About to start mustard algae process and feeling lost. Help!

Jump to latest Follow Reply
C

CarrolltonTXPool

0
May 7, 2010
242
Dallas, TX
Reading in here pretty sure I have mustard algae.

I'm pretty disappointed, as I have been a member here for awhile and really kept our old pool looking good. but I have had a rough time with the new pool lately. I was in a car accident and hurt my back and lost control of it at the end of the summer. Pretty discouraged. It ready to finally get it back on track to get my cover on to protect from the leaves. I have to order a whole new test kit, mine got ruined recently. Having a hard time keeping CYA in this pool as well. I had it fine before the accident and now it's back to zero. Should I use the sock method or just dump it in to speed up the pro era? Have a little now but have to order more.

I have to order a new test kit refill package, so I can test properly again and report my levels. But I know my PH was high (added acid today) and my CYA is 0. Also battle calcium scaling but that's a battle for another day.

1. What can I do to stave off the MA until the test kit comes and I can start the MA process?

2. should I totally take apart and clean my filter prior to starting? Or just backwash?

3. What is the best way to estimate gallons of a pool. We moved in over a year ago and I'm still not sure but know I need it to get cya level right.


Sorry to ramble, but thanks for any help. I really appreciate what this place has done for me in the past.
 
Sorry to hear you have had such a rough time of it this last bit :hug:

For you pool size, have you put your dimensions in Pool Math and let it tell you how many gals? If it is a weird shape break it up into pieces and do one part at a time and add them all together.

I am guessing you have a sand filter since you talk about backwashing (please add this to your siggy). If you have not opened it up I would do so just to see what it looks like inside. Don't want any channeling for when you do start the clearing of the pool.

Let us know what you find out for your size and we can adjust how much bleach to put in day until your test kit gets there.

Kim:kim:
 
It is a DE filter but all the labels are worn off so I don't know the size.

439a03584fab2537eafbfbbdccedf0b4.jpg


I am getting around 10,500 to 12,000. Here is a crude drawing. Depth from left to right is 3.5 ft, 5 ft, 4ft. Tried three rectangles and total length and width and oval on the Pool Math.

cce9ff27d9fba30342d41469d64a28ad.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Here is a "test" you can do to dial in your gals..............Test you FC (pump should have been running for about 30 mins to mix up water good). Use Pool Math with your gals set at 10,000 gals to see how much chlorine you should add to raise your FC 3 ppm above where it was. Add it and let the pump run on high (if you have a high) for about 30 mins. and retest the FC.

Now comes the brain work.......was the FC higher or lower than it should have been? If it were higher then your gals are less than 10,000. If it is lower than your pool is bigger than 10,000. Now comes the tweaking........do it in 1000 gal increments at first. Once you have it down to 1000 then you can go for 500. It will taking some playing around but at least now you have a base line to go with.

You can also play with Pool Math with the FC increase.......change the gals until Pool Math matches what you saw in real life.

With your pool being that size I think you can safely add 1 jug of bleach a day until your test kit gets there.

DE filter-not my strong point but do you think there is any DE stuff inside the filter? Have you had it apart yet? Is there any way to know what model it is so we can figure out how much DE should be added to it?

Kim:kim:
 
YippeeSkippy said:
Is that a recent photograph? What makes you suspect mustard algae versus just regular green algae?
Click to expand...

Took that picture today, but after I brushed it off the walls and bottom. Just looked a lot like the pictures on here (on the walls and bottom in shaded area more than sunny areas. When brushed just turns into a fine dust.

Is there a sure fire way to distinguish between the two?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Add that filter info to your siggy. Well done figuring that important part out! You seem to have your filter figured out already.

Let us know what you figure out for the pool size. I bet you are VERY close with the sections you did. Good work!

Kim:kim:
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
Ok got the test kit last night. Going to eat lunch with my son at school then starting the process.

Here is what we are dealing with, a mixture of what I think is mustard algae and dirt covering the bottom. You can see white where I scrapped leaves away from the main drain:

7b3209c747cb653be66f22de07bb0892.jpg
d57db7e97d5167d37fd16da80bd4ba92.jpg
4045af7986c4bb19176af3c0087c83f1.jpg


Will report back levels when I get back so I can figure out where to start.

1. Should I vacuum to waste all the dirt and residue on the bottom first?
2. I need to backwash the filter as it's 10 psi over normal. Should I do that first also?

I'm trying to find someone to come look at my skimmer lines. They are both partially clogged because my kids "helped" me do the skimmer when I was gone one day and didn't put the basket back. Now when I change the handy from main drain and slimmer to only skimmers it won't prime.

So basically my pool is a mess, but I'm ready to take it back. I know it will have high calcium levels, has ever since we moved in. Not sure how good people took care of it before.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
You can change the Pool Math setting for FC to 8.25%

No telling where your CYA went. I lose some all of the time. Most of it due to rain and letting water out.

Time to start the SLAM as you get your size dialed in.

Get your PH down to 7.2 right before you start the SLAM. Once you start the SLAM and your FC is at SLAM level or anytime it is over 10 do not bother testing PH as it will not be correct due to the high FC.

Get enough CYA in your pool to get it to 20. I say 20 due to you MAY have some CYA in there so we do not want to go to high. Put the CYA in a sock and let it soak for a little while then start squeezing the sock to get it dissolved and into the water. Once it is all dissolved let it mix in good (over night or all day depending what time you got it all in). Once it is mixed in good test for it and see where it is at then. IF it is less that 30 add some more shooting for 30.

Skimmer lines-you can put a hose down the hole and see if it will push the stuff out. You can also put the hose in the pump basket area aiming towards the pool and see if that helps!

Kim:kim:
 
Tried the hose in both skimmers, bunch of water came out the pump basket but not too much debris. Not sure what is going on. But enough moving to keep water flowing.

Have a little granular stabilizer so will measure it and add when I get back home. Ordered more on amazon, comes Sunday.

Should I vacuum to waste what is on the bottom first and clean the filter before starting slam? Need to backwash at minimum.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I would clean filter and you will be cleaning it a LOT during the process. Those DE filters are great at catching all of that stuff! This will be the only time you will wish you did not have a DE filter :rolleyes: LOL Keep a close eye on your pressure gauge.

Vacuum to waste IF your water bill can take it.....if not don't worry about it.

Kim:kim:
 
I backwashed and rinsed a few times and got pressure back down. Added de and now adding bleach to finalize size testing. Added 2 lbs of stabilizer to a sock and it's almost all dissolved.

Will vacuum tomorrow but start the slam tonight.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
That picture of the brush in the pool will be THE one that helps you and us see the pool clear.

Good job getting all of the algae out into the water so the FC from the SLAM can get to it and kill it!

Happy SLAMing this weekend!

Kim:kim:
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply