Anyone have any idea what this is?
- Thread starter vdubstress
- Start date
pinguy
0
My guess would be calcium.
Does it dissolve with a few drops of muriatic acid?
Does it dissolve with a few drops of muriatic acid?
Last edited:
- Mar 5, 2020
- 3,174
- Pool Size
- 66000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Astral Viron V35
- Mar 5, 2020
- 3,174
- Pool Size
- 66000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Astral Viron V35
My best guess would be that someone dumped a bag of CYA into the skimmer.
pinguy
0
This makes more sense. Calcium precipate looks more flakey while these look like CYA granules.
- Mar 5, 2020
- 3,174
- Pool Size
- 66000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Astral Viron V35
Saw in your older posts that you do seem to be using a pool service.
Can you take a sample of that sludge and drip a drop of Taylor pH-Indicator on it? If it's CYA, then it should turn very yellow.
Then you could dissolve a bit of the stuff in some water and run a CYA test.
Or ask your pool service what they have done (if applicable)...
Can you take a sample of that sludge and drip a drop of Taylor pH-Indicator on it? If it's CYA, then it should turn very yellow.
Then you could dissolve a bit of the stuff in some water and run a CYA test.
Or ask your pool service what they have done (if applicable)...
Yeah, not super happy with them either. Haven't been able to use the pool all summer from algae
I need to get a Taylor kit. But yeah I really am starting to realize the person that should take care of your pool is you.
If the pH indicator is phenol red I actually have some at home. What with the covid distance learning we were doing labs at home
- Mar 5, 2020
- 3,174
- Pool Size
- 66000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Astral Viron V35
Yes, phenol red will do. The Taylor test is also phenol red with some additives to make it more robust against chlorine interference.
- Mar 5, 2020
- 3,174
- Pool Size
- 66000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Astral Viron V35
If they really clogged up the skimmer by filling it with CYA or whatever, I'd be pretty upset.
Do you have a main drain or other suction ports? I for instance don't have a main drain, and I don't think my pump would have survived this.
Do you have a main drain or other suction ports? I for instance don't have a main drain, and I don't think my pump would have survived this.
Last edited by a moderator:
- Mar 5, 2020
- 3,174
- Pool Size
- 66000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Astral Viron V35
Not a fool proof evidence that it's CYA, but my best guess. If it was hardness increaser you'd burnt your hand taking that basket out (probably would have melted), and baking soda wouldn't be acidic. Not much else I could think of they might have added. But I'm sure there are hundreds of powders and potions they could think of ...
Thankfully the main drain took up the slack, but this seems like a lot of substance! In June I took a sample to our pool store and the CYA was within range. I was concerned the chlorine wasn't knocking out the algae, so they told me to brush and hyper chlorinate, then clean my filters after the algae was clear. It worked on the algae, and the chlorine seemed to be holding, when I took it back to retest before swimming in it (it was 106 for like 10 days and I was desperate) they said to put a couple pucks in the floater. Can you lose CYA? I thought it was a must drain and refill in sections if too high? Does it degrade otherwise?
- Mar 5, 2020
- 3,174
- Pool Size
- 66000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Astral Viron V35
It degrades a bit in hot weather, you might lose 5-10ppm per month when water temperature is above 90°F.
