Soaking Alge-Covered Equipment in Bath Tub

[Jaywalker]

I just finished a shock for mustard algae two days ago and the FC has dropped to 11.0 ppm. When getting ready to vacuum I realized the hose and suction head had not been treated and in fact were green. I'm trying to remedy that now by soaking the hose and head in the bath tub but I'm having problems.

It's a normal bath tub, 40 gallons or so, and I sunk the hose. I added 4 oz 6% clorox and could get no FC reading at all - completely clear in the 10 ml tester. I then added 8 oz, then 16 oz, then 40 oz, testing after each and could still get no reading - completely clear. At this point I'm running out of clorox and the bath water is nice and green.

I do have some left over diclor packs from several years ago before learning why not to use them in the pool, so I added a half ounce or so, then a little more, but still no reading in the FAS test beaker.

Does diclor take a while to become chlorine? it's been about an hour and it seems strange I can't get a red color in the beaker - 62 ounces of clorox and about an ounce of diclor. I'm beginning to suspect a protocol problem...

Thanks.

 

[SebringDon]

According to Pool Calculator, adding 4 oz of 6% bleach to 40 gals of water gives you an FC of 48. You've probably blown the test system's mind.

 

[Jaywalker]

Yeah, the pool calc was why I added 4 oz at first, but nothing showed. I assumed the algae was eating it, but since I posted I realized I was probably bleaching out/overpowering the reagent. I've diluted the water twice and will continue to until I get a reading. Thanks.

 

[y_not]

Just use your OTO tester. At FC levels that high, it'll be a nice ultra dark brown. It may even turn into floating red/brown globs in clear water. But OTO is awesome for super high FC level ballparks and for telling you when you have CL at really low levels <2ppm or so. As it always turns yellow and you can see it, where as FAS-DPD is super hard to see at those low FC levels, if at all.

A 40gal tub would be 0.2oz/5ml to reach desired mustard shock level of nearly 2ppm.
Remember, there's no CYA in tap water, hence none in your bath tub. So the FC levels required are much, much, much lower!!

You've probably blown the test system's mind.

OK, that is just EPICALLY FUNNY!!!

 

[Jaywalker]

Well, of course, after I added diclor, there was some cya. Before I added the diclor, I figure I had about an 820 ppm of chlorine, so I expect the algae's dead, though without a pump/filter the chlorophyll stayed suspended in the tub water. So, maybe I had a 900+ PPM. There might have been a little overkill here... I suspect that would rust wood.

 

[y_not]

Oops, forgot you added di-chlor.
Chaaa, don't stick your hand in there, might melt it!

So is the equipment clean?

 

[Jaywalker]

I hope so. I used it to vacuum the pool yesterday. The corrosion on the metal fittings on the vacuum head is great enough that I'll be replacing it, most likely, but at that concentration of chlorine, that's not surprising.

Funny thing was I wouldn't have remembered to do the hose and vacuum head, except that the large plastic bin in which I store them (and the pool chemicals) appeared green with algae when I went to get it. I chlorine-washed down the chemical bottles, too.

The funny thing was the algae inside the dark, closed plastic bin. Mildew I'd understand, but green algae? I thought it needed sunlight for the chlorophyll. Algae's the simplest explanation, though, so I went with the solution to that, but I'm keeping an open mind about there being some find of chemical reaction, too. (I don't keep caustic household chemicals under the part of the kitchen sink where the garbage disposal and metal fittings are, either...)

Edited to add: It probably wasn't algae at all. My daughter the veterinarian suggested it was iron chloride, which appears yellow or green, depending upon viewing angle.