Dirt looking stuff

[NicInNC]

We've been enjoying the pool, but I notice that there is dirt-looking stuff on the bottom of the pool if I leave it for a couple days. When I brush it, it just fluffs away like dirt. Is it just dirt? Here is a picture:

Also, I bought some skimmer socks and they get NASTY. They get this yellowish, almost fabric feeling stuff in it and it smells real "bleachy".

 

[jjdurrant]

looks kind of light to be dirt.. have you added any granular chemicals recently?

 

[JasonLion]

My guess is pollen. It is the right time of year and it would account for both of your issues.

 

[Molson]

pollen. Or dandelion fluff

 

[AnnaK]

Cottonwood tree seeds, fluff from some other kind of tree the name of which I don't know. I've had a lot of it in both the skimmer sock and the PoolSkim mesh bag and it looks like boiled wool or wet felt. When it dries it looks almost white, like soggy white cardboard that's dried.

The season for this stuff is over here in eastern PA. Now we have wild cherry tree blossoms by the billions. When they get heavy enough they'll sink to the bottom and congregate in dips and wrinkles and look ugly. Because they tend to turn a yellowish-brown one might think the pool is infested with mustard algae. Not likely this early in the year. MA seems to be more of a late summer problem in most areas.

Springtime requires more vacuuming than any other time of the pool season just because Nature is busy propagating Her children.

 

[midtngal]

Yep, I vote pollen as well. I have succumbed to the fact that skimmer socks are critical for me with a full row of 100+ feet white pines right next to my property. Right now I'm cleaning them twice a day and could probably go for 3! What I have is exactly what you are describing...muck! I hope you're right Anna and this is only a temporary thing!

 

[AnnaK]

Temporary for the pollen and tree stuff, yes.

Then come the bugs. June bugs, Japanese beetles, flying ants which will be caught in the skimmers sometimes inches deep. Yuck! But at least they do make it into the skimmers, for the most part, rather than sinking and having to be scooped out or vacuumed up.

 

[reindeerboy]

Got to be pollen. I have dirt and thats much darker than what you are showing depending on what color of the dirt is in your area. In ours, I notice a ring in the skimmer and when I touch it it is clay dirt. You smell it and it smells like dirt, so that is how I figured out what I had.

 

[midtngal]

Anna..yea, we have bugs galore here as well. I'm already seeing a bunch of gnats in the skimmer. I have just received my order of Milky Spore for the Japanese Beetles. This is supposed to kill the grubs which are not only "mole food" but they are the larvae of Japanese Beetles. It gets into the soil and continues to grow for up to 20 years! I have a mole that won't go away so I'm hoping this does the trick!

 

[NicInNC]

Der. I never thought of pollen! We have a weeping willow tree that almost hangs over our pool and the pollen is horrible right now. (I just sneezed twice as I was typing! :lol: )

I'm glad I bought the skimmer socks because I see just how much stuff it's trapping.

Thanks everyone!

 

[johannafin]

Nic,

Where are you in NC? My pool bottom looks a lot like yours. My water is clear and my chlorine seems to hold so I was unsure. I vacuum and it comes back within a day or two. I was thinking it was algae as well. I do use a solar cover but it still comes back. Hmm, haven't been using skimmer socks. I think I have a few somewhere.

Johanna