Algae Help!

[poolmom21]

Why is your chlorine so high? What is your CYA? The SLAM chart doesn’t go over 30 until CYA is 80 (very high). Maybe you should recheck your CYA. If your CYA is say, for example, 50, then I’d let the chlorine come down to the recommended amount (20) and then do an OCLT.

The Free Chlorine and Cyanuric Acid Relationship

Managing your cyanuric acid and Free Chlorine levels is key to stabilizing your pool. Learn how these two items affect each other.

www.troublefreepool.com

I was going off the CYA from last week at the pool store. Was I suppose to be checking the CYA during SLAM?

 

[poolmom21]

What PB4 is saying if you actually have a lower CYA then you say you have and are doing a higher slam due to it, your loss can be a cause in effect that the extra FC not supported by the CYA will burn off and can't last. Recheck the CYA to be sure it's what you say it is otherwise you can be going forever where you can't pass OCLT.

Yes I was reading that on a different site that FC loss can be due to CYA I’ll check after kids drop off

 

[Newdude]

was going off the CYA from last week at the pool store. Was I suppose to be checking the CYA during SLAM

You have no other choices at the moment, but pool store CYA #s have been off time and time again. It’s very possible that is skewing things.

 

[poolmom21]

It’s windy

 

[PoolStored]

It’s windy

You need to know your CYA and get slam FC right or OCLT won’t work right.

Go back to post 150. Looking at the pictures, get the umbrella out, scub hole. Take the pool lights off the wall and scrub behind them. Scrub skimmers, inlets, doors, around faceplates etc. You would be surprised how little algae it takes!

 

[PoolStored]

The pool lights likely come off easily. Typically one screw at top of silver ring. Then they tilt out and you can pull up/off. I’m thinking there is bunch there. Mine was gross. Algae hides!

Pic inside my ladder. Took me 3 days to realize!

 

[poolmom21]

My CYA on test tube falls between 40-50!!!! I did it twice. Plus I found this. Totally didn’t think of the auto water valve skimmer. How much bleach can I add there to scrub it?
So this changes SLAM. do I still keep SWCG at -100% today?

 

[Auctor]

Progress!

 

[PoolStored]

My CYA on test tube falls between 40-50!!!! I did it twice. Plus I found this. Totally didn’t think of the auto water valve skimmer. How much bleach can I add there to scrub it?
So this changes SLAM. do I still keep SWCG at -100% today?

So treat your CYA as 50 and Slam at 20.

dump 1/2 cup of bleach and scrub with gloves on. Now you are ace detective! Do the lights!!!

 

[Newdude]

Totally didn’t think of the auto water valve skimmer

The *aha* moment and permanently filed away in my bag O suggestions for sending everyone on the algae treasure hunt. THANKS !!!

 

[PoolStored]

When you are done (soon), you will amaze yourself at how proud you are of what you have accomplished, and will have total dominance over YOUR pool!

Your husband should be proud of you for taking this on and LEARNING! (I would say the same if you were a man, I’m not being sexist). I’m saying that generally partners should be supportive and proud when their SO grapples a pool into submission and learns enough to make pool care simple through knowledge.

 

[red-beard]

Yes I was reading that on a different site that FC loss can be due to CYA I’ll check after kids drop off

FC is not lost due to CYA. CYA prevents FC loss. But too much CYA reduces the effectiveness of the FC level. In the cases of "over-stabilization" which means very high CYA, the FC is is completely tied up by the CYA. This is why this method has a specific FC/CYA ratio. You have to "unlearn" all the advice given over the years. TFP method is very simple - Keep the FC = CYA * 0.075 (Or divide by CYA 13.33). Never let it go below that level and you'll never have Algae or microbe issues.

 

[HermanTX]

your loss can be a cause in effect that the extra FC not supported by the CYA will burn off and can't last. Recheck the CYA to be sure it's what you say it is otherwise you can be going forever where you can't pass OCLT.

Would this apply to an OCLT? There is no UV to burn off any FC so only bacteria can consume the FC level.

Also, OP has been waiting on TFTestkits to send a new CYA tube as it was damage in shipment and not useable, so only result for CYA is a pool store.

 

[wireform]

Would this apply to an OCLT? There is no UV to burn off any FC so only bacteria can consume the FC level.

I believe so. In the past few weeks there was a member that couldn't come through on a OCLT. As per advice here was instructed to let the FC drift down. When the FC was at a lower level the OCLT passed. It's not a one size fits all kind of thing but rather the surrounding circumstances is what sometimes custom tailors the advice.

 

[poolmom21]

I know im not done with SLAM but it felt amazing to get a compliment from my gardener who also service pools on the side, how CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN the pool walls/ water EVERYTHING!! and asked what I was doing. He has been with us for 7 years and this is the first time he compliments our pool. Yes, I gave myself a pat on the back

 

[Lilypad]

That's great when you get an unsolicited compliment like that!

It's sometimes difficult to see the subtle changes as you get towards the end of a SLAM.
Keep going...we're with you!

Give the gardner/pool guy our website!

 

[Kellyp]

See poolmom, you are a pro already! Your pool IS looking good

 

[pb4uswim]

Congratulations. I know the feeling. When I opened my pool this year (first time, new pool), the guy who opened the pool said it was the cleanest pool he’d ever seen. Usually a pool that sits over winter opens up as a swamp. My pool was clean and clear. Yes, pat on the back is is order. Good job.

 

[red-beard]

The *aha* moment and permanently filed away in my bag O suggestions for sending everyone on the algae treasure hunt. THANKS !!!

I found algae under the plastic hose nuts on my Polaris 280.

Like Rust, Algae never sleeps! Its always there.

Watching.

Waiting.

 

[poolmom21]

My pool water didn’t pass the overnight test. Lost about 3 ppm. We have had really bad winds, can winds affect the OCLT?

I didn’t add any LC yesterday, as I am trying to lower the FC to 20 ppm.
FC as of 4:50 am was 22 (last night FC22.5)

I’m going to run the SWCG, I’m thinking of setting at 60% for the day. I am already super on the 0871 liquid agent Where do I get refills on that? I have plenty of powder agent.
Going to be scrubbing more due to the winds and the dirt that is landing in pool due to winds.

picture attached was from last night. i was amazed on how clean the water looked.
I had a severe migraine so I couldn’t do a lot of scrubbing yesterday