First time algae victim

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mrsfluff

mrsfluff

Well-known member
May 7, 2015
108
jackson nj
Hey all ~
My pool was built in 2004. It is approx 40x22, pebble tec with DE filter. I have never had any issues until now.
Last year, upon the advice of my pool guy, I acid washed the pool. No, he's not a thief, he sincerely believed this would "brighten up" my plaster. It sure did...because many pebbles were lost in the process. Yes, he diluted the acid. But loose pebbles will fall off. I feel like I threw money in the garbage. But I digress.
Late last season, a good time after the acid wash, I got some bizarre looking discoloration right about where the return water lands. I went NUTS trying to figure out what happened but I think I know now. The Zodiac mineral cartridge. I think the metals interacted with the freshened plaster. But it's gone now. I opened my pool at the very beginning of May and the water was clean and the staining totally gone. AMEN. Ok...
This year, when I went to open, I saw the my Zodiac cannister was cracked. Instead of spending a small fortune, I had removed it. I did some reading & gathered it's a scam item installed by the pool builder yada yada. But...now I'm getting algae for the first time ever. It's not bad, mind you. It's mild and takes time to build up to where it can be seen, but it's there nonetheless. Connection? Yes, I use "pucks". Always have. I will say that the oak trees were relentless this year. I notice the weed matter is way out of control compared to normal. Although we are surrounded by trees, none hang over the pool. But yes, much of the green stuff (pollen) gets in there for a solid month. I always shock the pool when I open it. Rarely ever again for the season. This year, I shocked it a second time after May thinking it would solve the 'green stuff on the pool walls' issue that I'd never had before (because I thought it was pollen). And it did. For a short period. I then noticed the same thing happening again. I swept the walls...and swept the walls...and I'm still sweeping the walls. It's also on the bottom in patches but my telescopic pole is not opening and I can't get the floor. (buying new pole, of course)
So...I started searching online for answers. And here I landed. I began reading a lot of the posts about algae and CYA and FC, etc. My pool guy is no longer in biz but as I am friendly with him, I can still pick his brain. He mentioned phosphates & nitrates but I'm doubting it's it the latter. And from what I'm reading here, phosphate eliminator is a waste. I did order 2 test kits (before landing here), one for nitrates & one for phosphates. So they are on the way.
Now what? I gather I need to test my CYA? Is there a singular test kit for that you recommend? I do not have all kinds of money to spend on expensive test kits although I am aware that I might be gambling. I'm guessing I will be buying a lot of bleach soon.:eek:
Thank you in advance, for guidance!
 
Welcome to the forum!

This forum advocate’s pool owner water testing using a proper test kit. Order a TF100 test kit from TFTestkits.net. The only other real option for a test kit is a Taylor K-2006-C. Be careful comparing prices because the K-2006 comes in sizes, designated by a letter. The basic K-2006 has .75oz bottles. You need to get the K-2006-C to get the larger bottles that you want. Even then it is a little short on the reagent & powder for the FAS/DPD test.

A SpeedStir is also recommended as it makes testing much easier.

To help us help you, please complete a signature. See Pool School - Read This BEFORE You Post

For more detail, read Trouble Free Pool School

While you are waiting on your test kit add liquid chlorine/bleach to put 5 ppm FC into your pool each evening.

Let us know when you get your test kit and post up the results.
 
Hi and thanks! Great to be here!:kim:
I will order the kit asap.
I will gather up my signature info as well. That'll be the true test. lol
How much bleach is 5ppm? My pool is around 25K gallons if that matters. Right now my test strips register 0 FC. If you saw it right now, you'd say "what algae?" It looks perfect. The sun has a way of making things look prettier than they really are.;)
 
Use PoolMath to calculate how much liquid chlorine/bleach to use.

Input your pool volume. Put 0 in Now and 5 in Target for FC. Select what % bleach you will be using.

For instance, with 10% LC/bleach, you need 160 oz added DAILY.
 
How much Liquid Chlorine is completely dependent on the amt of water and the strength of the LC. This PoolMath
Link will allow you to calc how much. 5 ppm is 1 gal of 12.5%, a little over 2 gal of 6%

In NJ there are some Ocean State Job Lots. They carry 12.5% “ pool shock” LC for 2.99/gal. The cheapest I’ve ever seen in person.

If you go with bleach, be sure to get just plain, unscented bleach. No splashless, no Chloromax, no nothin’ but bleach.
 
Hi Deb! Thank you much! I'm going out today for the bleach. Who'da thought? I'd have been using this since Day 1 if I knew. Those pucks are a pain. Altho, truth be told, I never had a problem until now...and maybe it is a CYA build up. I don't think so because my pool was emptied last year. But that in and of itself could have something to do with it. I live by 'if it's not broken, don't fix it'. But I thought my plaster had gotten dull. It's so hard to really know. But I fell for it. Even though it looked nice & bright right after the acid wash, it really doesn't look any different in the end. Pebbles fall off and create an illusion of a brighter color. There are some bald spots...maybe not noticeable to others, but my eye goes right to em. I should have left it alone. I wasted a lot of money I don't really have. Ugh. Live and learn. Thank goodness for forums. :)
 
Good day. Scored some pool chlorinator @Lowes for less than plain Clorox. $3.99 each, 10%. Clorox was on sale for $3.99, 6%. Go figure. I have only one question: do I just pour it in as in distribute it around the perimeter? Also, once I add the chlorinator, can I go in? The water is crystal clear...has been all along. Tnx!
 
Did you get Chlorox Bleach!!! You should only get the Plain Regular Bleach!!. No splashless, scents, or polymers. No Clorox or cloromax (no additives). You can jump in as soon as your done pouring. Spread your chlorine among all your returns jets to get quicker distribution
 
I got liquid chlorine. According to the forum, it's bleach, but stronger. This one is 10%. I'm on Day 3...no change. It appears the chlorine is not being held. It also appears that the CYA is low. I'm going to have the water tested. The kits are expensive. If I can't get an acceptable test result (ie, professional) from my local pool supply store, I will search for a college outpost or other scientific facility that does.
 
Whatever you spend on a good test is quickly recouped by what you won't be spending on various chemicals and magic potions to clear up your pool. It really is the best money you can spend. I urge you to reconsider.
 

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Is there a way you could get just the Chlorine FAS/DPD test kit only? I'm not sure how that will work but someone will chime in here shortly.

The reason I ask is because you have to test your FC level and know (for sure) if your FC is holding. You also have to know your CYA level as well, and I'm not sure if there are other tests out there that could help you. I, myself, had to save to get the TF-100 and it has been a game-changer for me. Pool store results aren't reliable. Click here to compare test kits.


 
I just brought the water into a reputable place for testing. I now know the problem: nitrates. They're off the charts (20).:( I goofed with the test kit I purchased...it's for nitrites. This is the worst case scenario. Bummer.
 
Nitrates are inconsequential to water chemistry.

Get a proper test kit. The expense of going to pool stores and buying unneeded test kits would have paid for a proper test kit by now.
 
I agree nitrates are not the cause of the problem. Yes algae will "eat" nitrates for food, however in a properly sanitized and maintained pool, algae simply can't survive to eat the nitrates.

In the planted Aquarium hobby we are very familiar with nitrates as they are the end product of the nitrogen cycle as fish waste is digested into nitrites and in turn nitrates. Plants consume nitrogen compounds as a macro nutrient. Even in an unchlorinated Aquarium we can keep algae growth under control by balancing the light and nutrients. Even with near 0ppm nitrates algae will grow.

Fill a 5 gallon bucket with distilled water (should be 0 nitrates), leave it in the sun outdoors and you will see algae growing in less than a week.
 
Do yourself a huge favor and throw out any test strips that you may have and get a TF100 test kit from TFTestkits.net. The kit is invaluable if you want to maintain a clear stable pool throughout the season and they are easy to use.. I have been the owner of a fiberglass inground pool for 30 years here in the NE and always had bouts with algae in one way or the other until I found this site... from then on it's been clear sailing. I have no experience with Salt Water Generators so my findings I'm sure may vary using those systems.

Anyway:

I was never aware that the most important thing is the relationship between your stabilizer and your free chlorine... You can bet the house that the local pool stores do not let that cat out of the bag... Most pool stores depend on you having problems so they can bleed your wallet selling you different types of chemicals to solve your pool problems.... So much easier and way cheaper to just not have a problem to begin with

Previously I used 3" tabs to chlorinate my pool and most all tablets contain Stabilizer aka (CYA),,, If I needed more chlorine to do the job I added more tablets, often breaking them up thinking that it would boost my FC. Well it will boost the FC temporarily but on the other side of the coin it also boost the stabilizer reading though very gradually so you basically have accomplished nothing and may have actually worsen your problem,, The only way to reduce your stabilizer reading is by dumping water and adding new water to your pool.

Once I hit the 40-50 range on my stabilizer reading,, I no longer use anything but liquid or granular chlorine making sure there is no CYA (stabilizer) added.

Without the proper test kit, you are flying blind and just asking for trouble.. If you look at the test strips, you will see that a Stabilizer range shows OK between 30 - 100. What they don't tell you is a FC reading of 4 may be sufficient with a CYA range of 30 but if you have a CYA range of 80,, you better shoot for a FC reading of 9 or you are in for a problem...[/

My RULE OF THUMB is my Target Free Chlorine (FC) is the same number as the first number in your CYA (stabilizer) reading PLUS 1

"Ex. my CYA is normally 40-50 so I insure that my Free Chlorine number is always in the (6) range.

I have Slammed my pool only once since joining this group 4 YEARS AGO and have never had a single algae problem SINCE by following my Rule of Thumb formula but if you don't stay on top of your CYA reading, it's a guarantee that you will not be providing enough Chlorine to stay ahead of the algae. Just because you don't see it doesn't mean its not there. As soon as conditions are right (extreme heat or high pool load) you'll have an algae bloom and from then on you will be playing catchup..

I certainly hope this helps anyone that is struggling with algae problems..

Gary Blizzard
New Jersey
 
Great info, Gary!

I have the opposite problem. Not enough stabilizer. My CYA reading is too low. Anyway...I am going to SLAM. Even the pool guy said I should. I guess they're not all stupid and/or crooked (he tried to sell me nothing). He tested my well water, too, with his cutting edge testing equipment, and my water is naturally high in nitrates (toward the high acceptable end). Obviously, in 14 years, never having had any issues whatsoever, I've been operating successfully with high nitrates. My best guess is the exorbitant amount of oak tree pollen & other tree matter for the month of May just put the water over the edge this year. I never knew about nitrates and all this other stuff so maybe I wasn't chlorinating enough at a time when I should have been doing it more agressively.
 
be careful bringing up you CYA.. I found out the hard way in the middle of the swim season and had to empty half the already warmed water in my pool and replaced it with nice freezing cold well water with iron in it,,, but that another problem.. LOL

If you look on the chart, you will notice that you need to use a ton more chlorine to bring it up and hold it at the proper shock level to do the job..

Gary
 
I'm not even aware of what to do re the CYA. This is all new to me. Right now, all I know is that the chlorine isn't holding, nitrates are double the upper limit. Normal nitrates for my water are close to the acceptable high limit. Test kit should be here Monday, maybe even today.
 

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