Algae and "perfect" water

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R

rockyboy

0
Jul 13, 2007
180
Noticed a light layer of something in the pool yesterday. I suspect it is algae and not dirt although I am colored blind :( The cleaner actually leaves tracks for the first time this summer. Foxx pools said my water was perfect yesterday. Can you have algae with perfect water? I run the pump 16 hours a day (now 24) and have an autopilot at 3200 ppm. FC is at 5. I plan to shock later but not sure what to bring the FC level up to. Any other advice? Off to soccer right now but I will be back!

Thanks
 
Can you post a full set of results? That will help us give you better advice... also it would be helpful if you would update your signature to include your pool specs and equipment. Go to User Control Panel, then Profile, then Edit Signature.

Welcome!
 
Sorry....
FC 5
ph 7.6
alkalinity 90
stabilizer 100
hardness 160
salt 3200

Water is clear, just not sparkling like normal if that makes sense. I am armed with 6% bleach but will hold off until I hear something. Autopilot is running on power level 2 and purifier reads 75%. Water temp is 91

Thanks!
 
frustratedpoolmom said:
Can you post a full set of results? That will help us give you better advice... also it would be helpful if you would update your signature to include your pool specs and equipment. Go to User Control Panel, then Profile, then Edit Signature.

Welcome!
Click to expand...


First..... What mom said.

Second..... If the pool is clear and the weather is hot, I would spend a nice quiet hour, this afternoon, at the pool brushing the sides and bottom; then let the kids enjoy the pool for Sat. and Sun. Keep the filter running while the kids are in the pool and all Sat. night. Sun., I would let the kids use the pool all day.

Sunday night, I would shock the pool and then spend a quiet evening and brush the pool again.


Third..... What mom said.

I was typing when you posted.

FC is at 5 ..... can you read CC?
 
First, Does your autopilot recommend you run the CYA that high? Maybe the CYA should be a bit lower to be more effective against the possible algae. If it's mustard, you have to run with higher FC levels than normal to prevent it.

Lastly, What Hotrod said.... :mrgreen:
 
A CYA reading of 100 tends to not be reliable. The common CYA test will often read levels much higher than 100 as 100. If your CYA level is higher than 100, then your FC level isn't high enough, even with a SWG (which can run at lower FC levels than bleach users can).

With high CYA levels and a SWG and just slightly low FC levels, it is fairly common to see dead algae settling on the bottom of the pool. This happens when the FC level goes just below the safe level. Algae will start growing, but the FC level is still too high for it to really get going so it dies as quickly as it grows. Appropriate FC levels will kill the algae off entirely, but slightly low levels can never quite kill it all off.

You should lower your CYA level below 100 by replacing water.
 
CYA did sound high so I checked it again (and took a sample to the pool store):

pool store = 30
my test kit = 40

pool store also measured FC at 3 which is lower than what I was getting. I tested again and I am around 4. I really should find someone who is not colored blind to do these tests! So when I do add the bleach what am I looking to bump the FC to? I like the quiet part but obviously you haven't spent much time around my house :-D

BTW....i think I got suckered at the pool store since I bought a product called phosfree. Tied the recommendation to phospates and my reading was 500 and should be less. Do I need it?

Thanks
 

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Kids were gone so I went ahead and shocked last night. FC this morning is 16 and CC is 0. There was a nice layer of algae to brush this morning which I just finished. So, how long does this cycle take place before the aglae quits showing up on everything. I am assuming the shock kills the algae which settles, then brushed and then filtered out.

Also, I don't get what caused the problem in the first place. Water was always within limits with my TF test kit and also when double checked at the pool store. They suggested vacuuming the algae to waste but that is a huge waste of water with a pool my size. I think brushing cycle will work as long as I quit getting new algae. Thanks.
 
Hey, Rocky,

Clearing your pool back to normal is a process rather than a one time event. You must keep your FC up at shock level constantly until....

A. You hold FC loss to 1.0 or less overnite
B. Your CC's test .5 or less
C. Your water is sparkling

It normally takes a few days to get everything filtered out. Run your pump 24/7. I agree with not vacuuming to "waste"......it really sucks w-a-a-y too much water out of my pool
 
U mean no magic fix? Hadn't really given the chemicals much thought as I was looking for no algae when I brush and sparkling water. (I should check FC each evening and add bleach as required to maintain 15?) So the FC is being used up as it takes care of the algae so if there is a small loss overnite, the algae must be gone....is that the logic? If so then my poor brain is confused because as this algae has bloomed.....my FC was constantly in the 4 to 5 range. No big losses and 0 CC. Just trying to figure out what happened so I can prevent it in the future. Also, if shock level stays up until no FC is lost, how does the FC come back down to the normal 3 to 5 level especially if CYA is holding it. Finally, is it safe to swim at these FC levels?

I am guessing that temps have something to do with what I am seeing. We have been at or over 100 every day for the past two weeks or so (except a couple of days that were overcast) and the water temp is in the 92 range and the pool gets sun all day until around 7 pm. I apologize again, just trying to ask questions so this makes sense to me.
 
Hot weather tends to require more chlorine, ie a higher percentage setting on the SWG. The hot weather might have been enough to let the FC level fall just enough for some algae to get started.

Something has to go wrong for the algae to get started, but once it has started it can often survive even through the SWG is constantly adding chlorine to the pool. Once you have algae, you need to raise the FC level up to shock level to kill it off. It is rare that the SWG is able to do that all on it's own, you normally need to manually add some chlorine to bring it up to shock level, and the SWG can then help maintain shock level from there.

If the SWG is off, the only thing that will normally change the FC overnight is algae. If the FC level remains the same overnight, then there wasn't any algae for the FC to fight. With the SWG on, or during the day, there are other factors that will affect the FC level.
 
U mean no magic fix? Hadn't really given the chemicals much thought as I was looking for no algae when I brush and sparkling water. (I should check FC each evening and add bleach as required to maintain 15?) Yes

So the FC is being used up as it takes care of the algae so if there is a small loss overnite, the algae must be gone....is that the logic? Yes, you've got it

If so then my poor brain is confused because as this algae has bloomed.....my FC was constantly in the 4 to 5 range. No big losses and 0 CC. Just trying to figure out what happened so I can prevent it in the future. I can't answer that. The only variance that bothers me a little is your CYA first testing over 100 (which, if true, could explain your algae bloom)and now 40ppm....you seem to have that pretty well resolved, tho

Also, if shock level stays up until no FC is lost, how does the FC come back down to the normal 3 to 5 level especially if CYA is holding it. The FC will come down typically 2-3ppm daily from the sun....despite that you have CYA in your pool. It doesn't stop the loss, it slows it.

Finally, is it safe to swim at these FC levels? My opinion is absolutely yes.....others are just a little more cautious

I am guessing that temps have something to do with what I am seeing. We have been at or over 100 every day for the past two weeks or so (except a couple of days that were overcast) and the water temp is in the 92 range and the pool gets sun all day until around 7 pm. I apologize again, just trying to ask questions so this makes sense to me. I thought your questions were all very sensible and valid.....you're obtaining a good grasp of what's happening in your pool. I'm sorry I can't explain the algae bloom. I would suggest go forward from here and continue to monitor your pool water
 
Thank you for all of the input! The pool is looking much better after several days of shock level. Haven't added bleach since Sunday night and FC on Tuesday night was 11. Not coming down much even with high temps and decent bather load. So, I am prepared to declare victory but I am concerned going forward since I really don't know what happened in the first place. I have gone back to running the pump around the clock at least until the heat breaks and I pushed the autopilot % output up to 90% on power level 2. Any suggestions for what the FC reading should be during this record breaking heat wave?
 

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