New to the TFP regimen. Long story short…used pool store for first season of ownership. Algae problems started this spring, so I used the whole bottle of Leslie's Copper Algaecide (2 treatments) per the pool store guy. I still had algae present, so he sold me Power Powder Plus and said to put 4/5 bags in. That night I found this site and learned about the CYA role in shock level. I added more of the powder (the calcium based one not dichlor…at least he didn't sell me that one!) to bring the pool to shock level using Pool Math.
During the last month, my filter pressure would rise immediately after each cleaning. (I now why, but I didn't at the time) We had some brown-gray slime on the filter cartridge folds that would not spray off during a clean between the addition of algaecide and the last "shock" with the Power Powder Plus. After doing a lot of reading that night, we cleaned the cartridge filters again the next day. We found them heavily coated in a light blue substance that almost looked like blue powdery salt/MSG between the folds. (Really hate that I didn't take a picture) After doing an acid soak on each cartridge, the water looked like we had dissolved a village of smurfs.
So, for the last few days, I've been reading about copper while I wait on my copper test kit to arrive. I was terrified about staining on my plaster since I added 0.72 pounds of copper with the algaecide. That seems like a lot of copper. This morning my water tested at 0.1ppm for copper. So, where did all the copper go? I was curious so I tested some water with some of the dried blue powder residue from the original soaking bucket. The test for copper went through the roof. So, the blue film on the filters did contain copper.
So, my question is this? Could the very dirty filter coated with dead algae slime have really trapped the copper from the algaecide and then the copper reacted with the high level of chlorine to form the light blue substance? Could this explain why my copper level is lower than I was expecting? Or is 0.72 pounds of copper really not a lot in a 22K gallon pool?
Just curious really…I'm finished with a successful SLAM (with bleach and TF-100 kit this time!), filter pressure is holding, and pool looks great! No more pool stores for me!
During the last month, my filter pressure would rise immediately after each cleaning. (I now why, but I didn't at the time) We had some brown-gray slime on the filter cartridge folds that would not spray off during a clean between the addition of algaecide and the last "shock" with the Power Powder Plus. After doing a lot of reading that night, we cleaned the cartridge filters again the next day. We found them heavily coated in a light blue substance that almost looked like blue powdery salt/MSG between the folds. (Really hate that I didn't take a picture) After doing an acid soak on each cartridge, the water looked like we had dissolved a village of smurfs.
So, for the last few days, I've been reading about copper while I wait on my copper test kit to arrive. I was terrified about staining on my plaster since I added 0.72 pounds of copper with the algaecide. That seems like a lot of copper. This morning my water tested at 0.1ppm for copper. So, where did all the copper go? I was curious so I tested some water with some of the dried blue powder residue from the original soaking bucket. The test for copper went through the roof. So, the blue film on the filters did contain copper.
So, my question is this? Could the very dirty filter coated with dead algae slime have really trapped the copper from the algaecide and then the copper reacted with the high level of chlorine to form the light blue substance? Could this explain why my copper level is lower than I was expecting? Or is 0.72 pounds of copper really not a lot in a 22K gallon pool?
Just curious really…I'm finished with a successful SLAM (with bleach and TF-100 kit this time!), filter pressure is holding, and pool looks great! No more pool stores for me!
