Algae despite good FC level...are phosphates to blame?

[Saturn94]

Re: Phosphates.....are they worth removing??

Thinking about this thread and more about any change I've might have made that may explain the unexpected appearance of algae last August, I remembered that I use to add a quart of phosphate remover as part of my winter closing. The closing kit I use to buy included it. It also included polyquat algacide, a stain inhibitor, and a floating container with boric acid. It also stated this kit was for pools with a mesh cover (the solid cover version lacked the phosphate remover).

A couple seasons ago I stopped using the closing kit and just used polyquat and Jack's Magic Purple Stuff (of course I shock with bleach as part of my closing procedure). So the past couple of years or so I haven't added any phosphate remover.

It would have been interesting if all this time I had tested phosphate levels at closing and at opening. I think I might start doing that as my own little experiment.

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That would be 214ppb. That's high but not unusual. Depending on your water exchange (overflow versus evap & fill), you could easily build up phosphates over the course of a season.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk,16k gal SWG pool (All Pentair), QuadDE100 Filter, Taylor K-2006

And of course my regular use of Jack's Magic Purple Stuff adds to that as well.

We get wet periods where it seems I have to pump excess water out frequently, then we'll get dry periods where I have to add water (city water).

 

[Marcion333]

Re: Phosphates.....are they worth removing??

Thinking about this thread and more about any change I've might have made that may explain the unexpected appearance of algae last August, I remembered that I use to add a quart of phosphate remover as part of my winter closing. The closing kit I use to buy included it. It also included polyquat algacide, a stain inhibitor, and a floating container with boric acid. It also stated this kit was for pools with a mesh cover (the solid cover version lacked the phosphate remover).

A couple seasons ago I stopped using the closing kit and just used polyquat and Jack's Magic Purple Stuff (of course I shock with bleach as part of my closing procedure). So the past couple of years or so I haven't added any phosphate remover.

Very interesting observation.
Have you tested the different parts of your pool to check for differences in chlorine level?
It will be interesting to know what your phosphate level is if and when you check it. Please post your result if you do check.

 

[Saturn94]

Re: Phosphates.....are they worth removing??

Very interesting observation.
Have you tested the different parts of your pool to check for differences in chlorine level?
It will be interesting to know what your phosphate level is if and when you check it. Please post your result if you do check.

I've not check FC levels in different spots. I'll try that this season to see if there are any "dead spots" (pool is still closed right now....plan to open early May).

I'll certainly post my results.

 

[duraleigh]

There should be absolutely no difference in chlorine level throughout the pool. If you get different readings, something is wrong.

In addition to the circulation of the water, chlorine has a natural tendency to distribute evenly in water. There is terminology for that characteristic but I cannot remember it.

 

[WASP]

Homogeneous?

 

[Saturn94]

There should be absolutely no difference in chlorine level throughout the pool. If you get different readings, something is wrong.

In addition to the circulation of the water, chlorine has a natural tendency to distribute evenly in water. There is terminology for that characteristic but I cannot remember it.

I was wondering about that.

 

[duraleigh]

chlorine has a natural tendency to distribute evenly in water.

Is the word to achieve "homeostasis" or "equilibrium"??? I think it's equilibrium.

 

[ozdiver]

Over time Brownian motion would cause the concentrations to even out throughout the pool. Equilibrium is the balance of all factors in a system.