Alage is kicking my rear, talk me off the ledge.

[C&HSewell]

TFP Gurus... I REALLLLLY need your help as it seems I have been facing a never ending battle that has made me question my sizable monetary investment that is sitting the backyard to the point I feel like backing a line of concrete trucks up and filling the dang thing up with cement, and even have been very tempted to use a copper algaecide(dont worry, not gonna do it). It seems the issue I just cannot defeat this. I went weeks with out any issues until the other day. I did an OCLT last night at passed at 10FC. My pool is always spot on with these results over the last 3 weeks since running my FC higher because of the past issues.:

FC: 10
CC: 0
TA: 70
CYA 70
Ph: 7.6
CH: 130

How can I pass the OCLT and have this every day?

 

[PoolStored]

Pool math logs are incomplete. If you passed OCLT and have been maintaining 10 FC...

Dirt.

You have winds? Near any barren land? Is it super dry in your area?

 

[IceShadow]

Could also be organic drift, like small flower petals from flowering shrubs, etc. If you are passing OCLT then it’s likely not algae.

If it is, then it’s hiding somewhere. I saw someone earlier in the thread ask for photos of the pool from each side so we can look for ladders, lights, etc. Can you post that?

 

[Mdragger88]

Can you try to gather any up?
Does it just poof away when brushed?
Do you have sand in the sand filter or some other media?
I agree with @IceShadow if it is dead algae (not other particles) that means there’s live algae hiding somewhere… time to go on the hunt.

 

[C&HSewell]

I redid the OCLT last night and I failed. I beleive, and have felt, it was dead algae. I dont live arond any barren area, so dirt or pollen shouldnt be the cause as it will poof away with the swat of a foot or hand. I have no ladder, only 1 Light, 2 skimmers, and 2 main drains. I have some specific questions for everyone as I start another SLAM.

1. Is there are way to determine if this is Green Algae or Yellow/Mustard?
2. Kinda of nervous about removing the light and scrubbing the niche. How hard do I scrub and can I damage any wiring or gasket? Any precautions I need to be aware of or take(aside from turning off the breaker)
3. Do I scrub everyhting in the niche, cable, backside of light?
4. Do I leave the light out while performing the SLAM?
5. I am also nervous about removing the main drain covers, how hard is it to realign the covers and, like the light, do I leave the covers off during the SLAM?
6. How often do I scrub the niche and in the Main Drain during the SLAM?
7. Is it possible the algae is living in the pipes in the system? How do you scrub these?
8. Does flagstone coping cause this type fo dust?

 

[PoolStored]

1. Is there are way to determine if this is Green Algae or Yellow/Mustard?

The VAAAAAAAAST majority of algae is just green algae.

1. Kinda of nervous about removing the light and scrubbing the niche. How hard do I scrub and can I damage any wiring or gasket? Any precautions I need to be aware of or take(aside from turning off the breaker)

Scrub it like you scrub your dishes. No other precautions except breaker. It really is easy.

1. Do I scrub everyhting in the niche, cable, backside of light?

Yep.

1. Do I leave the light out while performing the SLAM?

Doesn't matter, scrub and put it back, leave it out...whatever. I tend to put it back because I'm always afraid of (somehow) breaking the glass, or damaging it because I turned it on when it was out of the water. No Bueno.

1. I am also nervous about removing the main drain covers, how hard is it to realign the covers and, like the light, do I leave the covers off during the SLAM?

Easy to re-align. You can take a small dumbell or weight with you to help hold you down. Do not attach it to your body. Once you scrub them put them back on (safety). You could put back on with one screw if you think you are going to need to scrub more than once...

1. How often do I scrub the niche and in the Main Drain during the SLAM?

Once probably will do it. You will tell by how clean it looks after you scrub...

1. Is it possible the alage is living in the pipes in the system? How do you scrub these?

No, Algae needs light to live.

1. Does flagstone coping cause this type fo dust?

Not likely.

Hope that helps!

 

[C&HSewell]

@PoolStored so its not easy to tell what kind by the color of the dead on the bottom?

 

[PoolStored]

@PoolStored so its not easy to tell what kind by the color of the dead on the bottom?

I think the standard human reaction to algae (or illness) is to go to the extreme. It's Black Algae (or I'm going to die). The reality is that the vast majority of algae is just plain old algae.

To answer your question, there are a few here that can tell my looking at algae and can tell, or tell you what to do to identify it. If it is not growing on the walls, just poofs around the pool or the bottom, most likely it is just POA (Plain old Algae)

 

[Bperry]

I ran back wash for 3 mins and waste for another min this past Friday. Is it possible this may just be dirt that was blown in from the filter afterall? I will also do a OCLT tonight.

Just trying to help in case it matters, but a sand filter is intended to backwash until the water is clean, and then run it for a short time on “rinse”, which cleans out the pipes a bit so backwash junk doesn’t get blown back into the pool. Maybe you meant “rinse” and not “waste” but thought it best to make sure.

 

[Mdragger88]

As poolstored mentioned most people just have regular algae- surprisingly it comes in many colors.
The hallmark of mustard algae is its propensity to grow on walls & in shady areas & it’s color because of the beta carotene it has.
Regardless of whether it’s ma or regular algae the first & main part of the prescription is the
SLAM Process
then after full completion of normal slam if it was suspected to be MA you can do the MA protocols listed in this article as insurance to seal the deal.

Mustard Algae

Today We are going to show you how you can get rid of mustard algae in your pool. By following the steps in this guide and with no expensive chemicals.

www.google.com

You can post a pic of your light for guidance on removing it.
Same with the drain covers.

 

[C&HSewell]

Just trying to help in case it matters, but a sand filter is intended to backwash until the water is clean, and then run it for a short time on “rinse”, which cleans out the pipes a bit so backwash junk doesn’t get blown back into the pool. Maybe you meant “rinse” and not “waste” but thought it best to make sure.

Thanks for this because it is very well possible I missed the rinse step the last time I backwashed.

I do have another question about manually vaccuming. I have two skimmers and when I diver the multiport valve to focus on the skimmers with the hose secured into one, it seems most of the suction is really flowing through the opposite skimmer and there really isnt a good pull through the vaccum head. Can I block the opposite skimmer drain while the tubing is attached to the one with the vaccum?

 

[C&HSewell]

Went out and got my LC supply for another SLAM and feel good about removing the light and drain covers. But I have another quesiton for the TFP Guru's. I know it is recommended to SLAM with a CYA of 30, but is it still safe to do it with a higher CYA?

 

[PoolStored]

Sure. Shouldn't be a problem with CYA 50.

 

[C&HSewell]

Sure. Shouldn't be a problem with CYA 50.

what about higher than that??

 

[PoolStored]

Your logs say 50. How high?

 

[C&HSewell]

Your logs say 50. How high?

70

 

[PoolStored]

70 is about the last semi-doable level. It is hard. I wouldn't do it at 80 or 90, I would attempt at 70...

 

[C&HSewell]

70 is about the last semi-doable level. It is hard. I wouldn't do it at 80 or 90, I would attempt at 70...

What makes it hard, the amount of LC needed or the hazard to any swimmer or equipment?? Sorry if this was a dumb question. Im just trying to avoid a water exchange.

 

[PoolStored]

No hazard to people or equipment up to SLAM level for your CYA.

Takes a bunch of patience, frequency, lots of LC.

 

[C&HSewell]

No hazard to people or equipment up to SLAM level for your CYA.

Takes a bunch of patience, frequency, lots of LC.

gotcha...I've got 12 gallons!!! lol

Seriosuly, I appreciate the guidance.