Already having an algae problem, need advice

[aggiefan83]

Hi, I'm new to the forum, so hopefully I provide enough info.

I became a first time pool owner last July, and have been doing my own pool upkeep since then. I tried switching to the BBB method last year, but buying all the bleach, and checking everyday wasn't for me. I did buy a TF-100 test kit though to do my own readings instead of relying on the pool store.

I'm back to using 3" pucks and 57.8% calcium hypochlorite shock.

My readings that I just took are:

FC - 6.5
TC - 6.5
pH - 7.5
T/A - 70
CH - 400
CYA - 70-80

I had algae building up last week, so I backwashed the filter and added new DE since it was a little over the 10lb pressure allowance, and I brushed down the whole pool, and added 3lbs of shock.

The next day, after running the filter for 24 hours, the pool was crystal clear. Now after just a week, it's back to having yellow looking algae on the walls, and even the floor.

I had this same problem last year, and did the same steps... brushed and shocked, and changed DE as needed. During the really hot months it seems like I was needing to change the DE almost weekly.

I'd like to know if one of my chemical readings is really out of whack, or what I can do to prevent the algae.

Thanks for the advice, and sorry for the long post.

 

[JasonLion]

Your CYA level is rather high (assuming you don't have a SWG). With CYA around 70 to 80 you should be keeping FC at 6 to 11, and never below 6. You are in that range now, but is it possible you drop below 6 regularly?

If you continue using pucks the CYA level is going to continue to go up, and soon you won't be able to manage the pool with that approach.

I recommend replacing water to get CYA down to between 40 and 50 and reconsidering your use of trichlor pucks.

We recommend backwashing the filter when the pressure goes up by 25% over the starting pressure. That is often quite a bit less than the 10 psi increase you refer to. Letting the filter pressure go too high greatly cuts down on water circulation and can lead to problems.

 

[duraleigh]

Howdy,

Even though we are North Carolinians, my son is a rising Junior in the Corps at A&M on an Air Force Scholarship. You would be hard pressed to find a more hard core Aggie than that young man.

It pains me to relay this to an aggie but you have to rethink using those puck and Cal Hypo.....you have to cut them out or at least cut them back. That's why you got algae last year and why you are guaranteed to get it again this year.

There are compromises but to be a BBB'r, you must learn when you can and can't use them and what your alternatives are.

Make that (hard) decision to, at least for now, swear off the pucks and Cal Hypo and we can keep you algae free and sanitary all summer.

 

[aggiefan83]

Your CYA level is rather high (assuming you don't have a SWG). With CYA around 70 to 80 you should be keeping FC at 6 to 11, and never below 6. You are in that range now, but is it possible you drop below 6 regularly?

If you continue using pucks the CYA level is going to continue to go up, and soon you won't be able to manage the pool with that approach.

I recommend replacing water to get CYA down to between 40 and 50 and reconsidering your use of trichlor pucks.

We recommend backwashing the filter when the pressure goes up by 25% over the starting pressure. That is often quite a bit less than the 10 psi increase you refer to. Letting the filter pressure go too high greatly cuts down on water circulation and can lead to problems.

I'd say yes my FC does drop below 6 regularly, but not since my last shock. Would this point to my algae problem being mustard algae?

My CYA has stayed the same from last summer until now, which I think could be due to evaporation, so water is replaced by rain or hose (is that crazy to think?).

And you're saying if my starting pressure is 10psi, I should backwash at 12.5psi? In the summer I think that'd mean I'd be backwashing a couple or few times a week? Would that be normal?

Thanks.

 

[aggiefan83]

Howdy,

Even though we are North Carolinians, my son is a rising Junior in the Corps at A&M on an Air Force Scholarship. You would be hard pressed to find a more hard core Aggie than that young man.

It pains me to relay this to an aggie but you have to rethink using those puck and Cal Hypo.....you have to cut them out or at least cut them back. That's why you got algae last year and why you are guaranteed to get it again this year.

There are compromises but to be a BBB'r, you must learn when you can and can't use them and what your alternatives are.

Make that (hard) decision to, at least for now, swear off the pucks and Cal Hypo and we can keep you algae free and sanitary all summer.

Howdy. Glad to hear of an out of state Aggie fan. Was he recruited to go there, or just hear about it? Just curious. I assume it had to do with A&M's military background.

What do you mean "cut them back" with regards to pucks and Cal Hypo? Do some people do a combination of BBB and pucks/cal hypo?

I don't like the pucks/cal hypo/pool store try to sell you everything, and I didn't like the straight BBB method because of having to check and adjust the pool everyday, so I'm definitely open to hearing if there's a compromise that some of y'all use.

Thanks and gig 'em.

 

[jblizzle]

Sounds to me that you have not followed the shock process ... it is not one time addition of some powder. Review shocking your pool article in pool school. You need to be holding your FC at a level well above 6 during the shock process until you are sure everything is dead by passing the 3 criteria.

Once everything is cleared out and you get ina routine, checking and adjusting your pool every few days is easy. Alternatively you could look into the SWG or liquid chlorine injection systems to help you out.

Posted with Tapatalk ... sorry if I sound short ... hate typing on phone