed to waste, put in DE per Pool School last night, but this morning, although you can't see it with naked eye, running the brush along bottom shows whispy clouds when pushed through water. Water still relatively clear overall. Any advice?
Click to expand...

you should round up your CYA, so use 80. the target FC is 6, so your not high at all.

"relatively" clear is a bit concerning. it should be crystal clear. have you performed an overnight chlorine loss test? raise your FC to around 20ppm in the late evening, run your pumps then test right before you go to bed. retest first thing in the morning before sunrise and see what your FC loss is. if its more than 1ppm, you have living algae and need to SLAM
 
Is the yellowish/brown substance mostly on the shady side of the pool? If so, then this dustlike substance may be yellow/mustard algae and requires higher chlorine levels to kill. There's a Pool School article on how to eradicate it.
 
Re: Mustard "like" sediment in August

I guess I should be more clear on "relatively clear" (pardon the pun). It is really clear. Not crystal as earlier in the season and it only has the slightest tinge of cloudiness because I after I vacuumed to waste yesterday I took the brush and brushed the bottom and there still was some sediment (again, "wispy" dirt)

Pool is in total sun most of the day.

As far as raising and checking FC loss overnight to possibly SLAM......I thought if my CC was zero I had no algae?

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Also note, you can see a clear path on the bottom (little or no sediment) where the return water circulates strongest.
 
CC isn't really reliable indicator since it gets burned off pretty quick. when I did my SLAM I never registered CC, every pool is different. based on what you describe, you have an algae issue and you need to SLAM. you can confirm via the OCLT tonight. with cloudy-ish water, that's a red flag.
 

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OK, did OCLT and chlorine only dropped 0.6 ppm. That coupled with the zero Combined Chlorine is making me think it's not algae. Any other suggestions? It happens every year for past four years at roughly same time. Huge farm field across from me. Farmer was bailing acres of hay (tractor pulling cutter that shoots the bail into trailer....fun to watch), do you think that has anything to do with it? This morning, there were a few small dime size spots on bottom of pool which I vacuumed. Water clearer than yesterday and again most people would say clear, but not quite as crystal clear as earlier in season.
 
sounds like dust or pollen. due to it being so fine, maybe your filter is having issues pulling it out. have you tried adding DE to the filter? I would do that per the instructions, then turn off the pool overnight and vacuum first thing in the morning after it has all settled. just try and go as slow as you can to not stir it up.
 
Re: Mustard "like" sediment in August

Called my Lowes and they don't carry pool DE. Pool store has 10# for $7.99. Off to go grab. Will follow instructions and update.
Thx!

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as far as skimmer socks, thought I read wear I could just use wife's panty hose. Will that do or should I break down and overpay at pool store?
 
Pogueld said:
I buy the queen size cheap 33 cent knee highs from walmart. I use them a few times and then trash them! I've heard of people purchasing paint strainers from Home Depot too.


[emoji176] Lisa P.
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Click to expand...

not pool related...but the knee highs work great for paint strainer by the way. fantastic, high recommend next time you paint :) don't waste money on the ones they sell at home depot
 
Ok, not much in the knee highs. I I only added quarter cup DE (didn't move pressure up 1 psi in the two minutes---like pool school says, but thought I'd start conservative). Checked back 2 hours later and pressure rose from 16.5 to 22! Did a backwash and water was the green/yellow color for about 45 seconds. Turned back on and put in another 1/4 cup of DE. Plan to do same thing, check back in couple hours and backwash. Is this too conservative? Should I add more DE? Think this will clean up? Maybe turn off all together and let sit idle so this settles to the bottom and do another vacuum in morning? Thoughts?
 

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