Algae after one week

[Makdaddy]

So last Sunday the kids were in the pool and everything was fine clean and cool
My FC today was 5 We took the solar cover off today (one week ) to find algae
My CYA was down to 40. Not sure why the algae broke out at an FC of 5?????

So my question
I slammed to 16 with the CYA of 40
Should I wait to raise the CYA after I slam for a few days? Or raise the CYA and raise the slam level?


Why would algae take hold on an FC of 5 the Ph was at 7.2
Im confused

Thanks
Greg

 

[pwrstrk]

You stated your CYA was down to 40. What was it before ?

 

[Makdaddy]

I was at 65 when I opened
we have had some rain
I try to keep it between 65 and 80 with the SWG
I understand that the CYA will help hold the Fc level.

 

[pwrstrk]

Here's what I'm thinking and I could be wrong.
First are you confident with your CYA test ?
If you are then with the CYA at 40 your weren't getting enough protection from the sun for your FC. Just by the nature of the way the SWG makes chlorine your FC may have slipped enough to have an algae outbreak.
Regardless you have algae and you need to SLAM the pool. ?

 

[mickey4paws]

I would recommend not leaving the solar cover on all the time too. Pools need to breath so to speak.

Sent from my LG-VM701 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Makdaddy]

Here's what I'm thinking and I could be wrong.
First are you confident with your CYA test ?
If you are then with the CYA at 40 your weren't getting enough protection from the sun for your FC. Just by the nature of the way the SWG makes chlorine your FC may have slipped enough to have an algae outbreak.
Regardless you have algae and you need to SLAM the pool. ?

Yes The CYA was done with the TF Test Kit, Im confident on all of my test with this kit.
The fact that I was maintaining a FC of 5 indicates that the SWG was doing its job a target of FC 5 should not allow Algae to grow from all that I have read on this forum. (SWG Pools)
I have started the slam process
I am looking for guidance as to raising the CYA before or after the algae is Defeated?

- - - Updated - - -

That seems odd
How would leaving the solar cover on promote algae?

 

[pwrstrk]

Don't raise your CYA level now. 40 is good for the SLAM. After the SLAM is over then raise it to 70-80.

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

+1 don't raise the CYA until after completing your SLAM.
When you have the CYA at it's normal level of 70-80 are you attempting to maintain the FC level at 5 ??
When you have the CYA raised back up you should be keeping 5-6
ppm FC.

 

[Makdaddy]

+1 don't raise the CYA until after completing your SLAM.
When you have the CYA at it's normal level of 70-80 are you attempting to maintain the FC level at 5 ??
When you have the CYA raised back up you should be keeping 8-9ppm FC. If you were only keeping 5 that could be why. Likely it actually slipped below 5. Did you test last Sunday after the kids got out to see where it was at for chlorine ??

I always try to maintain FC @ 5 , But I did not check it Sunday after the kids were in it, I did check Wed and it was maintaining @5
8 to 9 seems high for my application?It may have slipped below 5 and the SWG brought it back to 5.
Seems odd that the algae would start just on a dip.
But maybe Ill be learning something new here.
Ill maintain Shock with the CYA @40, After Its cleaned up Ill go back to 70 to 80 CYA
Ill do more research on an expected level of FC to fend off the algae

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

Sorry, I was looking at the wrong table. Keeping it in the 5-6 range is correct.

 

[Makdaddy]

I would recommend not leaving the solar cover on all the time too. Pools need to breath so to speak.

Sent from my LG-VM701 using Tapatalk 2

I stand correted
looks like the solar cover may have been the culprit. I will be doing more research


http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/43142-Algae-and-Solar-Covers

http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/26012-So-a-pool-covhter-does-cause-algae-after-all

 

[mickey4paws]

I stand correted
looks like the solar cover may have been the culprit. I will be doing more research


http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/43142-Algae-and-Solar-Covers

http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/26012-So-a-pool-covhter-does-cause-algae-after-all

Thanks for those links, I hadn't seen those posts. When I posted last night, all I thought was every time we've left the solar cover on for any extended length of time, the water would lose its sparkle, or an algae bloom would start. This summer we've left it off a lot more and our water looks great. Anyway, good luck with your problem and I'm sure you're pool will be looking great again soon

Edit: Just wanted to mentioned you might need to turn your SWG up a bit if you decide to leave the cover off. I know with mine, I had to turn the SWG up as the sunlight was eating up my chlorine more quickly than when I had it covered.

 

[Makdaddy]

Just to fill in the blanks
What I thought I was fighting last year was zeobest (Sand) from my return (The brown streaks )
I never had Algae.
Just posting for those looking for solutions

I bought a Blaster pool cleaner, it allowed me to trap what ever i had in a filter
After examining the filter , we discovered it was not algae

Hope this helps someone going forward

 

[Patrick_B]

If you do get Algae, there is only one reason. Lack of Free Chlorine. There are contributors, but this is the ultimate reason.