Is this Algae?

[joesc230]

Hi,

So I'm a month into my new pool and I have some brown looking stuff at the bottom all of a sudden. I couldn't brush it off, so I'm thinking it's algae. Here's a picture:

Am I right? I tested my pH and Cl this morning and the Cl was low (probably around 0.9) so I added bleach immediately (trying to get it over a 2). The pH was around 7.7, so I added muriatic acid (trying to get it down to 7.4). FYI - my SWG hasn't been started yet.

Any advise on what I should do?

Thanks!

 

[joesc230]

By the way, not sure if this matters...I'm in NJ and the weather has been getting colder (around 70...but some days are still hitting 80). I haven't had my heater on continuously. I was planning to close the pool mid-October, as I'd be using the heater whenever we want to swim, but not running it continuously. Can this contribute to algae growth?

I was thinking to keep the pool open until then, to that I can keep treating the water for a while (since it's a new pool and I was thinking that the plaster is still curing somewhat.

 

[jblizzle]

If it won't brush off, I would doubt algae. Looks like rust stains to me. Put a vitamin C tablet on it for a minute or so and see if it lightens or disappears.

Any girls leave a hair tie with a metal band on it in the pool?

What is your CYA? That is what determines you required FC level ... 2 might be too low. See the FC/CYA Chart for the non-SWG levels (since you are not running it yet).

 

[joesc230]

My CYA is around 28 now. It had been at 20 and I knew that I had to increase it, so I put a bunch in a few days ago. I know that I have to wait longer for it all to register, so I'm hoping I hit 40 in a few days from now. Meanwhile, my FC is definitely low so I'll increase that.

I have to get a vitamin C tablet - don't have that right now. I'm not sure how we'll I'll be able to rub it though, as the staining is in a deeper part of the pool. Any tips on how to do this in a deeper area?

 

[joesc230]

I got some vitamin C tablets, and I was able to swim down there and rub one of the spots. It definitely got lighter, so the stains are from metal.

 

[joesc230]

So the vitamin C working means I have an iron problem, right? Does anyone have advice as to what's the best way to fix this issue if I just few a few spots?

I see how to do an abscorbic acid treatment, but it's just a few spots, so I'd rather avoid having to do an entire pool treatment.

 

[pabeader]

Crush the vitamin c and place in a sock. Either rub it on the spots or use your pole to hold it there for a few minutes. Move it around a little. The spots should disappear like magic. Since it's only a few, and appear to be from 'something' I would not worry about sequestering at this point.

 

[jblizzle]

Just set the tablet on the stain and let it dissolve.

To have spots like that likely means that something metallic was sitting on the bottom, not a problem in the bulk of the water.

 

[joesc230]

I got rid of all the spots by rubbing them all with vitamin c tablets and letting the sock filled with tablets sit on some of them for a while. Should I do anything to prevent a recurrence? Or just wait and see?

 

[jblizzle]

Wait and see.

 

[Ale_Brewer]

I tried the vitamin C trick with a few spots of staining I have when someone decided to throw a mini hacksaw blade over my fence and into the pool during the winter and I couldn't get it out. Of course the robot kicked it around a bit so there are several spots it sat in. So I know for a fact that these are metal stains, but I can't get them to lighten up at all.

 

[pabeader]

Crushed vitamin C in a sock? Didn't work? WOW! I would have bet money that it would have. Try holding a puck on it for a few mins. Really, those are the two best ways to tell what you got.

 

[Catanzaro]

Joe:

Do you have any trees that drop anything into the pool? During the summer (now of course nuts are falling from the sky), I had small brown things that dropped from the tree and if left on the steps (white steps) more than a few days, a stain would appear. Considering you have concrete, is it possible something from a nearby tree is dropping something in the pool. Try the methods explained in the previous post to see if you can remove the stain. They drop and bounce almost 25' out. Pool cover is on.



The stains looked very similar to yours, like there was a streak. Chances are that the object moved slightly causing the streaking.

 

[joesc230]

Catanzaro: Yes, I have a few trees nearby that are dropping stuff in the pool. Thanks for pointing that out.

- - - - - - - -

So it's been 4 days and I'm seeing a few new spots. The original ones are still gone. The new spots are in totally different area of the pool.

Am I correct in thinking that I just need to add more sequestrant to the pool to solve this? (to keep the iron suspended) If yes, would the Blue Stuff be a good option?

Also - am I making matters worse by keeping the pool open as it's getting colder and leaves and dirt are falling in daily? I'm cleaning it as much as possible, but wasn't planning on closing until 10/15. I was trying to keep the pool open and keep treating the water, since the pool has only been running for 5 weeks or so. I wasn't sure if closing it so soon after first starting it up would lead to issues. (for example, if the plaster is still curing and still needs the water treated, rather than covering it and waiting until spring)

 

[duraleigh]

I like the idea of keeping the pool open as long as possible. With NO precise scientific data to back me up, it is simply my opinion that the more time you give your pool to "settle down", the happier you will be when you open in the Spring.

 

[Catanzaro]

So it's been 4 days and I'm seeing a few new spots. The original ones are still gone. The new spots are in totally different area of the pool.

Simple thought! Cover the pool up after removing all the stains as you did previously. Keep running pool as normal for a few hours. Wait a couple of days (last test was 4 days), to see if any more spots or stains show up with the pool covered. If they do, then you can eliminate any outside elements causing this issue. If they do not, then something from the outside is doing this. I do not know what type of cover you have, but if a safety cover, then you can anchor every other one, or only ones to secure the cover. Simple process of elimination.

 

[skimmerswimmer]

They look like acorn stains to me...I put a puck on them for 20 min and they disappear.