the live algae is suspended in your water and you can't see it. As it dies, it falls to the floor and accumulates - day after day. It will continue to accumulate until you maintain adequate chlorine in your pool to stop the live algae.
Mustard Algae type 2
- Thread starter Macrosill
- Start date
I respectfully disagree. I understand what you are saying and typically that is what occurs but not with this stuff. This type of MA "grows" in the low spots and on the floor. I have taken samples in years past, using a turkey baster, and placed it in a bowl in the sun and it continued to accumulate.
Last night 2000
FC 30.5
CC .5
Added 64 oz 10% liquid chlorine
This morning 0800
FC 30.5
CC .5
I used 6.6 PPM chlorine over night. Ugh
Added another 64 oz 10%
FC 30.5
CC .5
Added 64 oz 10% liquid chlorine
This morning 0800
FC 30.5
CC .5
I used 6.6 PPM chlorine over night. Ugh
Added another 64 oz 10%
2100
FC 41.5
CC .5
No chlorine added. Must be getting somewhere finally. Added 128 oz 10% liquid chlorine 5 hours ago. That should have raised my FC 13 PPM. 28+13=41 Overcast day with a little rain on and off this afternoon.
The morning test should tell more.
FC 41.5
CC .5
No chlorine added. Must be getting somewhere finally. Added 128 oz 10% liquid chlorine 5 hours ago. That should have raised my FC 13 PPM. 28+13=41 Overcast day with a little rain on and off this afternoon.
The morning test should tell more.
Hi! I feel your pain! I think I have the exact same thing... my ma is eating a full jug of 10% Walmart every 2 hours during the day.... it is growing in streaks on bottom of pool that will not scrub free with hard brushing. I also seem to have small patches of it too. I’ve been trying to stay at or above 30 fc but it surprises me with what it will consume during the day.
Do you have worm looking streaks all growing north to south in direction?
Do you have worm looking streaks all growing north to south in direction?
I do not have worm looking streaks. Mine seems to gather in more random areas around the floor of the pool. This year so far they are mostly in the middle of the pool, round pool with filter on 24/7 thus far. I still am getting some around the rest of the pool floor but they seem to be smaller accumulations. This evening there seemed to be less accumulation. I am hoping it correlates to the less chlorine consumption this evening.
One thing is that where ever it accumulates it is always in a dimple, usually from foot prints. I have sand under the liner so the floor is not perfectly flat. There are dimples that are from walking on it over the years. Maybe you have some lower spots on the floor and that's why the MA is collecting the way it is?
One thing is that where ever it accumulates it is always in a dimple, usually from foot prints. I have sand under the liner so the floor is not perfectly flat. There are dimples that are from walking on it over the years. Maybe you have some lower spots on the floor and that's why the MA is collecting the way it is?
0700
FC 35.5
CC .5
Lost 6 PPM overnight again. Is there a correlation between higher chlorine levels and drops in chlorine? I read something like that somewhere but not sure how true it may be. An OCLT should be zero no matter how high the level is, right? Starting to doubt myself.
FC 35.5
CC .5
Lost 6 PPM overnight again. Is there a correlation between higher chlorine levels and drops in chlorine? I read something like that somewhere but not sure how true it may be. An OCLT should be zero no matter how high the level is, right? Starting to doubt myself.
I do not understand how anything can survive such high chlorine levels. I can not maintain them much longer at these levels as the pool is unusable. I am going to let the chlorine levels drift down to regular shock levels and then maintain the FC at or just below those levels.
Mustard algae is more resistant to chlorine than regular algae. That's why there is an elevated SLAM level to kill it.
The mustard algae SLAM has worked for other people.
I think that it should be enough for any algae.
I'm not sure why your situation seems to be unresponsive to the process.
Maybe it's not algae, but I don't know what else it could be.
If you're still losing more than 1 ppm overnight, then something is in the water.
Day losses increase at SLAM levels, but night losses should not increase.
The mustard algae SLAM has worked for other people.
I think that it should be enough for any algae.
I'm not sure why your situation seems to be unresponsive to the process.
Maybe it's not algae, but I don't know what else it could be.
If you're still losing more than 1 ppm overnight, then something is in the water.
Day losses increase at SLAM levels, but night losses should not increase.
0700
FC 35.5
CC .5
0900 added 64 oz 10% liquid chlorine and brushed which should have increased my FC by 6.6 brought me to 43
2030
FC 27
CC .5
So in aprox. 11 hours, 9 hours of full sun, I lost 16 PPM of chlorine.
Doesn't that sound excessive?
FC 35.5
CC .5
0900 added 64 oz 10% liquid chlorine and brushed which should have increased my FC by 6.6 brought me to 43
2030
FC 27
CC .5
So in aprox. 11 hours, 9 hours of full sun, I lost 16 PPM of chlorine.
Doesn't that sound excessive?
Daytime losses increase with increased fc/cya ratios.
Basically doubling the fc/cya ratio doubles the amount of daytime loss.
Let's see what happens overnight.
Is the dust decreasing, staying the same or increasing?
Basically doubling the fc/cya ratio doubles the amount of daytime loss.
Let's see what happens overnight.
Is the dust decreasing, staying the same or increasing?
The same. I did not vacuum today so the overall amount is more than if I did vacuum. I have been playing this game for 9 years now and I am so done with it. In years past I have tried skimmer socks as well as some type of bag on the return to filter out the stuff. It did not help and the bag started to turn greenish brown. I still have the bag. I have even vacuumed to waste and it still comes back.
Maybe I will deep clean my sand filter tomorrow. The pressure fluctuates between 15 and 17. Same as clean.
I am willing to try anything. I will change the filter if I have to. I am toying with adding Yellow Gone and if that does not work drain the pool, change the liner and start over. But that will still leave the filter and all the plumbing. Is there no end in sight?
Maybe I will deep clean my sand filter tomorrow. The pressure fluctuates between 15 and 17. Same as clean.
I am willing to try anything. I will change the filter if I have to. I am toying with adding Yellow Gone and if that does not work drain the pool, change the liner and start over. But that will still leave the filter and all the plumbing. Is there no end in sight?
0640
FC 22.5
CC 0
That is a loss of 4.5 ppm over night. I guess that is better than 6 the night before. Going to keep FC above MA levels another day to see if the overnight loss is less than last night. Fingers crossed.
The water is crystal clear. The "dust" on the floor is brown. Not white or grayish like dead algae would be. It is easier to see the color when there is more accumulation. It is mostly in the middle of the floor with some small spots around the rest of the pool. Brushed again and added 192 oz 10% liquid chlorine. That should bring me up to 42. I will be away this afternoon and hope it holds over MA level, 29, until I get home this evening.
FC 22.5
CC 0
That is a loss of 4.5 ppm over night. I guess that is better than 6 the night before. Going to keep FC above MA levels another day to see if the overnight loss is less than last night. Fingers crossed.
The water is crystal clear. The "dust" on the floor is brown. Not white or grayish like dead algae would be. It is easier to see the color when there is more accumulation. It is mostly in the middle of the floor with some small spots around the rest of the pool. Brushed again and added 192 oz 10% liquid chlorine. That should bring me up to 42. I will be away this afternoon and hope it holds over MA level, 29, until I get home this evening.
Deep cleaned the filter. Might be a little low on sand. No change in filter pressure. Now the oring between the tank and multiport valve will not seal completely. Slight leak. New oring on order.
Brian,
Being in NY, maybe you can take a live sample of your "m-algae" to a bio lab for identification/classification. FC levels of 40+ should be knocking out this stuff if administered for extended periods.
The only thing that jumps out at me is you stated you've been dealing w this for 9 yrs. Not a biologist, but most organisms can mutate and develop a resistance to medical treatments...as stated, if you keep your FC levels at MA kill levels until an OCLT = .5 or less, you should have it done. I would also run it a bit longer, let drift down and run a bit longer again. This is what I did for my MA kill.
Finally, from your pics, you have small dark spots and then shaded free from areas a bit darker than the liner. Can you define each? Thanks
Being in NY, maybe you can take a live sample of your "m-algae" to a bio lab for identification/classification. FC levels of 40+ should be knocking out this stuff if administered for extended periods.
The only thing that jumps out at me is you stated you've been dealing w this for 9 yrs. Not a biologist, but most organisms can mutate and develop a resistance to medical treatments...as stated, if you keep your FC levels at MA kill levels until an OCLT = .5 or less, you should have it done. I would also run it a bit longer, let drift down and run a bit longer again. This is what I did for my MA kill.
Finally, from your pics, you have small dark spots and then shaded free from areas a bit darker than the liner. Can you define each? Thanks
It kind of looks like mustard algae. The chlorine should be killing it. If the chlorine doesn't kill it, I don't know what else you can do.
I can look into taking it to a lab. I will have to do some research on that.
In the top picture the shaded area is just a reflection of a tree, not actually shade. The dark spots are the algae.
In the bottom picture the 3 large spots are the algae. The smaller spots are printed on the liner.
Yes. My chemicals are brand new, just ordered an entire set last week. I ordered more FAS/DPD powder, drops, spoon and vial the other day as I am running out of drops. 80 drops per test and they run out fast.