I'll have to try that and see!My guess would be calcium.
Does it dissolve with a few drops of muriatic acid?
This makes more sense. Calcium precipate looks more flakey while these look like CYA granules.My best guess would be that someone dumped a bag of CYA into the skimmer.
Yeah, not super happy with them either. Haven't been able to use the pool all summer from algaeAre you using a pool service that might have added anything?
I need to get a Taylor kit. But yeah I really am starting to realize the person that should take care of your pool is you.Saw in your older posts that you do seem to be using a pool service.
Can you take a sample of that sludge and drip a drop of Taylor pH-Indicator on it? If it's CYA, then it should turn very yellow.
Then you could dissolve a bit of the stuff in some water and run a CYA test.
Or ask your pool service what they have done (if applicable)...
If the pH indicator is phenol red I actually have some at home. What with the covid distance learning we were doing labs at homeSaw in your older posts that you do seem to be using a pool service.
Can you take a sample of that sludge and drip a drop of Taylor pH-Indicator on it? If it's CYA, then it should turn very yellow.
Then you could dissolve a bit of the stuff in some water and run a CYA test.
Or ask your pool service what they have done (if applicable)...
If the pH indicator is phenol red I actually have some at home. What with the covid distance learning we were doing labs at home
It immediately turned yellow with phenol red drops. Thank you so muchYes, phenol red will do. The Taylor test is also phenol red with some additives to make it more robust against chlorine interference.
Thankfully the main drain took up the slack, but this seems like a lot of substance! In June I took a sample to our pool store and the CYA was within range. I was concerned the chlorine wasn't knocking out the algae, so they told me to brush and hyper chlorinate, then clean my filters after the algae was clear. It worked on the algae, and the chlorine seemed to be holding, when I took it back to retest before swimming in it (it was 106 for like 10 days and I was desperate) they said to put a couple pucks in the floater. Can you lose CYA? I thought it was a must drain and refill in sections if too high? Does it degrade otherwise?If they really clogged up the skimmer by filling it with CYA or whatever, I'd be pretty p-ed off.
Do you have a main drain or other suction ports? I for instance don't have a main drain, and I don't think my pump would have survived this.