Lingering algae issues.........

[.264 magnum]

I'm a noob please be gentle! Mods please move this post if you feel it should be elsewhere - thx.

Due to seemingly endless travel over the last year I hired a pool service. Long story short I fired them last Friday. While not overgrown by any means my pool has developed a persistent greenish algae in spots - seems to be killed and gone only to reemerge in about the same spots over and over - covering in total maybe 15% of the pool's surface, and probably algae stains/deposits. The last straw was these jokers had driven my CYA from 35/40 last fall to over 110 last week. In my pool things begin to go totally haywire at about CYA = 100, at CYA = 110 or more - nothing works properly.

I drained and refilled and am now trying to decide whether to jump on board with the TFP method managed by me or reverting back to managing my pool myself and using a local store for chems.

My worries about TFP....
1. I feel queasy keeping FC = ~7ppm.
2. I have a Taylor TF-100 test kit. However, not seeing reds very well I don't want to misread the pH side measurements.


Questions......
1. What's the consensous about chlorine metering devices like the Hasa Liquidator?
2. What are the chances a proper slamming will remove some of the staining I have?

I saw a guy review an pool that looked like HAZMAT sight with a full bottle of Yellowtrine, 8 or 10 bags of shock and more chlorine over the course of several days. It was amazing, garbage to Okay in a day, pretty nice in three days and perfect on the 4th.

So I'm either going to go the Yellowtrine route or if your fine people can talk me off the ledge I'll try the TFP route.

Right now (machine readings)......
FC - 9.84
TC - 9.84
CC - 0
ph - 7.5
TA - 107
CH - 211
CYA - 28
Copper - 0
Iron - 0
TDS - 500
Phosphates - 200

I'm going to re-test myself and take a sample into a place that does a good job and add those numbers in a bit.

Oh, we live in North Dallas Texas, I'll add that to my sig-line later.

Thanks,
Ed

 

[lefty51]

Well, I'm going to jump in here ahead of the real pros and say, please back away from the edge. I believe if you would do a proper SLAM you can avoid the toxic hazmat situation.
Right now your PH is good. Do a SLAM first and with your low CYA you should be able to get by with less bleach. I suggest reading the SLAM procedure again and get a handle on how to do it right.

Please read it from a comfortable chair and not setting on the ledge Hope that helps

 

[Donldson]

Yellowtrine is nothing but sodium bromide, it will just turn your pool in to a bromine pool. This helps clear the algae quickly in an overstabilized pool since bromine isn't buffered by CYA. But after it clears you are left with a bromine pool that has no protection from the sun and the bromine will just burn off every single day, greatly increasing the amount of chlorine you need to add. Typical pool industry shortsightedness, quick result in exchange for more difficult maintenance going forward. So no, I wouldn't really recommend using it.

Oh, and for the record keeping a bromine level of 2 is stronger than any recommended FC/CYA levels we suggest here. The route you are proposing would result in harsher swimming conditions than any of those "queasy" FC levels.

 

[JVTrain]

It's up to you whether or not you want to use TFP methods, but feel free to peruse the hundreds of green to clean threads using TFP methods for SLAMing the pool. What makes me nervous is throwing sodium bromide and powdered shock in my pool, which is only complicating the chemistry of the pool rather than keeping it simple with liquid chlorine and proper testing.

Liquidators make dosing with chlorine more convenient. They also add in a layer of monitoring flow and replacing tubing every so often but can make bleach chlorination less tedious. Since you have a flagstone decking material, a salt water chlorine generator might be risky. Flagstone is a soft stone and doesn't respond well to salt drying on the deck after splashouts.

If you have trouble seeing red colors for the pH testing, you could try out an electronic pH meter. I don't like recommending them due to added maintenance making sure they are kept calibrated (unlike color reagents) but in cases where color matching is a challenge, it might be an option.

If they are algae stains, a SLAM procedure combined with persistent brushing during the SLAM will likely fade or remove the stains, if they are organic based (algae). If the SLAM doesn't completely remove them, you can also hold a trichlor tablet against them for short periods and this may fade them further. Don't hold it for too long though as it could bleach your plaster as well.