Stuff in the bottom of my pool

[T-Boy]

Split off of this topic. JasonLion

I have the same problem and came across this forum out of frustration with my local pool shop. I have continued to dump $ buying Algacide(chlor. & cooper based), Ultra Super Shock, & Phos free with no improvement It's still there and my chlorine level is still 0. I did notice that in my skimmer there is a substance floating on top of the water(?) and a oily residue (darkish color) at the water line in skimmer, any ideas? Hear lots of talk about pollen, does pollen effect Chlorine levels?

 

[poolgirl22]

I would say that is an accurate description of my skimmer as well...do you ever get what you see in the following photo in your skimmer as well???

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Oh, I don't know WHAT that is....
I don't have anything that looks like that.

 

[Johnny B]

Split off of this topic. JasonLion

I have the same problem and came across this forum out of frustration with my local pool shop. I have continued to dump $ buying Algacide(chlor. & cooper based), Ultra Super Shock, & Phos free with no improvement It's still there and my chlorine level is still 0. I did notice that in my skimmer there is a substance floating on top of the water(?) and a oily residue (darkish color) at the water line in skimmer, any ideas? Hear lots of talk about pollen, does pollen effect Chlorine levels?

If your Cl level is still 0 then that is an issue to start with along with pH- what is your pH?. You no doubt read about the tests you need to get so others can help you? And the test kit that you need?

"oily" is odd but if its just in teh skimmer then perhaps some o-ring lube or something.

Pollen is "organics" which helps breed/feed the stuff you don't want & which you eliminate w chlorine, so there is a link so to speak

 

[poolgirl22]

Oh, I don't know WHAT that is....
I don't have anything that looks like that.

I couldn't resist posting it again when I read the OP description. I don't have THAT anymore..just a little oily type thing like OP said and a little ring around the surface in the skimmer.

Obviously, my FC isn't 0 so we aren't really in the same boat, but it struck me when I read his post.

 

[T-Boy]

O.K. I got in my TF-100XL test kit and here is the numbers:
FC 8
CC 1
TC 5 (?highest OTO reading)
Ph 7.5
TA 110
CH 200
CYA 40
Temp ? around 85 degrees

Quick re-cap of what I have done sence last post 1 week ago.

I took a sample to pool store because all I had was Hth test strips until I got my real test kit in yesterday. Anyway I basically had the same reading as above except that my Chlorine reading was 0.6ppm. I was told that what I was seeing in the bottom of my pool was mustard algae(see other post pictures)? It looked just like sand, but was not gritty and if you brushed it it puffed like a cloud.

After reading a lot of other post and going to "pool school" I realized that I needed to act fast. So Saturday morning I headed to the store to buy some jugs of 6% Chlorine bleach. I punched in my numbers in the pool calculator and it said to add 2 1/2 galloons to bring FC up to a 27 ppm target (mustard shock treatment). All I had was test strips that only read 20ppm so I had to use them as a gauge.

Sunday I added 2 more galloons of Chlorine. I was still reading at least 20ppm that night.

Monday water was cloudy but the sand looking stuff looked like "cotton candy" so I was told by the pool store to vacuum to waste and run Filter cleaner through the pump. That evening Chlorine was still reading @ 10ppm and floor was clean even though water was cloudy.

Tuesday a little clearer but not much change.

Wednesday got in TF-100 kit and went to test water and you guessed it the sand stuff was back. I went ahead and checked the numbers (see above) and headed back to the store for more bleach.

I plan on starting the shock treatment again Friday(6-17-10) night so if someone can offer me a quick run down of everything that I need to do from correct reading I need to take, how often to check them, how long to maintain what levels, when to vacuum, and anything else that may be helpful.

Another ? if I may, I have been reading about added Borates to pool, can I do that before I get this problem cleared up or should I wait? and if so when should I do the treatment?

 

[Bama Rambler]

Here's a quick lesson. FC + CC = TC so there's no need to use the chlorine side of the K-1000 block. Just add you FC and CC together.

A CC of 1 is a good indicator that you need to shock. The proper way to shock is to add enough chlorine to bring the FC to shock level for your CYA and then test and add more every hour or as often as you can. That makes the process go much faster than once a day additions.

You maintain shock levels until:

1. You lose 1ppm or less FC overnight.[/*:m:xdmj8yh8]
2. You have .5ppm CC's or less.[/*:m:xdmj8yh8]
3. Your water is clear if you don't have a FAS-DPD kit[/*:m:xdmj8yh8]

The last item doesn't apply to you as you have the Mac-Daddy of all kits! :-D

I'd shock it for a couple of days as often as you can before you run the overnight chlorine loss test.

Personally I'd wait till I finished shocking and got the levels correct before addig Borates. Of course I don't have Borates so take that with a grain of salt.

 

[duraleigh]

I'm with bama on the borates. They are an option and, really, will only confuse the issue until you get your water cleared up.

 

[T-Boy]

Thanks for the CC lesson and advice.

Do this stuff sound like mustard algae to you guys or am I dealing with something else?
Do I start the shocking process tonight or should I wait until tomorrow morning so I can monitor more closely?
When should I vacuum?
I had already purchased clarifier and 2 different type of algaecide (60% and a cooper based Mustard type) should I use any of these?

Thanks for all your help!!

P.S. thanks for the Borate advice, I had to ask because my pool store was trying to sell me their produced saying that it would help me keep the chlorine levels from depleting as fast and help hold my other levels stable?

 

[Bama Rambler]

It sounds like just green algae.

I would start tonight. The sooner you get started the sooner you'll be finished.

You can vacuum anytime but whenever anything is falling to the floor I'd vacuum it up. It'll help with circulation and clearing the pool.

Don't use any of them right now. I'd take them back if you can. The only thing you might possibly need is the clarifier and you won't need that until you are completely done shocking if at all.

 

[T-Boy]

O.K. here are the numbers before I started the mustard algae shock last night.

FC 3.5
CC 1
Ph 7.5
TA 100
CH 200
CYA 40

Water acually looked pretty clear besides the stuff on the bottom.

Friday 7:30 I added 2 1/2 galloon of bleach to pool. I brushed the side, bottom and acually pulled the ladder out so that I could scrub it down real good with bleach.

Friday 10:30 I checked my chlorine again before going to bed and got FC 35 (not sure why so high because I used the recommended amount) and CC 1.

Saturday 8:30a.m. FC 30 (drop of 5) CC 0 Water is clear beside stuff back on the bottom, so I brushed again.

Question ? should I be checking all my numbers during this high shock period or just the FC and CC?

 

[Bama Rambler]

Just FC & CC during shock.

 

[esim13]

Can you post a pic of the stuff on the bottom?

OOPS!! Saw it the other post.

 

[T-Boy]

O.K. guys here is another update and question.

I have been doing the Mustard Algae shock since Friday night. The water is clear, I have .5 CC, and it seems like the sandlike stuff on the pool bottom is vacuuming to waste vs. puffing up into a cloud whenever I get close to it(like it was doing on Friday) so hopefully that's a good sign.

Anyway I still had a 3ppm FC drop this morning so I will still try to maintain at least the 24 FC target level that is called for in "pool calc" but I have a family that is getting really bummed about not being able to get in the pool. I have read a lot this morning trying to figure out if they can get in which seems to be a big topic with a wide spectrum of answer. So can anyone tell me what the FC level need to be before they can get in and also should I keep them out until I can get the overnight drop to 1ppm?

 

[JasonLion]

If you are still having an overnight FC loss, I wouldn't swim. Apart from that, you can swim when your FC level is below shock level for your CYA level.

 

[T-Boy]

Thanks Jason, just to clarify would that be the 15 FC for regular shock or 24 FC for Mustard shock? Also I was able to babysit the pool both Saturday and Sunday to make sure FC didn't get below the 24 target value but I'm only able to check it now in the morning and afternoon. So what would be your recommendation for how to keep that target level above 24 during the day? can I just add a little extra in the morning and if so how much higher should I go?

 

[JasonLion]

Below regular shock level for swimming.

Don't raise FC above the mustard algae shock level.

Towards the end of shocking, which is where you are, it isn't necessary or even really worth it to maintain shock level during the day. During the day you will be losing much more of your chlorine to sunlight than algae. You can go up to mustard algae shock level in the morning and then wait till early evening to raise FC again.

 

[T-Boy]

So it will be o.k. if it drop down below that target value? I gathered from reading all the other post that it was critical to try to maintain that target value. So if my CYA is 40 and my target is 24 FC how much drop during the day would be acceptable?

Another question, I am a little confused about is my CC reading. Does it make sence that it reads 0 or .5 at afternoon or even night reading and 1 in the morning if I am keeping my shock level at 24?

 

[JasonLion]

Keeping FC up as close to shock level as possible is important when you start shocking, but towards the end it doesn't make nearly as much difference.

Yes, your CC levels sound normal. Sunlight helps destroy CC, so it makes sense that the CC levels are higher at night.

 

[T-Boy]

Quick update.

Last night marked the 4th night of maintaining my mustard shock level and this morning to my surprise I had less than a 1ppm FC drop and .5CC. Hurry!!!!! Finally! I do still have a small amount of stuff still accumulating on the bottom that I'm not too sure about. Is that normal? I am still vacuuming it to waste in the a.m. and p.m. and brushing the walls evening though the stuff looks to be just on the bottom.

I am going to check my FC drop again tonight just to make sure it's holding steady because I'm a little nervous about the stuff that keeps coming back on the bottom. Why oh why will it not just go away!!

If the FC drop test looks o.k. again tonight would it be safe to stop the Mustard shocking process even if I'm still getting stuff on the bottom of the pool?