Trying to get rid of mustard algae/pollen both....

[AmberSanAntonio]

Hi! Just bought our home in July (we live in San Antonio) and it came with a 30 year old pool (12,000 gal/plaster?) and a 5-10 year old HAYWARD sand filter pump model S244S w/ variflo valve. When we first moved in pool was greenish, cleared it up (using liquid chlorine) and was happy. Then after a month we noticed the pool started to look funky and green. We think it is mustard algae but it could be pollen. We live on a heavily wooded lot (oak trees) with LOTS of shade. I have been stalking your website for a week and anxiously awaiting the arrival of the CF-100 test kit. We did figure out that the chlorine tabs were making our CYA go through the roof but I think we have brought it down (did a partial drain and refill). I started a SLAM to hopefully clear it up. (I followed the CYA/chlorine chart to determine I need a 34.9 to have shock level for mustard algae.) That was last night. Today pool is light green/teal but cloudy. As soon my kit arrived today I did all the tests and here are my levels.

FC- 26
CC-1
TC-27
CYA- 50 (was unsure...it really is subjective) Dot was blurred out 70 and disappeared at 50)
PH- 7.6 (I had lowered it to 7.4 to SLAM last night)
TA 90
CH- 1,000 (surely this can not be accurate but I did do the test 3x and got the same results)

I am looking for help/advice on what to do next. I put in the new goal levels based on these test results and was going to SLAM again tonight to "keep on keeping on" until the pool is clear and I have passed the 3 criteria to cease slamming.

First time pool owner too...so was basically "scared of my pool" for the first month lol!


This is also my first post so please forgive if I posted in wrong forum, did not add signature correctly.

Thanks

Amber

 

[duraleigh]

Welcome to the forum. The CH is troublesome. Before you go further, what is the CH of your fill water?

 

[AmberSanAntonio]

I was surprised too! Tested at pool store day prior and I had a CH level of 380. I was assuming I made a testing error. I will test my fill water once my water gets fixed. I had a pipe burst yesterday, waiting for plumber. We do have "hard water" here in San Antonio does that effect CH? All previous tests from pool store did not show an issue with CH.

 

[duraleigh]

Let's assume your CH test is in error. Post the CH of your fill water nevertheless.

and was going to SLAM again tonight

You have not SLAMmed your pool yet. Please reread that article and understand SLAMing your pool is a continuous process......not something you do with a single dose of chlorine.

You must understand the SLAM process completely or it won't work for you. Continue the SLAM process by following the article precisely and realize it may take dAYS FOR YOUR slam to be complete and your pool to be crystal clear.

 

[AmberSanAntonio]

Thanks will do

 

[AmberSanAntonio]

Tested my fill water and CH level is 325