Brownish film covering liner and floating throughout pool

[longislandpool]

Had a new inground chlorine vinyl pool installed spring 2017. 16,500 gallons, DE filter.

Around midsummer, started noticing some brownish/whitish slimy film floating here and there in the pool, also stuck along the skimmers. Am still convinced it was from new home construction next door when the contractors were sanding the new siding and there was dust everywhere for almost two weeks.

Had the pool closed in Oct with a mesh looploc cover. Opened the pool today and the entire liner was covered with the same brownish/whitish film. It's like the stuff multiplied. Attached are pics of a piece of it floating near the surface. It breaks up when I brush the liner and try to use the leaf rake to capture it. And it coats the inside of the leaf rake - attached is a pic of that as well.

Guy who opened the pool stated he had no idea what it was, which wasn't very helpful. Have the DE filter on now and will leave it running overnight. I suspect it'll be dirty by tomorrow considering how much film there is in the pool.

I can vacuum the slimy film away, but no one seems to know what it is, so I'm trying to identify what it might be so I can go about the best possible preventative maintenance. Any thoughts are welcome.



Thanks.

 

[tim5055]

It's an organic growth - like algae. No need to identify it, just kill it. you can't vacuume out organic contamination, you have to kill it.

I will tell you, it didn't get this way overnight and it will take time to clear. But, we can teach you how to get it sparkling and keep it that way for a lot less money than the pool store.

Not much credence is given to pool store testing around here. While you would think that a "professional" would be the best, unfortunately in most cases it is quite the opposite. Between employees who blindly trust the word of chemical sales representatives and high school kids working in the pool store for the summer you end up with poor results from their testing. But, what can you do?? We base our pool care system on accurate testing and only adding what the pool needs, when it needs it. To do that you need your own accurate test kit. Order a TF100 test kit and at least include the XL option. That will give you what you need while you are clearing the pool, and probably enough reagents for a couple of years normal use.

While you wait for it to get delivered, you have a homework reading assignment. Start with ABCs of Water Chemistry and Turning Your Green Swamp Back into a Sparkling Oasis

 

[longislandpool]

Very helpful, thank you. It's going to take several readings of the process and printing out what I need to do and loading up on Clorox and grabbing a recommended test kit, but I appreciate you pointing me in the right direction. Would likely not have gotten this level of direction from the guy at Leslie's Pools

 

[tim5055]

Would likely not have gotten this level of direction from the guy at Leslie's Pools

No, he would take you by the hand and walk you over to the shelf with the expensive "special" potions on it. He has a vested interest in selling you stuff (they are on commission).

The people who answer questions here are volunteers and are only looking out for your best interest.