is it pollen or mustard algae???

[midtngal]

Well, this apparently is my summer to have problems!! I've had perfect water for the better part of 6 years now. But, now, after 10 days to 2 weeks of no rain, we finally had a major rain storm and my pool came out looking like this.....

It's very cloudy and there is yellow "stuff" on the bottom all over the place! I want to think it's pollen since there is a line of 100+ ft. white pine trees next to my property. I vacuumed and backwashed yesterday but it did not help. In the past pollen has accumulated in the skimmer socks as a brown muck, but there's none of that in there now. Here's a little better pic of it....

7/31 #'s...

pH - 7.4
FC - 3.5
CC - .5 (has NEVER been over this... ever...even now)
TA - 80
CYA - 90

added 97 oz bleach

8/8 #'s..... (this is when I figured out that something was up with my SWG...)
pH - 7.5
FC - 3
CC - .5
TA - 70

Added 121 oz bleach (this is when the yellow stuff showed up and I thought it might be MA)

8/10 #'s......
pH - 8.0
FC - 15.5
CC - .5
TA - 90
CYA - 100

I added another 121 oz jug of bleach & 24 oz muriatic acid at around 6:30 pm. At 12:30 am, my FC was 20.

At around 11 am today, my FC was 25.5 and CC's were .5. This afternoon @ 4:30 my #'s were....
pH - 7.5
FC - 20.5
CC - .5
TA - 70
CYA - 90

None of this stuff appears to be on the sides of the pool, which I have read to be an indicator of MA...only the bottom. To add to this, I am leaving Sat for a week vacation. In the past, I have just loaded up the chlorine and turned everything off. My luck is that something would go very bad if I were to leave it all running. I have never had a problem with this. I've always come home to clear water. Am in for a big mess when I get back? If this is MA, is there anything that will work quickly? Is there any kind of test I can perform that will tell me pollen or MA?

Grrr...thanks for your help!
Karen

 

[Abigail K]

8/10 #'s......
pH - 8.0
FC - 15.5
CC - .5
TA - 90
CYA - 100

I added another 121 oz jug of bleach & 24 oz muriatic acid at around 6:30 pm. At 12:30 am, my FC was 20.

At around 11 am today, my FC was 25.5 and CC's were .5. This afternoon @ 4:30 my #'s were....
pH - 7.5
FC - 20.5
CC - .5
TA - 70
CYA - 90

pH reads artificially high when FC>10, very likely your pH was actually in range on 8/10, and your pH is too low currently.
I recommend letting the FC drift down, re-testing and adjusting the pH when the FC is below 10.

Is the SWG currently working?

Algae only on the bottom of pool is indicative of normal algae. Mustard grows only on shaded areas of the pool, including walls.
You could run an OCLT to see if you have any organics.

 

[PAGirl]

Guessing it could be algae, as your FC seems like it was lower than it should be for your CYA level for more than one test.

 

[midtngal]

Is the SWG currently working?

You could run an OCLT to see if you have any organics.

Hi Abigail! No, the SWG is not operating right now. The MOV went out on the motherboard. I have ordered the part but will not be able to do anything with it until I return from vacation.

I did an OCLT test yesterday...although not quite before sunrise when I took the reading and it was higher than when I took it the night before! I will do one tonight/tomorrow that gets that reading before the sun hits the pool. It's in full sun for most of the day, with the deep end starting to get shade around 2 pm.

It's not looking any worse this morning...if that's an indicator one way or another.

 

[midtngal]

I just took a reading and my FC is 19 and my CC is .5. I realize this is not exactly an OCLT, but I think I can still say that the FC is holding on as it should considering yesterday it was 20.5 (2.0 being normal loss). I'm going to go get a better vacuum head and vacuum again and see if that improves things. The water looks a teensy bit better today but still plenty of stuff on the bottom.

 

[midtngal]

I'm now back from vacation. I did leave the pump off and added another 121 oz of bleach before I left. The pool was pretty clear when I got back! So, on Sunday I vacuumed real good, walls included. My readings on Sunday...

pH 7.3
FC 13.5
CC .5
TA 70
CYA 90

On Monday I noticed more brown stuff in places on the bottom, so I guess at this point I have to acknowledge that yes, it is indeed mustard algae. I added another 121 oz of bleach last night. I looked out this morning and still more brown stuff on the bottom and the pool is still a little cloudy. How do I get rid of this stuff for good??? My chlorine is holding and my CC's have never been over .5 but yet I still continue to have this stuff! When I vacuum, does this just end up coming right back into the pool via the filter? I have skimmer socks on both skimmers as well as the pump basket. I used the basket with the skimmer sock when I vacuumed in order to catch this. With Labor Day weekend coming up, I need this to go away! Any advice?

Thanks!

 

[Abigail K]

Brown stuff on the bottom indicates it isn't true mustard algae. Mustard algae grows on the floor and walls in the shaded areas of the pool.
Have you tried doing a deep clean of your sand filter?

In any case, cloudy water is indicative of a need to SLAM.

 

[midtngal]

Brown stuff on the bottom indicates it isn't true mustard algae. Mustard algae grows on the floor and walls in the shaded areas of the pool.
Have you tried doing a deep clean of your sand filter?

In any case, cloudy water is indicative of a need to SLAM.

Thanks a bunch Abigail! I had determined that I should SLAM and vacuum some more. I was thinking maybe the brown stuff could be dead algae, but maybe it's not. I hope it's not a health issue too...I vacuumed while IN the pool!

I haven't seen this deep clean process before but will definitely do it! It hasn't been cleaned since I built the pool 6 years ago! I've backwashed and done the filter cleaner solution before closing but that's the extent of it.

Thanks for your help!

 

[midtngal]

I have a question...just to verify that I'm right. This is my filter setup...

In the video on deep cleaning the filter, he went through the multi-valve. I don't have to do that, right? I just need to take the top of the filter off...correct? As I type this, it's kind of a "well, DUH" moment but I sure don't want to screw this up...that would be my world!

Thanks!

 

[Abigail K]

You just need to go through the top of the filter, correct.
For most filters, the multi-valve is on top (thus he went through the valve).

 

[midtngal]

Great! Thanks Abigail! Just wanted to make sure!

 

[midtngal]

Okay....so I've opened the filter and this is what I see..

What is this thing and can it be screwed out or what?

Also, it doesn't look very full of sand....

The sand really doesn't look that bad for 6 years. Only a little but of scum. Probably could use stirring up as it looks like it's channeled on one side.

Thank you for your help!

 

[Abigail K]

The deep clean process would help to re-distribute the sand.

My knowledge about sand filters has been exhausted, someone else would be able to answer your other question.

 

[midtngal]

Yeah, I'm planning to deep clean it once I find out what this contraption on top is. I don't want to mess with it until I know how to pull it out so I can get to the sand. I'd also be curious if anyone knows how deep the sand should be. In the videos I watched it looked like the filter was about 2/3 or 3/4 full. Mine is maybe half...wouldn't doubt that to be a short-cut on the PB part!

Thanks for your help Abigail! Anyone know the answers to my questions?? :???:

 

[Abigail K]

Bump

 

[midtngal]

Thanks Abigail! I just went ahead and started a different thread in Equipment since it wasn't really dealing with algae anymore! I appreciate ya taking care of me though!