New pool owner with a small algae problem

[RoderickPT]

Hey all. I need to review my signature to make sure you have all the info you might need. We recently moved into this home 3 months ago and my learning curve has been steep. Things have been going pretty smoothly up until about 10 days ago when I noticed some algae forming in the grout of my beach area. This may be associated with my failed attempt at cleaning my DE filter cartridges. (Long story ending with getting a pro to figure out I hadn't placed the cartridges back in correctly)

After this process and adding a bit of water back into the pool, I began to notice the algae in the grout. This predictably coincided with a pretty significant drop in my FC levels. Usually they hover in the 3.0 range but dropped to 0.5 per the test at Leslies. The test also indicated the following:

FC = 0.5
Salt=2800ppm
pH = 7.6
TA = 70
CYA=30
CH = 170


I have gotten TA to 90 and added granular cyanuric acid so hopefully will see some improvements there too in a few days. I also bumped the Calcium per the formula and will check it soon too. Getting a bit nervous about the FC I purchased a few small bags of Chlor Brite and added them on Tuesday. I even sprinkled some of the ChlorBrite directly on to the grout. After a few days the algae in the grout is largely (but not entirely gone). The FC spiked predictably but my rinky-dink test kit only shows up to 3.0 on my FC (I've got a better one on the way). It was way over 3.0 up until yesterday and is now in normal range. BTW my SWG is currently at around 45% and reading 2500.

I'm hoping all this normalizes things by the end of the weekend, but I wanted to post my situation. Am I on track with what I'm doing here? If my signature needs more info I'll be glad to include it. Thank you in advance for your time. I'll keep reading.

 

[Charlie_R]

Welcome to TFP!

Sorry, but your sig didn't show up.

I am assuming that you are reading Pool School (link in upper right)?

What test kit did you order? Is it a FAS-DPD kit? Preferably the TF-100 or the K-2006.

While you are reading in Pool School, pay particular attention to the sections on SLAMming your pool, as that is what is needed at this point.

Pool store testing is quite often wrong, especially the CYA. Check out the videos available here.

We will help you get your pool sparkly in short order, so don't hesitate to ask about anything you don't quite understand in Pool School.

 

[RoderickPT]

Thank you Charlie. I'll work on getting the signature working. I ordered the K-2006 kit per TFP recommendations and hope to get a test done by early next week. I've added chemicals per pool store recommendations so I'm very curious how all this turns out.

The pool "looks" great and seems to be running fine. I'm just seeing some algae in the beach area so I'm not sure what constitutes an algae "problem". At this point I'm being pretty vigilant and assuming any algae might be a problem. I'll welcome any input there.

My plan is to begin SLAMming as soon as I get my test kit. Hopefully that will help quite a bit.

Does it make any sense to scrub the algae spots or is chemistry the best way to go? Again....thank you for your quick response.

 

[Richard320]

...
Does it make any sense to scrub the algae spots or is chemistry the best way to go? Again....thank you for your quick response.

Both. You need to scrub the protective skin off the algae so the chlorine can kill the living part inside.

 

[RoderickPT]

Roger that and thank you.

Any wisdom in using a direct application of the ChlorBrite? I did this when performing the original "shock" and it seemed to make a difference. Not sure if that was from the general effect of the shock or my direct application.

 

[Casey]

It is always good practice to brush your pool weekly, even if it is spot on chemical wise and super sparkly. May I suggest you pick up several gallons of bleach for your SLAM and once you get the test kit, shut the SWG off and SLAM the pool as indicated in Pool School.

 

[Richard320]

Roger that and thank you.

Any wisdom in using a direct application of the ChlorBrite? I did this when performing the original "shock" and it seemed to make a difference. Not sure if that was from the general effect of the shock or my direct application.

I wouldn't know. When I took over my pool, the CH and CYA levels were both astronomical, so I didn't want to add any more. So I've never used powedered forms of chlorine.

 

[RoderickPT]

I wouldn't know. When I took over my pool, the CH and CYA levels were both astronomical, so I didn't want to add any more. So I've never used powedered forms of chlorine.

Ok. My next step is sorting out my chlorine generator. I've cleaned the cell and had it checked but I'm never convinced it's functioning correctly. Output has been set at 45% since we moved in 3 months ago and the chlorine has been consistently high. Lately it's been very up and down so I'm sorting that out. The reading on the panel has been showing 2500-2600 but Leslie's has had it at 2800-3000 during the same period.

I know once I get my head around this it will be a bit easier.

 

[duraleigh]

It was way over 3.0 up until yesterday and is now in normal range.

Nope. If you read Pool School, you will find that "normal" range for TFPC is around 3 ppm.

Get your FC up to that level and keep it there. If you want to prevent algae, you must keep your FC at the levels we suggest.

 

[Beens]

I have gotten TA to 90 and added granular cyanuric acid so hopefully will see some improvements there too in a few days.

Hey guys, I don't know if this slipped by, but if he's got a result of CYA 30 from the pool store testing (I know unreliable but I'm sure there's some in there) and he added more cya, wouldn't that FC 3 be too low?

Even if you don't know what you started with, if you know how much cya you added it could be calculated to find out how much it just went up by..

I suppose it's best to wait for the test kit but it seems like FC 3 is just asking for more trouble.

I know the recommended CYA level for pools with SWG is higher than non SWG but if there's a SLAM in the near future wouldn't it be better to lay off the CYA for now?

Just throwing in my observations here...since it's cold and raining and I can't go play with my pool leak....

 

[Charlie_R]

Good observation, Beens!

 

[RoderickPT]

Still don't have the new test kit in yet but as best I can tell the FC is back down to ~1.5 late this morning. I'm starting to get an uneasy feeling my chlorine cell is acting up. I increased output from 50 to 65% to see if it changes later this afternoon.

As soon as I get the good kit, looks like I'll start the slam. I know this has probably been answered before but the SLAM process doesn't adversely affect the cell? I doubt it would since it seems to be pretty regularly recommended.

 

[Charlie_R]

When you start your SLAM, you will need to have your cell turned off. It won't produce enough to help, anyway. This also has the side benefit of extending it's life somewhat.