Colorless slimy film on pool walls and floor

[PoolMom24]

We just got our pool a month ago. The FC levels dropped to 0 the first week we had the pool. I didn't have a good test kit and didn't know what I was doing yet. There were no sign of any algae. Last week we noticed the walls and floors getting slimy, no color to the slime and the water is very clear. The only place that looked like it may be algae was the skimmer with a black ring and some greenish grayish bubbles. I did the slam process until I didn't lose any FC for 2 nights in a row. The pool had been losing 1 ppm a night prior to slamming. Everything seemed fine until a couple days ago and the slime returned. There is no FC loss overnight. I brought the pool to shock level last night and it held till this am. I can't find any other reason beside algae, for the slime but I don't have any other indications of algae and slamming the pool got rid of it once. I tried just brushing it but that didn't get rid of it.
My last full test was done on tue. morning:
6.5 FC
0 CC
7.5 pH
35-40 CYA
100 TA

I brought the FC up to 15 last night.
I'm wondering what the slime could be if it's not algae. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

I am doing the BBB method but used a about 5 trichlor pucks to help raise the CYA (they came with the pool so I figured I would use them)

 

[duraleigh]

Brushing and vacuuming.

Brush that slime off the surfaces and up into the chlorinated water. That should take care of it in 24 hours.

I would probably elevate the FC up around 10 ppm just before you brush.

Your FC held overnight because that slime provides it's own biofilm to protect it from the chlorine. You must break up that biofilm and let the chlorine do the rest. Vacuum as needed.

 

[BoDarville]

Welcome to TFP!

The FC levels dropped to 0 the first week we had the pool.

Whenever the FC drops to 0, that opens the door for organic contamination. Although you may not see it, you could have the early signs of algae or other organic contamination such as so-called "pink algae" which is not an algae but rather a bacterium of the genus Methylobacterium. The slime you are noticing is an early stage of both algae and "pink algae" and the slime tends to adhere to the walls & floor. If it is "pink algae", the slime will eventually turn pink and will appear on PVC plastics as well as the walls/floor of your pool. This can be tough to get rid of.

Since you have already completed the The SLAM Process, you may try elevating the FC as duraleigh suggested. You will also need to brush the pool at least daily (twice a day is even better) during this process - this is key. The slime is hard to get rid of as it is a protection mechanism for "pink algae" and many types of true algae. The brushing will expose the organism to the high chlorine levels and will eventually eradicate it.

If this process does not get rid of the slime after a couple of days or so, then I would start the SLAM process again. Remember, when doing this you must keep the chlorine elevated as outlined in that article - no short cuts.

 

[PoolMom24]

Thank you. I will hold the FC at 15 today and tonight brush twice today. I have wedding cake style stairs in the pool I didn't take them out the first time I slammed the pool I am guessing that is why it came back and I will need to remove them and clean them with bleach this time.

 

[PoolMom24]

Actually when my FC drops to 5 could I add polyquat 60 to avoid taking the stairs out and cleaning them? They are heavy and a pain to handle. Or maybe use one of the bioflim produts?

 

[BoDarville]

I have wedding cake style stairs in the pool I didn't take them out the first time I slammed the pool I am guessing that is why it came back and I will need to remove them and clean them with bleach this time.

Very likely what happened.

I would take the stairs out...sorry, I know it is a pain. But that is the best thing to do as algae tends to hide in areas of low water circulation. Wouldn't use the Polyquat 60 as algaecides are rather useless on an active algae contamination or bloom. If what you have is "pink algae" algaecides are of no value whatsoever since it is caused by a bacterium. Stick with elevated FC until the slime is gone along with brushing/vacuuming.

 

[PoolMom24]

Thank you all so much. I am so happy I found this site within a week of owning my pool. I would most likely be blindly following the pool store right now and be in a worse situation.