Algae or Dirt

[Nickpooch]

I’m on day 8 of SLAM. CYA=50 FC: 20

Pool opened black. Dealt with ammonia early on that was eating my chlorine immediately. 22 gallons to get that under control. FC finally holding. I’m just making sure this is dirt or dead algae and not active algae. It’s been an intense battle!!

 

[PoolStored]

Algae.
How are you testing your water? You have strips in your signature.
If you don't have a proper kit and unexpired reagents get one on order. Link-->Test Kits Compared
Follow the SLAM process to clear the pool. Link-->SLAM Process
If you have the kit, keep slamming, filtering and vacuuming...

 

[mariane]

^^^ What he said ^^^
Dead algae drops to the bottom of the pool. Live algae is the green water, or the cloudy water when the algae is dying.
If when you push the vacuum over it and it goes "poof" its death algae. Dirt will stay put and its easy to vacuum. Sand - not so much.
It's also okay to vacuum to the filter. No need to vacuum to waste. That just wastes water. Watch for the filter pressure to increase 25% to backwash. After you're done you can backwash the filter or take out the cartridge and clean it. The cartridge will fill up quicker.

 

[Donldson]

Interesting look to it. You didn't use an flocculant or clarifier, did you?

 

[Nickpooch]

Algae.
How are you testing your water? You have strips in your signature.
If you don't have a proper kit and unexpired reagents get one on order. Link-->Test Kits Compared
Follow the SLAM process to clear the pool. Link-->SLAM Process
If you have the kit, keep slamming, filtering and vacuuming...

Nah I got the Taylor test kit

 

[mariane]

Interesting look to it. You didn't use an flocculant or clarifier, did you?

My pool does this every year and I never use clarifier or floc. Large ugly clumps of dead algae until it clears. Takes about a week going from dark green to this.

 

[sande005]

If it poofs, it is dead algae. Some live versions will have the same color, but they tend to make an even coating, and are "sticky" to the surface, so need a bit of a scrub to loosen when vacuuming.

 

[Nickpooch]

So better to use pool robot, vacuum to waste, or brush up and let filter do its thing ?

 

[PoolStored]

All three work. I'd vacuum the big stuff. Put the robot in to collect more and keep brushing and filtering.

 

[mariane]

What poolstored said.
If you vacuum it before its disturbed, you're removing a larger quantity of it. You'll get more out of the pool.
Once you brush it, the algae becomes suspended and the filter has to remove it. That takes longer.
You don't have to vacuum to waste. The filter will catch the big stuff. Backwash when the psi goes up 25%.