BLACK algae safety?

[DallasAZ]

Hello, Moved into a home in October in Phoenix Arizona area and have been slowly getting my head around owning a pool for the first time.

Its a 15K gallons, chlorine, DE filtered plaster pool.

The plaster has seen better days and while we do want to resurface we’d like to put it off this year if possible. There are quite a few areas with cracking in the plaster, we had a pool specific inspector look at it before purchasing and was told it was only an aesthetic issue.

Ive been battling black algae as I believe its in the plaster itself. Neighbor acid washed it before we purchased the home and its come back a couple times.

To manage it Ive been using a SS brush along with shocking as necessary.

I now have a PoolRX in the pump basket since yesterday, have just shocked the pool a few days ago and have been scrubbing as hard as possible to get rid of as much as possible.

Im wondering it you would consider this pool safe to swim in? Ive read some bad things about black algae. Or am I doomed until I resurface?

Thanks for any help.

 

[Katodude]

Dump the PoolRx, that is not going to help.

Get a mask and snorkel and get in there with a small SS brush and scrape up what you can. Use a bamboo BBQ skewer also to pick at the more stubborn sections.
Get a 1 gallon pump sprayer and fill with the strongest chlorine you can find and go in an spray the scrubbed sections.
Run your FC chlorine at 20% of your CYA for several weeks while doing this.

Just be a little careful, that plaster looks really bad, you dont want to do to much damage while scraping.

You can beat the black algae, you just have to be diligent.

Also how are you testing you pool water? You will need a proper test kit to do all of this.

 

[DallasAZ]

PoolRX seemed to get good reviews in reference to black algae.

Testing with a Taylor K-1000 test kit, also have a CYA test kit. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002NSRD5C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Im wondering if the pool is safe or not to use as well.

Thanks for the advice

 

[Katodude]

Its a mineral cartridge. Long term use will stain your pool, but you are going to re plaster anyway. Its really not going to help.

Going to need a FAS-DPD chlorine test. What you have wont give you the measurements you need. If you are going to own a pool, you might as well just go ahead and buy TF-100 and a smart stir. Best $100 you can spend.

Oh, and by the way Welcome!!! We are here to help.

The most important thing for black algae is to break the surface which is very chlorine resistant. Then hit it with a high dose of LC (hence the pump sprayer, and yes it works under water).

You will have to follow the procedure several times most likely. But you can beat it. Keep your FC on the high side (why you need the better test kit) and you pool is safe to swim in while doing this.

 

[DallasAZ]

Appreciate the help a ton. Hoping to be able to use the pool this weekend. Ill get a new test kit as well.