mustard algae Help needed..

[Sparkmaster]

I moved from NH to SC and built a inground pool and now the pool store says I have mustard algae.

What I have seems like a fine very light gray pile of dirt.. They said if I push it with my brush does it become like a cloud or just moves with the brush.. Well it becomes a cloud so they say it's mustard Algae..

So I did what they said and added their chemicals and shocked the living daylights out of it and after three days and after vacuuming the pool to "Waste" the next day I still have piles of that stuff here and there..

This is the reading from the pool store for my water..

FC OVR 15.06
Total OVR 15.54
CC .48
PH 7.2
Hardness 171
Alkalinity 58
Cyanotic Acid 71
Iron .02
Phosphate 0

Help please and Thanks

 

[Azgirl71]

I moved from NH to SC and built a inground pool and now the pool store says I have mustard algae.

What I have seems like a fine very light gray pile of dirt.. They said if I push it with my brush does it become like a cloud or just moves with the brush.. Well it becomes a cloud so they say it's mustard Algae..

So I did what they said and added their chemicals and shocked the living daylights out of it and after three days and after vacuuming the pool to "Waste" the next day I still have piles of that stuff here and there..

This is the reading from the pool store for my water..

FC OVR 15.06
Total OVR 15.54
CC .48
PH 7.2
Hardness 171
Alkalinity 58
Cyanotic Acid 71
Iron .02
Phosphate 0

Help please and Thanks

Welcome to TFP
The first recommendation I have is don't trust the pool store. Get your own test and test yourself. There is a link to the TF 100 in my signature. I highly recommend the speed stir add on.

 

[jblizzle]

We do not "shock the living daylights" out of our pools. We recommend systematically following the ShockLevelAndMAINTAIN Process and that requires trusted test results. And as Lisa said, that requires one of the Recommended Test Kits.

 

[Sparkmaster]

We do not "shock the living daylights" out of our pools. We recommend systematically following the ShockLevelAndMAINTAIN Process and that requires trusted test results. And as Lisa said, that requires one of the Recommended Test Kits.

Well LOL Shock the living daylights almost seems the same as SLAM but anyways, Pool water is clear as could be and looking at the SLAM section it would seem that my pool is good to go..

You are done when:A. CC is 0.5 or lower; Mine is .48
B. You pass an OCLT (ie overnight FC loss test shows a loss of 1.0 ppm or less); Mine pretty much didn't even drop that much.
C. And the water is clear. Extremely Clear..

When all three are true, you are done SLAMing and can allow the FC to drift down to normal levels.

I don't really believe my issue is Mustard Algae but this is new to me (The Algae part that is).. I had a above ground for over 10 years and never a issue and 8 months with this pool and I get this dusty spots on the bottom of my pool that happen over night "WITH" the pump being off.. Could it really be Algae? Seems strange to me..

Thanks..

 

[jblizzle]

Not if it means blindly adding a nuke load of chlorine all at once ... which is the way I interpret that

Well you appear to be relying on pool store testing which no one here will trust ... so I would not be so sure you pass everything.

Please add your location (City, State or City, Country) to your profile and pool details to your signature as described HERE as it will help us help you.

 

[Sparkmaster]

Ok updated everything.. Guess I need to invest in a test kit.. How long does the TF-100 Last?

Not if it means blindly adding a nuke load of chlorine all at once ... which is the way I interpret that

Well you appear to be relying on pool store testing which no one here will trust ... so I would not be so sure you pass everything.

Please add your location (City, State or City, Country) to your profile and pool details to your signature as described HERE as it will help us help you.

 

[Richard320]

Ok updated everything.. Guess I need to invest in a test kit.. How long does the TF-100 Last?

You should get a season out of it, possibly two. Go ahead and get the XL option now because that particular refill is next to impossible to find in stores.

The difference between the SLAM and "shocking the living daylights out of it" is the difference between taking antibiotics every eight hours or whatever until they're gone versus gulping the whole bottle of pills at once. If you've ever been prescribed antibiotics, you probably noticed that the symptoms disappeared after two or three days but you had to keep taking the pills until they were all gone.

You didn't keep taking the pills, that's why you still have algae after three days of shocking the living daylights out of it.

 

[pooldv]

Welcome to TFP! Here is some info on how to keep your pool from ever turning green again.

Here are some intro Pool School articles to read while you wait for your test kit
TFPC for Beginners
ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry

Here are the Recommended Levels for your pool.
Here are the Recommended Pool Chemicals
Use PoolMath to figure out how much to add.

 

[Sparkmaster]

I don't believe I have Algae unless it only grows when the pump is active and water is circulating. One thing I need to add I been a member here for a few years and never purchased chemicals from a pool store so with that, I need someone to slap me in the head and maybe help me. So with that I conducted an experiment..

I cleaned the pool Monday by using waste and got the bottom clean.. I than backwashed and rinsed and than a nice electrical storm came in at approx. 3pm so I turned off the pump and forgot to turn it back on until 6:30am the next morning. Pool was perfect. Clean and crystal clear.

3.5 hours later Lots of piles of dirt (What the pool store calls Mustard Algae). They call the Algae because it becomes a cloud when disturbed. Once again I cleaned the pool on waste, backwashed and rinsed, backwash and rinsed and again backwash and rinsed and decided to leave the pool off from 10:30am to 9:00pm.. At 9:00pm the pool crystal clear again and not a spec of dirt on the bottom. So now at 9:00pm, I start the pool, I covered it with my solar blanket and left it on and this morning at 6:30am it is again full of that dust, dirt, or algae.

So my thought something wrong with the filter and I have no algae.. What do you think????

 

[jblizzle]

No where did you mention your FC and CYA levels. Algae is a chemical problem, not a filtration problem.

 

[Sparkmaster]

No where did you mention your FC and CYA levels. Algae is a chemical problem, not a filtration problem.

Confused with your comment

 

[jblizzle]

You state you are finding fine piles in the pool every day. I propose it is dead algae ... not uncommon to not have a green pool and still have low level algae growth.

You seem to think that the filter will prevent algae. I know that lack of chlorine is the only way for algae to grow. And since you have not posted any useful test results and have not followed the SLAM process ... we are just spinning our wheels here.

 

[Sparkmaster]

You state you are finding fine piles in the pool every day. I propose it is dead algae ... not uncommon to not have a green pool and still have low level algae growth.

You seem to think that the filter will prevent algae. I know that lack of chlorine is the only way for algae to grow. And since you have not posted any useful test results and have not followed the SLAM process ... we are just spinning our wheels here.

I will be doing the SLAM process and I am thankful for all the help and with that, I have never stated that I believe the filter prevents algae but maybe is the filter defective by allowing dirt and debris back into the pool..

 

[jblizzle]

Ok, I may have misunderstood that about the filter.
It is pretty rare for stuff to pass through a filter ... if you are concerned you could certainly inspect the sand and Deep Clean your Sand Filter while waiting for the test kit.

 

[Swampwoman]

Sparkmaster, your signature says you don't actually have a pool yet ( due july 2015) and your ID is: "member in the industry".

I'm just checking to see if your posts are an observation test, or if you're using an iPad

It's busy season around here so forgive us if we weren't clear on the advice you seek.

1. If you suspect your filter is blowing fine particulate back into the water, please let us know what your "normal" psi is usually and what you're seeing lately. Please observe closely the jets when the filter is on in order to determine if the water coming back into the pool seems at all cloudy and report back.

2. Can you post a pic of the piles?

3. When your test kit arrives, we will be able over a few tests to see how fast you're using up chlorine etc. and that will greatly help confirm or deny the likelihood of mustard algae Ave you tried to capture some and smeared it on paper?

4. Its pollen season...is there any chance anything around you is dumping pollen and the filter run time is coincidental? Have you checked the cover to make sure it's not coated with pollen that's dropping back into the water?

Let us know so we know how to help! Lunch over, gotta run.

 

[Sparkmaster]

Gosh darn it.. LOL Installed 2014 and I'm a Sparky (Master Electrician) = Sparkmaster

My PSI seems to stay around 15 PSI and I think I never seen it go over 18.

Whenever I do a backwash / rinse / waste, (Not in that order), and when I put it back to filter, I always seem to see a cloud going back in.. Yes sometimes it's air but I do know the difference.

I'll post picks when I'm back

No longer pollen season that I can see.. 2 black cars and no longer yellow on it and nothing on my solar cover except stupid frogs and spiders..

Thanks for the help..