ALGAE, PHOSPHATES, COPPER

[Mdragger88]

I would bet $ the steps are the source- many people have wasted a lot of chlorine trying to avoid removing & cleaning them (myself included) i spent a week & a half of slamming (a clear pool minus the small algae spots before i bit the bullet & removed them after that slam was done in 2 days.
When u get them out to scrub try to be sure you remedy the reason they have algae in the 1st place. For instance i drilled alot more holes in mine & sealed all my bleach/sand bottles.
The key is the scrubbing- if u cant remove the biofilms the chlorine cant eradicate the algae. Now i move them periodically & scrub em.

 

[Heatherly30]

Your situation sounds similar to mine. What color are the spots on the bottom of your pool? I'm SLAMMING to 16 ppm and passing the OCLT but still have dark brown to black spots. I've removed the ladder. I'm at a loss.

 

[Sollace]

I hunted for this slightly older thread on Mustard Algae. Maybe some help from it.
Chicago gets a lot of wind. I wonder if pollens or other airborne particles have something to do with it.

Pool a bit hazy after rain and Sahara dust cloud

Hey Orion. Note that the solar skimmer you referenced says not for salt pools. Those devices--and I've looked at half a dozen--are notorious for failures, probably mostly from being left 24/7 in the pool. I keep considering one, then not. I also have continuous wind from the south, which...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Zoey227]

Your situation sounds similar to mine. What color are the spots on the bottom of your pool? I'm SLAMMING to 16 ppm and passing the OCLT but still have dark brown to black spots. I've removed the ladder. I'm at a loss.

My spots are like greenish/brownish. And you can kick water underwater towards them and they disappear that easily. One little brush and they are gone.my chlorine now is holding up its been 3 days since I put the “black magic” or sodium bromide in it. I did have the spots today still. Did a good scrub and vacuum them good backwash and rinse. Hopefully it’s done now but we will see. Tomorrow is last day to swim so gonna take out ladder and give a good scrub. But how can i tell if there is algae in them? Every time i check them and look underwater there is nothing on them. Also the algae doesn’t eve. Sit by ladder but who knows maybe that is the problem. I just hope it’s gone. I’m gonna hold the slam again this week and do the mustard algae level for another 24 hours and probably close up for winter. I always passes the overnight chlorine loss test also.

 

[Heatherly30]

I hope you can get rid of it! I’m still fighting it. Mine is also a dust that disappears when brushed, but reappears hours later.
when I took my ladder out a few weeks ago I could see green in the little cracks and crevices. Scrub with bleach water is probably the best bet. We’ll just keep kicking!

 

[Zoey227]

Hi guys. I had a previous post about mustard algae and how I slammed, for a week and did two cycles of mustard level slam for 24 hours and still keep getting algae in same spots that kind just brushes away from splashing. I also noticed a a green ring around my pool and my kids hair now has a tint of green.... so I’ve been researching and though I had copper staining on walls but it’s above water line. Like a 2 inch wide line. And high phosphates that keep feeding this algae.... well I got it tested for metals and phosphates and I was right. I use lc but have put in a bottle of banish 2 weeks ago that did nothing and I added a packet of black magic which is sodium bromide last week and pool still is the same. It’s been clear besides the blooms that pop up while no one is in water or after I havnt brushed it for hours. I’ve read the the copper staining comes from too much copper and then when you add a lot chlorine to bring it up to a high level it will stain which makes sense in my case. I want to close pool soon but will not close with this mess still going on. Please let me know what you think. I got a phosphate remover but read I need a good one. I know people on are are mostly against phosphate remover but i let my chrlorine get low and now battling a algae that will not go away for the life of me so it’s my last resort. I’ll attach pictures of pool and water test. They said phosphates are super high and copper is also.

 

[ajw22]

Your copper level of 1.1 is 4X the 0.3 level where problems begin. Deal with getting rid of the copper in your pool because that will require significant draining. The refill of fresh water can fix other water chemistry problems you have.

Copper in Pool Water - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Draining - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Zoey227]

Your copper level of 1.1 is 4X the 0.3 level where problems begin. Deal with getting rid of the copper in your pool because that will require significant draining. The refill of fresh water can fix other water chemistry problems you have.

Copper in Pool Water - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Draining - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

So you think I should just close up and drain more water than needed and start fresh for next summer? Today was the last day of swimming and was planning on closing here anyways. I didn’t notice any of that until i started using the pucks to raise my cya and used as fc until my cya reached 40. Wonder if the pucks had that much copper

 

[ajw22]

Drain as much water as you safely can and refill to whatever level you close your pool.

I suspect the copper came from some algaecides you used.

 

[Zoey227]

Drain as much water as you safely can and refill to whatever level you close your pool.

I suspect the copper came from some algaecides you used.

I’ve read it can come from a heater also. I do have a heater how would i know if that’s the case. I only used the algecide called banish 3 weeks ago and i started to see the staining happen before that. Or i was using the the pucks for chlorine. Maybe it’s from them? How do I find out what it’s from?

 

[ajw22]

Banish contains 3.3% copper. See https://www.hydropool.com/downloads/MSDS/bioguard/bioguard-banish-msds.pdf

Your signature does not have details about a heater. Please add it.

What brand pucks were you using?

 

[Zoey227]

Banish contains 3.3% copper. See https://www.hydropool.com/downloads/MSDS/bioguard/bioguard-banish-msds.pdf

Your signature does not have details about a heater. Please add it.

Dang. Ok thank you. So you say refill the water after draining before closing. Why do you recommend refilling? When closing should it not be below a certain water level? Also how do I know if the pucks have it or if my heater causes copper also?

 

[ajw22]

What brand pucks were you using?

How about some details in your sig about the model heater?

Give us the details to help you.

 

[ajw22]

And what model pool do you have?

 

[Zoey227]

What brand pucks were you using?

How about some details in your sig about the model heater?

Give us the details to help you.

Shoot just went outside to get my pucks.... so i was using 1” all in one power tablets
I would put 5 of them in every couple days. I only did that because I noticed that it brought down my pH a little bit and I thought that was better than adding another chemical so I was using it as chlorine and To lower my pH alternating it with the liquid chlorine until I got my CYA up till 40

 

[ajw22]

So the chlorine tablets were adding copper as well as the algaecide.

Were you putting the tablets in your skimmer?

 

[Zoey227]

So the chlorine tablets were adding copper as well as the algaecide.

Were you putting the tablets in your skimmer?

Nope just in a floater
And yes i see that copper ingredient on there!!! Man this is definitely a huge learning experience for me! And you guys are great. I can’t believe how much knowledge you guys all have.... and then chem geek... i was reading a post about how he broke down all the science in the chemicals and he is pretty brilliant! You guys are great and a huge help. Thank you

so now where do I go from here

I also added everything you said to in profile. Thanks.

 

[ajw22]

Which model pool do you have?

Embassy Pools by Doughboy

Our Embassy Pools by Doughboy Above Ground Pools are proud to be made in America and we have them available to order now!

www.poolwarehouse.com

 

[ajw22]

This your pool? Embassy Century by Doughboy?

12' x 20' Oval 52" Embassy Century by H.I.I. MFG of Doughboy

Check out the deal on 12' x 20' Oval 52" Embassy Century by H.I.I. MFG of Doughboy at Royal Swimming Pools

www.royalswimmingpools.com

 

[ajw22]

We are back to drain as much water as you safely can and refill to whatever level you close your pool.

Then follow...

Closing (Winterizing) Your Above Ground Pool

Closing an above ground pool at season’s end should be a fast and worry-free process. Learn the basics of above ground pool winterization in easy steps.

www.troublefreepool.com