I now think its Mustard Algae

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tina12

0
Jul 9, 2007
23
Kentucky
I have been on the forum learning alot and with all the information I have found, I think I have Mustard Algae. I have been fighting this for about 3 weeks to a month now and still the same thing. I can get the pool water somewhat clear but not sparkling clear like it was. This is my first year with a pool and am really getting frustrated. I order the TF test kit and thought, once I get my correct number I will get it all worked out. Have been shocking the heck out of my pool. Have maintained FC at 20 to 25 ppm for the last 4 days and before that it stayed 15-18. The FC also holds overnight and has been for about 2 weeks now, but every evening when I get home its the same. I can see the bottom of the pool but there is a layer of "dust" on the bottom. When you brush it, it looks like a cloud of dust that disappears and the pool is cloudy. I get on hear everyday to find out if there is something different I can do. Here are my number.

FC 24
TC 24
PH 7.5
TA 140
CYA 50

So from what I have read on different post is, if it is mustard algae, I need to get my FC at 29 and keep it there for 24 hours. I also read to try polyquat 60, that could help and something called flox "I think" to help filter it out. I backwash every evening to what seems to be clear, but do it anyway, we have a skimmer sock, which sometimes has a greenish tint to it. Please someone tell me what I need to do to get this under control.
 
Tina,
Have you tried vaccuuming the pool instead of brushing ? People will tell you on here algea is not going to go away over night and patience patience patience is needed. You should be backwashing a couple times a day if you can. It sounds like the stuff your seeing is dead algea.But nothing beats a good vaccuum ! Someone may have other suggestions ......
 
Why do you say that you think it is mustard algae? What you describe sounds very much like dust or pollen. With the FC levels you have been maintaining and no FC loss overnight it is very unlikely it is mustard algae. Persistent mustard algae will go away when FC is that high, only to return when you allow FC to fall back to normal levels, which isn't what you are describing.

A floc treatment will help any suspended dust to settle to the bottom. I don't think you need that as it seems to settle to the bottom on it's own fairly well. It sounds more like you need a couple of days of slow careful vacuuming so it can get caught in the filter and not go right back into the water.
 
Yes, I vacuum daily & brush also. After I vacuum and go to clean out the skimmer sock, there are a few leaves but usually nothing. I also backwash, daily and the water may have a faint color to it, but its pretty clear.
 
To answer Jason Lion, the reason I think that its mustard algae, did a search on the internet, found a picture that showed what it looked like on stairs and it looks exactly the same. I had put my solar cover on for a couple of days, taking it off to vacuum and putting it back on. I'm thinking if its dust or pollen then the solar cover would catch it.
 
It can be very very difficult to tell some kinds of dust/pollen apart from mustard algae. Mustard algae sometimes grows on the walls of the pool on the shaded side. If it is doing that then it is algae for sure, but if it doesn't then you can't conclude anything. Mustard algae tends to feel slimy, while dust algae tends to feel more granualar. But it is often very difficult to get a sample large enough to tell. Mustard algae will almost always go away after a day or two at shock level, but come back again if you haven't brought FC up the special higher levels for mustard algae (and sometimes not even then). Dust pollen will normally go away if you cover the pool. But sometimes there can be enough in suspension to confuse the issue for many days.

You might as well try shocking to 29 or 30, since you are nearly there anyway. But I suspect that this is some kind of very fine dust that your filter is having trouble getting out of the water. You might try either a clarifier or adding a little DE to your filter. Either one should improve the filtering enough to get fne particles out of the water.
 
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