Is this algae (Pic)? Keeps coming back, even though chemistry is balanced...

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C

callmedpit

0
LifeTime Supporter
May 25, 2014
54
Millersville, MD
I recently went through the SLAM process and my water is now crystal clear and chemicals stay balanced. There is 0 CC, and does not come back up between days. The odd thing, is I am finding this sort of stringy looking green algae in the skimmer basket on a daily basis:

algae.jpg

Nothing else around the pool or in the water is like this, just in the basket. Any ideas on what is going on or what I should do?

P.S. For what it's worth, I was also seeing this pre-SLAM where there was quite a bit more and I started noticing the water edge around the stairs was geting green. Towards the end of the SLAM process, there was none in the skimmer basket. Here's a picture of the amount of I was seeing pre-SLAM:

algae 2.jpg
 
Texas Splash said:
Almost looks like moss doesn't it? Any chance that's simply something blowing onto the water's surface and getting pulled into the skimmer?
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It's a bit stringy, not sure it's moss, but what do I know lol.

Don't think it's anything blowing into the water, it has never happened before and between yesterday and today there was really no wind. We don't have a lot of stuff around our pool.

If this is somehow generating in the pool, but the chemical balance is fine, is it safe to swim?
 
Texas Splash said:
You can probably swim, but I'd sure want to know the origin of that stuff. You recently completed a SLAM. Did you open-up the filter and inspect the grids and everything in there?
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I have not done that, no. We had just had the pool company replace all the grids right before I did the SLAM...the pressure is normal. Do you think that's necessary?

JamesW said:
Do you have a picture of the whole pool?
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Sure:

pool1.jpg

pool2.jpg
 
We had just had the pool company replace all the grids right before I did the SLAM...the pressure is normal. Do you think that's necessary?
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Your water looks outstanding, so I'd hate to have you on a wild goose chase. New grids before the SLAM is great, although once replaced, I suspect the SLAM took a few days at which point you probably did several backwashes as the algae was killed. It is possible that there is some residual stuff in there, and perhaps you are seeing the effects of it in minor amounts. If it were me I'd take look inside to be sure. I would also consider doing an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test as yet another measurement tool to put everything together. With water that clear, if you pass the OCLT and your grids are squeaky clean with fresh DE on them and nothing else but perhaps some minor dirt and bugs, I suspect something is just blowing onto the water.
 
Texas Splash said:
Your water looks outstanding, so I'd hate to have you on a wild goose chase. New grids before the SLAM is great, although once replaced, I suspect the SLAM took a few days at which point you probably did several backwashes as the algae was killed. It is possible that there is some residual stuff in there, and perhaps you are seeing the effects of it in minor amounts. If it were me I'd take look inside to be sure. I would also consider doing an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test as yet another measurement tool to put everything together. With water that clear, if you pass the OCLT and your grids are squeaky clean with fresh DE on them and nothing else but perhaps some minor dirt and bugs, I suspect something is just blowing onto the water.
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I will point out that I never did a backwash during the SLAM process (it was 2 or 3 days I believe).

Guess I should double check the grids just to be safe, as well as try another OCLT. Question - If the chemicals were balanced, but there happened to be some residual stuff on the grids, wouldn't it actually get killed (not be green)?

Thank you for your advice!
 
I will point out that I never did a backwash during the SLAM process (it was 2 or 3 days I believe). Guess I should double check the grids just to be safe, as well as try another OCLT. Question - If the chemicals were balanced, but there happened to be some residual stuff on the grids, wouldn't it actually get killed (not be green)?
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Organic material should get killed by chlorine over time if it is in the proper amount (ratio) as noted on the [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA]. What we (TFP) don't know in many cases is if the SLAM was truly performed to TFP specifications as noted on the SLAM Process page. A SLAM usually lasts several days to more commonly 1-2 weeks. Anything shorter raises a red flag as to if it was done thoroughly and passed all 3 SLAM criteria. A backwash is almost an automatic necessity during a SLAM as the organic material/algae builds-up in the filter very fast - especially a DE filter. While your water clarity is exceptional at the moment, I would be inclined to look in the filter, clean the grids if necessary, re-coat and record that starting (baseline) pressure. Then watch for an increase. Also consider doing the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test test just to be safe. Then you can be quite confident the water has nothing in it that would actively produce that material you are finding in the skimmer.
 
Texas Splash said:
I would be inclined to look in the filter, clean the grids if necessary, re-coat and record that starting (baseline) pressure
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I just opened up the filter to take a look, this is my first time doing so, but I don't see anything green and it looks normal as far as I can tell. Here's some pics (I believe the blue is from the mineral purifier I use (http://poolrx.com/store-idea/)).

Let me know what you think...

Filter1.jpg

Filter2.jpg

Filter3.jpg

Filter4.jpg
 

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Side question - Will I need to add DE now that I've drained the DE filter (did not hose off or remove cartridges)?

- - - Updated - - -

stevenmverrill said:
Disclaimer: I am far from knowing what I'm doing.

Just a thought could the pool service have added a clumping agent/ algaecide to the pool? Water looks darn good! But maybe the algaecide is just clumping pollen and whatever else flying in the pool?
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We only use the company for open/close, never had the issue before and I doubt they added anything extra...never heard of that sort of thing before...
 
I would recommend that you take the grids apart and clean them well.

Then, recharge the filter with DE.

The color in the filter is copper, which could end up causing stains or green hair.
 
JamesW said:
I would recommend that you take the grids apart and clean them well.

Then, recharge the filter with DE.

The color in the filter is copper, which could end up causing stains or green hair.
Click to expand...

Got it, just got finished doing everything. At least it was a learning lesson, I had never opened up the filter before! Crossing my fingers that was the end of this, but will also do OCLT tonight as well.
 
The PoolRX mineral purifier contains copper and other metals. Take it out and throw it away. Do a search of this site for PoolRX to see what others think. Eventually, the pool will stain and blonde hair will turn green. With the TFP method of pool care, it's a worthless addition.
 
Also keep in mind that copper is not generally natural to our water supplies. It's introduced by an outside source..... in your case a pool store product via algaecide most likely. So in the future, if you do hire a service, make sure they either don't use an algaecide, or if they do, make sure it's a Polyquat 60 product. They should know what you mean. But that would be something used at closing, not just during the year. If anyone ever tries to tell you to use an algaecide to kill algae, simply walk away. :gone: Chlorine is your #1 algae killer and sanitizer when balanced properly with your current CYA as seen on the [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA]. Good pics. Thanks for posting. It helped.
 
Thanks for the advice proavia and Texas Splash, I removed the PoolRX.

With that said, I will still have a pool company come do opening and closings. Besides not using algaecide, what other best practices are there to tell them if I'm using the TFP method? I always find opening to be a bit of a cluster F getting things totally balanced.
 
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