Algae growth ABOVE water line
- Thread starter momx2pool
- Start date
The addition of borates is typically a good thing, that is what the Endure product is. See http://www.poolcalculator.com/chemistry.html for a quick understanding of borates. When you need to add more to keep the borate values in line there may be cheaper ways to do that.
If these blobs are just gummy bits of clarifier, they might be gummy when wet and when they mange to get left above the waterline and dry out they may turn black. Just guessing, but seems possible. I have never used clarifier so we still need someone to comment on this who knows about them. Can these blobs be clarifier?
If these blobs are just gummy bits of clarifier, they might be gummy when wet and when they mange to get left above the waterline and dry out they may turn black. Just guessing, but seems possible. I have never used clarifier so we still need someone to comment on this who knows about them. Can these blobs be clarifier?
Had my water tested at new pool store today closer to where I live. They haven't seen this "algae" either. I have to forward pics to their main person with many years in the pool business. Here are my results:
Free chlorine 5.9 ppm
Total chlorine 5.9 ppm
Combined chlorine 0.0 ppm
PH 7.4
Hardness 370 ppm
Alkalinity 66 ppm (Low according to their recommended range)
Cyanuric Acid 80 ppm
Copper 0.41 ppm (This is high and probably from the algaecides added since copper is #1 ingredient)
Iron 0.00 ppm
Endure (pool enhancer) which was added is "sodium tetraborate/sodium borate"
I am going to now match my results to your BBB and look through pool school.
Thanks
Any suggestions welcome
Free chlorine 5.9 ppm
Total chlorine 5.9 ppm
Combined chlorine 0.0 ppm
PH 7.4
Hardness 370 ppm
Alkalinity 66 ppm (Low according to their recommended range)
Cyanuric Acid 80 ppm
Copper 0.41 ppm (This is high and probably from the algaecides added since copper is #1 ingredient)
Iron 0.00 ppm
Endure (pool enhancer) which was added is "sodium tetraborate/sodium borate"
I am going to now match my results to your BBB and look through pool school.
Thanks
Any suggestions welcome
Yes I agree the $342 for Endure was CraZy!!!!!!! I am going to try using this new pool store.....their test results were computerized also which was nice because it broke down the chlorine levels.
Raise you're FC to 7-8 and keep it there. As for the algae above the water line...spray it with some bleach. If the moisture above the water line is in fact pool water...raising the FC should keep that algae at bay as well. Currently your FC is too low with CYA at 80...assuming the store results are accurate.
momx2pool said:
Oh, so sorry.
Cyanuric Acid 80 ppm
Total chlorine 5.9 ppm
If you look at the Chlorine/CYA chart http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/chlorine_cya_chart_shock you see that for normal operation you need to keep FC between 6ppm and 9 ppm. But for shocking you need to be at 31 ppm.
I cannot say that this is algae and therefore requires shocking. I am stumped, we really need someone wiser than me on this problem.
OK, when in doubt as to the need to shock... do an overnight chlorine decline test. If it is organic and can be killed with chlorine, we will know.
After the sun is over the horizon, begin. Add enough chlorine to raise FC to 9.0 ppm. Circulate an hour and retest to be sure where you began, if you need to add more chlorine, do it again and retest again. You need to know the starting point. Be sure that there are no additional sources of chlorine, no bits of tablets in a chlorine feeder, no SWG running. In the morning, before the sun hits the pool, or better yet before the sun is up, retest the pool.
You will not be able to do this while relying on the pool store, obviously. You need your own test kit that can measure to 9.0 ppm. What kit do you have? Have you ordered a good kit yet?
One more thing. I am wondering if this stuff is growing or just accumulating.
Please use some tweezers to grab 5 bits of this stuff off the wall or skimmer door. A blobby spot not a hard spot.
Then put it into a cup of tap water. Not pool water. I'd like to see if it multiplies at all. I suspect that it is not alive. If not, then this is a filtration problem.
Just remember, I am mostly a novice. We are still waiting for the smarter folks to come to help.
Please use some tweezers to grab 5 bits of this stuff off the wall or skimmer door. A blobby spot not a hard spot.
Then put it into a cup of tap water. Not pool water. I'd like to see if it multiplies at all. I suspect that it is not alive. If not, then this is a filtration problem.
Just remember, I am mostly a novice. We are still waiting for the smarter folks to come to help.
Thanks soooo much. Will be ordering the kit recommended on this site. For now I'll have to use the store. Chlorine levels that high are not dangerous to swim in??? Kind of apprehensive, I know. After using chlor tabs for so long (15 years) above ground pool for 5 years and 10 years with the inground, I am trying to convince myself to use straight bleach. I have been looking at the bleach dispenser (automatic) can't seem to find a price for it. Does anyone know how much they cost? Thanks again.
momx2pool,
Let's get you back to focusing on what is above your waterline in the grout. Please put some clorox in a spray bottle (dilute it 50-50 if you like....you won't need much) and spray it directly onto the grout. Tell us the reaction. If it's organic (and I suspect it is) it should disappear likely within minutes but certainly in a few hours. Post back your observations.
Have faith that we will not tell you to do anything harmful. The good folks answering your questions have been doing this a while
Let's get you back to focusing on what is above your waterline in the grout. Please put some clorox in a spray bottle (dilute it 50-50 if you like....you won't need much) and spray it directly onto the grout. Tell us the reaction. If it's organic (and I suspect it is) it should disappear likely within minutes but certainly in a few hours. Post back your observations.
Have faith that we will not tell you to do anything harmful. The good folks answering your questions have been doing this a while
I still think it is algae...when sprayed with bleach, they dissipate. If already black and hardended it takes longer for bleach. This morning on the weirs in skimmers, they were black not like the pics on sock. I suppose they start out that way like on sock and if left alone they harden. I am going to order kit testing kit today.
First, I hope you got one of the recommended test kits. Do you have an estimate of delivery date?
If bleach does work, then shocking is in order.
If pool store test is to be believed, the CYA is too high, shocking to those chlorine levels will be hard to manage. Drain and fill is in order, that will lower the copper as well. That high copper level has worried me anyhow. You do not want that staining your pool.
You can run with the values you have now, or wait until you are able to test CYA yourself to be sure. Or you can split the difference and drain and fill now based on pool store test and when your test kit arrives retest and perhaps do a partial drain and fill again. Is fill water an issue there -- are you on a well or are there water restrictions?
If you decide to drain and fill now, I'd drain enough to get your CYA to 30. Starting from 80 that means remove 64% of the water in the pool, let's call it 2/3rds.
Can you begin that now?
It would be a good idea to test your fill water, either call the water department for test data or take a sample to the pool store for testing. You want to know if there are metals in the water, also you want to know the TA and CH of that water.
If bleach does work, then shocking is in order.
If pool store test is to be believed, the CYA is too high, shocking to those chlorine levels will be hard to manage. Drain and fill is in order, that will lower the copper as well. That high copper level has worried me anyhow. You do not want that staining your pool.
You can run with the values you have now, or wait until you are able to test CYA yourself to be sure. Or you can split the difference and drain and fill now based on pool store test and when your test kit arrives retest and perhaps do a partial drain and fill again. Is fill water an issue there -- are you on a well or are there water restrictions?
If you decide to drain and fill now, I'd drain enough to get your CYA to 30. Starting from 80 that means remove 64% of the water in the pool, let's call it 2/3rds.
Can you begin that now?
It would be a good idea to test your fill water, either call the water department for test data or take a sample to the pool store for testing. You want to know if there are metals in the water, also you want to know the TA and CH of that water.
Did you ever figure out what this is? I have noticed the same thing in my above ground pool ever since I had new water put in it.
I have an above ground pool and only use 3" power tablets which creates low PH without PH increaser. Low PH seemed to be creating this greenish brown/black algae above my water line.
Raised my PH to normal levels and used algicide. Once a week, I sprayed the algae directly with algicide and scrubbed with scrub brush. After four weeks mostly gone
Raised my PH to normal levels and used algicide. Once a week, I sprayed the algae directly with algicide and scrubbed with scrub brush. After four weeks mostly gone