Hi, I’ve been battling yellow mustard algae since end of June with a vacation here and there. Never had this stuff before. Read interesting thread from 2007. First, I live in Central NY, home of the perpetual cloud. We do have summer in July and early to mid August. Seems like the Experts live in warm, sunny, pleasant climes! Anyway, I have been testing almost daily. Vacuuming and brushing between rain. We’ve had bad smoke and particulates from the wildfires. Dumping mass quantities of Cl into the pool. SLAM, YelMust SLAM. Repeat. So, reading through this thread, I noted high CYA levels. My CYA is at 40. Should I raise it? Also, 2 days ago, we removed the new this year clear solar blanket, which boasts allowing sun in to warm and keeping that warmth in. No yellow mustard algae. So far Gone! Just gunk at the bottom. Could this be? Of course the temp has fallen to a refreshing 76°. Use Pool Math recommendations. Thanks!
Battle against yellow mustard algae
- Thread starter Gardenmom
- Start date
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,670
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Having CYA above 30 will not help in fighting algae.
Have you searched your pool for places algae may be hiding like in the legs of ladders?
Your solar blanket could have been the cause of your algae problems.
Have you searched your pool for places algae may be hiding like in the legs of ladders?
Your solar blanket could have been the cause of your algae problems.
It's possible the cover has algae on it. I would brush and clean the solar cover. CYA of 40 is plenty. Between 30-60 is the range, 40-50 is ideal. No less than 30ppm and no higher than 60ppm for non-swg pools. How much sunlight does your pool get each day?
If you are fighting algae 30ppm CYA is recommended for easier slams. The higher your CYA the more chlorine you need.
Hi! Thanks for responding! I’ve scrubbed around the intake, around the outlet. We have InnovaPlas Fiesta pool steps, secured to a deck, they were installed prior to 2007. There are only 2 4” holes on the backside for circulation. Inside of the steps could be a hiding place. However, to check, we’d have to unattach it from the deck and pull it out, something we don’t want to do until September. I’m also leaning towards the solar blanket.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,747
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Those steps are suspect #1
Its 4 screws- get them out.
I unscrew mine every year & scrub them out.
I also drilled a bunch more holes in them with various sized hole saws to allow for better circulation and the ability to clean them with a bottle brush while they’re attached.
Do these have weights? If so make sure they are sealed so no water can get in them.
Its 4 screws- get them out.
I unscrew mine every year & scrub them out.
I also drilled a bunch more holes in them with various sized hole saws to allow for better circulation and the ability to clean them with a bottle brush while they’re attached.
Do these have weights? If so make sure they are sealed so no water can get in them.
Thanks! That’s 1 of 2 probabilities. We take the steps out and clean in September, open the pool late May. Hate to close the pool this early, we should get maybe 5 more good days. That’s a great idea with the holes! We use a concrete block for weight, never an issue since 1999. I’m leaning towards the clear solar blanket, first time with clear, never had an issue with blue ones.
Thank for the information. I m thinking it’s the cover also. In the trash it goes.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,747
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
You don’t have to take them all the way out just unscrew them & scrub them.
My weights hold mine down enough to be used without securing the hand rail so I don’t even put that on for a while after opening. My steps stay in the pool all winter- i just remove the hand rail.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,747
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Whoa! What? All these years we’ve been struggling to take them out? My husband in 65°water, inventing new curse words? My question is, we get hard freezes, like below zero temps in January. We have to drain below the skimmer, close up the skimmer hole. Drain and dry the pump and store. Will this leaving of steps in the pool actually work for us? Steel pool, vinyl liner.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,747
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Your steps are smaller than mine & I can get mine out by myself while standing on the deck after I have undone the weights. Once air gets under the top step they float.
Well before I’m going to close I just sit the weights on top of the steps. I usually do this & remove the handrail before the water gets too cold to be in the pool & they stay that way for most of October until closing & through mid April when the water warms up. This way I can just pickup the weights & move the steps wherever I want from outside the pool & clean underneath them or pull them out for the deep scrub. We’re not swimming alot but the pool is still open. They don’t float this way but do move a little so we just be careful.
I usually fully close around halloween & open late March/early April. But I may need to have the cover on for leaf/seed pod drop.
I do “soft closing/opening” (cover on but pool still running for a week or two until I am sure about the temp) so the handrail would be in the way. I scrub the handrail, take it apart & store it in the “coffin
”We’ve had some pretty cold weather down here the past few years & hit zero a few times but not extended periods like you probably experience. Although I believe my pool was frozen solid last winter & there was no problem with the steps. But If you’re worried I would remove them .