Algae help

[kevmoga]

Newbie here, first post. I've been enjoying my new 22x52 Intex ultraframe and have had nothing but sparkling clear water for the first 2 months. About a week ago the water started to get cloudy, then I noticed a light green film on the bottom and lower sides. Followed the TFP SLAM instructions to the letter and thought we had it beat. As the FC went down to normal levels, back comes the light green stuff. Right before the problems, we had company from the coast and they are frequent salt water swimmers, can't guarantee they washed their suits before getting in my pool. I know from maintaining a pool on the coast that people going straight from the ocean to the pool is a recipe for mustard algae and the persistence of my problem has me thinking that is what it is. Any advice or thoughts on whether this is indeed mustard algae or some strain of "regular" algae? I'm worried about mustard since it came back so quickly after the shock. Current pool conditions:

FC 4
CC 0
CYA 35
TA 100
CH 250

 

[frogabog]

It sounds like you might not have actually completed SLAM if it came back that fast. Did you pass all 3 criteria?

1. Clear water (this means crystal clear, not "kinda, mostly, or so much clearer" clear)
2. <.5 CC
3. Pass OCLT

 

[kevmoga]

It sounds like you might not have actually completed SLAM if it came back that fast. Did you pass all 3 criteria?

1. Clear water (this means crystal clear, not "kinda, mostly, or so much clearer" clear)
2. <.5 CC
3. Pass OCLT

I can say for certain that I passed 2 and 3, probably not 1. which leads me to a question about the SLAM process. I've read that sand filters are typically the slowest to get to "crystal clear". So, I just assumed by passing 2&3 that I had arrested the algae and that I was just waiting on the sand filter to slowly do its job, so I let the FC levels drift down to the high end of the desired non-schock range. Should I keep FC at shock levels until the water gets to crystal clear? I started a SLAM again last night and pushed the FC level up to "mustard algae shock level" (as defined by the TFP chart relating CYA to shock levels) this morning. If I understand correctly, I keep it there 24 hours, then go back to regular SLAM level, correct?

BTW, I talked to my buddy who actually maintained the pool on the coast to which I referred in my original post and he said the salt water/mustard algae connection is a bunch of hooey - that was many years ago, not sure where I got that. So, newbie embarrassment, scratch that comment, LOL.

 

[frogabog]

I can say for certain that I passed 2 and 3, probably not 1. which leads me to a question about the SLAM process. I've read that sand filters are typically the slowest to get to "crystal clear". So, I just assumed by passing 2&3 that I had arrested the algae and that I was just waiting on the sand filter to slowly do its job, so I let the FC levels drift down to the high end of the desired non-schock range. Should I keep FC at shock levels until the water gets to crystal clear? I started a SLAM again last night and pushed the FC level up to "mustard algae shock level" (as defined by the TFP chart relating CYA to shock levels) this morning. If I understand correctly, I keep it there 24 hours, then go back to regular SLAM level, correct?

Yes, to all your questions above. I think one of the main mistakes made is not continuing to SLAM if the water isn't crystal clear but the other two criteria are met. Your experience proves that stopping to early will halt all the progress. Luckily it's easier to get back to just waiting for the water to clear if you catch it right away than it is to start all over from the beginning.

At this point, what you need is POP (pool owner patience). Let the filter do it's job, but maintain SLAM level. It will happen.

 

[kevmoga]

Thanks for the encouragement!