Is this regular algae? I keep slamming but can't seem to get rid of it!!

[Fedorable]

Hi there TFP'ers! This is my first summer following the TFP method, and though my pool has been much better, I still have some problems.

My pool seems to have algae. It has a "smattering" of dark green silt on the bottom though the water is clear. I don't have a good vacuum. That is on my wishlist. When I brush over it with my "vacuum", which is really just a hose connected to a brush end that diverts the debris through a tight mesh bag, the "stuff' just poofs and spreads throughout the water. I keep bringing my pool up to shock level (or maybe even overshooting that number...tell you why in a minute), brushing, running filter 24/7, backwashing, and adding more chlorine, but this stuff keeps hanging around. I haven't bothered doing a OCLT in a while because I still have visible "algae"?


Some questions...

1. I'm not shocking at mustard levels...could it be the dreaded mustard algae?
2. I chlorinate at night, but how much chlorine should I be adding during the daytime to keep chlorine levels up at shock level?
3. How long should it take to kill the algae???
4. Could this be pollen?

Here are this mornings readings after starting SLAM last night.

FC= 16
CC= .5
TA= 120
CYA= 30

I said I overshoot when I add the chlorine because though my pools capacity is supposed to be 7600 gallons, it has a bit less...not sure how much, but it's less because one leg really dug into the sand and sunk one side by a few inches.

5. Is it possible I'm totally reading my CYA wrong? I drop the solution into the tube until I cannot see the shape or shadow of the black dot at all...just cloudy white, but I have exceptional eyesight...someone else might stop dropping the solution in sooner and say they have a higher CYA number than I would.
6. What is the best light to do that test in? It seems to appear higher or lower due to more or less light?

Sorry for the barrage of questions...I'm hoping someone can shed some light on my problems! Thanks in advance!

 

[smforte]

That appears to be regular algae. You need to follow to SLAM process....which is Shock, level and MAINTAIN .....which is the key. Raise FC to recommended level based on your CYA. keep it there by regular testing every hour or so until you pass the OCLT.

Test cya with sun to your back, cylinder at waist level only holding with 2 fingers to prevent shadowing. I find if I pour to say 70, look at dot then pour to 60 ..etc in increments it's easier for me to tell when I don't see it.

 

[Fedorable]

Thank you smforte! Just retested and FC has fallen to 11.5 and CC is reading 0. I thought I read somewhere that if your CC is zero that you don't have a problem anymore? I've literally spent days pouring over all the information her on TFP, yet still have a problem putting it all together. I will follow your advice and bring it back up to shock level, and maintain it as best I can, but does falling below the shock value negate the work I've already done? Thanks again!

 

[max2k]

Thank you smforte! Just retested and FC has fallen to 11.5 and CC is reading 0. I thought I read somewhere that if your CC is zero that you don't have a problem anymore? I've literally spent days pouring over all the information her on TFP, yet still have a problem putting it all together. I will follow your advice and bring it back up to shock level, and maintain it as best I can, but does falling below the shock value negate the work I've already done? Thanks again!

you're done when FC doesn't fall more than 1 ppm overnight. Please make sure you're testing using one of the recognized test kits: K2006 / TF100 or the data on this site won't be relevant to you. It would help if you could add its name to your signature so nobody would be advising this again . If you're using 'guess strips' you won't be able to manage SLAM reliably, they're not accurate enough.

 

[Fedorable]

Thank you max2k...yes, I need to update my signature...been rocking the TF-100 since late May...first thing I did after finding this site!! ��

 

[max2k]

Thank you max2k...yes, I need to update my signature...been rocking the TF-100 since late May...first thing I did after finding this site!! ��

great, you got 'eyes' so you can see if you're passing OCLT, the official end of SLAM process. I found overnight FC drop test to be much more sensitive indicator of something going on than CC test. The only problem it takes whole night.

 

[smforte]

You've passed the slam when.....
1. Your water is clear
2. OCLT loss was 1 or less
3. CC is .5 or less