mxfan said:
That should be 10 ml line for the Free Chlorine. 25 ml is for CH and TA.
Mustard algae? pollen? at wits end...help please!
- Thread starter mxfan
- Start date
That should be 10 ml line for the Free Chlorine. 25 ml is for CH and TA.
Here are my test #s from this morning:
FC 4.5 (was 5.5 last night) dropped 1 ppm in overnight test ( I normally keep it around 7-8)
CC 0
PH 7.7
TA 80
CH 270
CYA 40
temp 80
The water is sparkling
In fact it is so clear I can see a ton more details in it and I had forgotten how clear it can be.
I am actually able to see a few small (about the size of a dime) algae spots and brushed the heads off of a few of them. I found about 5 or so and will use a diving mask and see if there are more.
I still have the 'dust' issue, but I am going to be vacuuming more this weekend and hoping that it removes most of it.
Thank you for all of your replies.
I don't know exactly where to go from here to attack the 'dust' issue...so any ideas would be welcome.
thanks again.
...Eric
FC 4.5 (was 5.5 last night) dropped 1 ppm in overnight test ( I normally keep it around 7-8)
CC 0
PH 7.7
TA 80
CH 270
CYA 40
temp 80
The water is sparkling
In fact it is so clear I can see a ton more details in it and I had forgotten how clear it can be.
I am actually able to see a few small (about the size of a dime) algae spots and brushed the heads off of a few of them. I found about 5 or so and will use a diving mask and see if there are more.
I still have the 'dust' issue, but I am going to be vacuuming more this weekend and hoping that it removes most of it.
Thank you for all of your replies.
I don't know exactly where to go from here to attack the 'dust' issue...so any ideas would be welcome.
thanks again.
...Eric
Great new!
Follow up picture? We all like to see the finished product after all this work.
Follow up picture? We all like to see the finished product after all this work.
I have a question concerning the overnight FC test.
I read through how to do the test and all seems clear...except I was wondering if it matters if when you do the overnight test should you be filtering the water all night, or turn the filtering off?
thanks, and even though I am still fighting and trying to figure out the 'dust' on the walls issue :? I will post a few follow up pics soon.
thanks.
...Eric
I read through how to do the test and all seems clear...except I was wondering if it matters if when you do the overnight test should you be filtering the water all night, or turn the filtering off?
thanks, and even though I am still fighting and trying to figure out the 'dust' on the walls issue :? I will post a few follow up pics soon.
thanks.
...Eric
I say leave the filter running all nite.
1. You want the water circulating at least one hour before you test.
2. Do you really want to get up that early to turn the filter on before you test? (since you have to test BEFORE the sun hits the pool)
1. You want the water circulating at least one hour before you test.
2. Do you really want to get up that early to turn the filter on before you test? (since you have to test BEFORE the sun hits the pool)
Where do I go from here :?
First off the pool looks great...but, It still has the 'dust' issue when I brush the walls.
I did an overnight FC test last night (filter running all night) and I lost only .5
The water looks the best it has looked for a long time, but I still am fighting the 'dust'.
I brushed about 1/3 of the pool last night and it clouds up the entire pool, than this morning it looks crystal clear after the dust has settled again. I vacuumed the bottom also this morning (why not, I was up at 6:00 to check the FC)
The dust settles right back on the walls it seems. I brushed a part of the wall that I also brushed last night and it seemed to be about the same amount as when I brushed it last night?
I just want it gone! but don't know how to get rid of it...or what it even is?
My test #s from this morning are:
FC 4.5 ( I just added some liquid chlorine I usually keep it around 7-8)
TC 4.5
PH 7.8
TA 80
CH 270
CYA 50
I am adding about a half gallon a day of 12% chlorine the pool is using about 3 ppm daily (which is normal from what I have read here).
Since it seems that it is not mustard algae (based on only losing .5 overnight) does anyone have any suggestions about how to get the 'dust' out, or even if there is someplace to send a sample of the 'dust' to identify exactly what it is?
I am planning on taking a couple of pics today and will post later tonight. I am happy that the pool looks so good, don't get me wrong
But, I am still puzzled on the 'dust' issue.
thanks.
...Eric
First off the pool looks great...but, It still has the 'dust' issue when I brush the walls.
I did an overnight FC test last night (filter running all night) and I lost only .5
The water looks the best it has looked for a long time, but I still am fighting the 'dust'.
I brushed about 1/3 of the pool last night and it clouds up the entire pool, than this morning it looks crystal clear after the dust has settled again. I vacuumed the bottom also this morning (why not, I was up at 6:00 to check the FC)
The dust settles right back on the walls it seems. I brushed a part of the wall that I also brushed last night and it seemed to be about the same amount as when I brushed it last night?
I just want it gone! but don't know how to get rid of it...or what it even is?
My test #s from this morning are:
FC 4.5 ( I just added some liquid chlorine I usually keep it around 7-8)
TC 4.5
PH 7.8
TA 80
CH 270
CYA 50
I am adding about a half gallon a day of 12% chlorine the pool is using about 3 ppm daily (which is normal from what I have read here).
Since it seems that it is not mustard algae (based on only losing .5 overnight) does anyone have any suggestions about how to get the 'dust' out, or even if there is someplace to send a sample of the 'dust' to identify exactly what it is?
I am planning on taking a couple of pics today and will post later tonight. I am happy that the pool looks so good, don't get me wrong
But, I am still puzzled on the 'dust' issue.thanks.
...Eric
reebok
0
is it colored at all? if your CC's are 4.5 you have big issues, but I'm guessing it's a typo for TC? when I had yellow algae my water was clear too, unless you disturbed the bottom. pictures will be good. do it when it's clear and as you brush.
reebok,
My goof I meant TC.
Thanks for catching that!
I edited my post to read TC.
thanks!
...Eric
My goof I meant TC.
Thanks for catching that!
I edited my post to read TC.
thanks!
...Eric
It's not algae. You would be seeing more FC demand, during the day AND esp at night.
It may be just the chemistry was off before, was corrosive to the stone product and now that the numbers are better you need to give it time to stabilize.
I would brush each day as you have been doing, The more you keep it stirred up, the easier the filter will catch it as opposed to having it settle back on the wall. KWIM?
Having the "dust" analyzed is probably a good idea, no recommendation for that tho.
It may be just the chemistry was off before, was corrosive to the stone product and now that the numbers are better you need to give it time to stabilize.
I would brush each day as you have been doing, The more you keep it stirred up, the easier the filter will catch it as opposed to having it settle back on the wall. KWIM?
Having the "dust" analyzed is probably a good idea, no recommendation for that tho.
If you have a microscope, you can look at the dust particles. Dirt and plaster material is solid and usually jagged (not circular). Pollen is mostly solid looking and often has spikes. Algae is somewhat translucent, not jaggy, usually circular or rectangular in shape, sometimes in filaments. As for feel, dirt and plaster is gritty, pollen is squishy, algae is slimy, though that's obviously very subjective.
chem geek,
I tried to look at the particles under a microscope a week or so ago, but the microscope we have is a pretty low dollar one and the results were inconclusive. I may have to get an upgraded unit and check it again.
For now I am taking frustratedpoolmom's advice and just brush, brush, brush...
thanks.
...Eric
I tried to look at the particles under a microscope a week or so ago, but the microscope we have is a pretty low dollar one and the results were inconclusive. I may have to get an upgraded unit and check it again.
For now I am taking frustratedpoolmom's advice and just brush, brush, brush...
thanks.
...Eric
mxfan, we started having the dust last summer and thought it was MA. I would hand-vac the pool, but it was all going right back through the pool filter and back into the pool. After buying an Aquabot Turbo and using it all season so far, we're 100% convinced that what we have is pollen! Our Turbo has a self-contained filter bag that filters down to 2 microns. When we first started using it, the bag was really nasty. But now we hardly see anything in the pool and the Turbo bag is not bad at all. Plus, if you'll keep an eye on your water surface, you may see stuff floating. In our case, turns out the stuff floating is pollen.
Good luck in getting your issue resolved.
Good luck in getting your issue resolved.
Cherie,
Thank you for your info! Based on our overnight FC tests and a few other opinions, I don't think it is ma either. I think your right about it going right through the filter and back into the pool, that seems to be what ours is doing too. I will look into the aquabot turbo as a possible solution to our problem :?
thanks.
...Eric
Thank you for your info! Based on our overnight FC tests and a few other opinions, I don't think it is ma either. I think your right about it going right through the filter and back into the pool, that seems to be what ours is doing too. I will look into the aquabot turbo as a possible solution to our problem :?
thanks.
...Eric
I forgot to mention, our FC never dropped either. And there were several of us on the boards at around the same time last year, all trying to figure out if it was MA. I'm glad we got ours resolved and hope y'all do too. Lots of good swimming weather now! Although we had a really good, and much needed downpour today. Lots of free water for the pool too.
I'll bet though, that if you look at the top of your water just right, you'll see stuff floating on it - then next thing, it'll be the poofy stuff on the bottom! I haven't had the bot in for at least a week and sure enough, after noticing lots of stuff floating, over the last couple of days, our poofy stuff is on the bottom again, only not very much.
I'll bet though, that if you look at the top of your water just right, you'll see stuff floating on it - then next thing, it'll be the poofy stuff on the bottom! I haven't had the bot in for at least a week and sure enough, after noticing lots of stuff floating, over the last couple of days, our poofy stuff is on the bottom again, only not very much.