Do we have algae?

[alvindo]

I have a question about this comment on scrub the skimmer. We opened our pool on 6/9 after construction was done. There have been times when I’ve thought we’ve had algae, but we always pass the OCLT and our water is crystal clear. Except my skimmers are filthy. I tried to shop vac them out and just wound up with a vac full of water.

Would it make sense to just scrub them out with a small hand brush?

 

[PoolStored]

Would it make sense to just scrub them out with a small hand brush?

Yep!

 

[alvindo]

we didn’t use our pool much over the weekend, but yesterday upon opening I noticed a decent amount of what I first just thought was dirt or pollen in the seam and in our deep end. I just used my pool blaster to vacuum it up. But there was one spot where it was kind of clumped together a little bit. I did an OCLT test and lost 1.0 ppm and this morning in the deep end it was definitely more clumped together. I decided to just start a SLAM. I wish I had taken pictures of it.I will tomorrow before vacuuming.

But now I’m wondering do I need to go the mustard level SLAM now or do you think it’s okay to just start at regular SLAM and try that for a few days? Does dead algae turn beige? That’s definitely the color of it like the color of sand. I’m running up to Walmart now and trying to figure out how much chlorine to buy.

 

[reggiehammond]

Mustard algae is not typical; what you describe sounds like algae, dirt, or pollen. OCLT of 1.0 says a SLAM is likely a good idea and should resolve pretty quickly.

 

[alvindo]

So this is what showed up again this morning. I can vacuum it up and then boom it’s back, albeit less this morning.

 

[reggiehammond]

Pretty good sign you need SLAM Process using your TF Pro.

 

[alvindo]

Pretty good sign you need SLAM Process using your TF Pro.

Yeah we started yesterday.

 

[alvindo]

So I’m in the middle of my first SLAM. We started seeing dead or maybe alive algae on the bottom of our pool on Sunday. We have tried really hard to maintain our FC/Cya relationship. We’ve been in a bit of a drought and on Friday and Saturday got some rain. I just dumped the rain that accumulated on the cover into the pool. Could that have been the source of my algae outbreak? Do I maybe just need to run hotter on the FC/CYA spectrum?

 

[Newdude]

We have tried really hard to maintain our FC/Cya relationship

Raise your targets once this is done. Pool math and the charts don't know you're point in the season (UV demand) and it's up to you to dose high enough to remain free and clear above min after the daily loss happens.

SWG pools swing because the UV loss is intense mid day while the SWG adds FC slowly. You need to be mindful of the test results in regards to when you're testing. Ending the day at 5 ppm may be fine, but starting the day at 5ppm may not be fine. This is what fouls most folks. They see the 5 is in range for SWGs and think it's great. You could lose 3ppm before the SWG puts it back, thinking tomorrows 5 is great too.

Also, a 50 or 60 CYA may not be cutting it in MD this time of year. It's not enough for me in NY with full sun all day. We'll look at that too once you're in the clear.

 

[alvindo]

Raise your targets once this is done. Pool math and the charts don't know you're point in the season (UV demand) and it's up to you to dose high enough to remain free and clear above min after the daily loss happens.

SWG pools swing because the UV loss is intense mid day while the SWG adds FC slowly. You need to be mindful of the test results in regards to when you're testing. Ending the day at 5 ppm may be fine, but starting the day at 5ppm may not be fine. This is what fouls most folks. They see the 5 is in range for SWGs and think it's great. You could lose 3ppm before the SWG puts it back, thinking tomorrows 5 is great too.

Also, a 50 or 60 CYA may not be cutting it in MD this time of year. It's not enough for me in NY with full sun all day. We'll look at that too once you're in the clear.

Thank you. I think I will change up my strategy. I had been ending the days low on FC. So to counterbalance, I would raise the SWG during our prime swimming time which is the afternoon. Maybe I should raise it during the morning and let it drift back down. I’ve thought about raising the CYA to more of a 60-70 range.

So far the pool has responded well to the SLAM. I still had OCLT loss of about 1, but the algae on the pool bottom was non existent except for a fine bit of sand looking stuff at the seam where the steps meet the main structure. I’ll be able to stay on top of the FC measurements and top offs today. I’m hoping that tomorrow will be clear with no FC lost.

 

[Newdude]

What was the SWG runtime and % ? Your cell makes about 1 FC every 2.5 hours on.

I had been ending the days low on FC. So to counterbalance, I would raise the SWG during our prime swimming time which is the afternoon

Potato, pahtahto. Whether you replenish overnight or during the day, the key is no playing kissey face with min. 3ppm may last a week in April and only 3 hours at lunch in August. The charts never fully explain this.

There may be a whoopsie week in there like a particularly brutal heat wave, but for the most part, seasonal UV loss follows a pattern like a bell curve.




Pretty soon, daily demand will sloooooowly fall and when you miss an adjustment time, you'll over produce and it's a GREAT problem to have. Whoopsies my FC is a teen. It's stoopod clear tho.

I run to allow at least 1 full days loss, plus today's loss. If the cell runs it's self check during a big storm, or after before it's well mixed, it'll shut off from low salt for 12 or 24 hours until the next self check. Or the day is particularly high UV. Or you have a great swim day with the whole family for hours. Or 100 other curveballs the universe might throw at you. So I adjust my cell when it falls out of 8 to 12, to be pre-covered for whatever happens. Two weekends ago we had 2 house guests, two more showed up for the day and with my two there were 6 older teens swimming for hours. And it didn't matter. I was good before it was even a thought and chuckled when it did become a thought.

#teamrunhot for the win.

 

[alvindo]

I’ve been adjusting the run run times as I get to know my pool. Prior to my outbreak, I was running 30% for 8 hours and 50% for 4 hours. Now I’m going to run it 24 hours and test in the morning and in the afternoon and adjust % accordingly. I’m also going to target a higher FC maintenance level. We’ve been in a bit of a drought then followed by some heavy some storms.

 

[Newdude]

I was running 30% for 8 hours

That's 1 FC

50% for 4 hours.

That's 0.8 FC.

Both are possible with a cover, but when you swim you can expect the 3 to 4 FC loss of an uncovered pool. You effectively have 2 pools and folks get in trouble there too, not knowing how each responds. A family swim day will respond with full loss on a Saturday while a covered Wednesday pool will have much less.

Again, it up to you to know how it will respond at that point in the season and to have it ready to go before the event / non event happens.

Play with pool math effects of adding (upper left menu) to see how the % and hours jive. 50% of 12 hours is 100% of 6 hours or 25% of 24 hours (etc etc).

Always goof high. See how much leeway you have above target (up to SLAM). Now see how little leeway you have below target level ? Yeah. We'll make a SWG ninja out of you yet.

 

[alvindo]

Okay so my plan is to get my CYA up to 70. Then i should target target keeping the FC closer to 10 than to 5. If I target 10 and lose 3-5 ppm, I’m good. If I overshoot and go up to say 13, then no harm no foul?

 

[Newdude]

Okay so my plan is to get my CYA up to 70.

Make sure to clear slam first. Each 10 CYA raises the slam target by 4 FC

Then i should target target keeping the FC closer to 10 than to 5. If I target 10 and lose 3-5 ppm, I’m good. If I overshoot and go up to say 13, then no harm no foul?

Correctamundo. Most of the extra FC will be available tomorrow. (And possibly the next day). If you happen to be a bit high, turn the cell down and it's a wash in the end whether you made the FC yesterday or tomorrow. But the key was you had enough in the first place.