How fast can algae grown in Florida?

woollybully · Jun 20, 2023

I just purchased a house in Florida with a small gunite/pebbletec pool (gulf coast near tampa). My guess is it's only about 8k gallons. I live in Houston and have a ~30k gallon gunite/pebbletec pool that I've maintained (with the help of TFP!) for 25 years. As I won't be at the new house much for the next few months while we close things out in TX, I hired a pool guy and he supposedly has been servicing the pool. I got to the house yesterday for the first time and there is a massive algae bloom with very tough green algae. I've been scrubbing with a wire brush and it's barely coming away. I have not seen algae like this in TX. Even when my aging plaster started pitting, the algae embedded in the pits was very small and localized. I bought a small Taylor 2-way kit and the chlorine was 1-2 with

The biggest question is, would this tough green algae really bloom in 4 days? I have never seen it grow that fast in TX. The pool guy, of course, blamed it on the weather and now wants to show up twice a week for double the $$$. Should I fire him and find somebody else?

I am leaving on Friday for several weeks again, so I'm at the mercy of relying on somebody until I get here full time.

Photo before and after much brushing.

kul · Jun 20, 2023

I think in the right conditions (minimal chlorine, lots of sun, etc), it could definitely bloom quick. If you want to keep this guy servicing your pool you’ll need to ask him to add extra chlorine and brush - basically do a slam. Otherwise you’ll need to deal with this yourself once you move there more permanently.

woollybully · Jun 20, 2023

Yes, I've started the SLAM and will be talking to him tomorrow. I don't really care if this guy or somebody else does it but I want it done right. I've already let him know this is a temporary situation until I get settled here permanently. For now I've agreed to twice a week service and I'll insist he keeps it at SLAM and brushes it regularly. I get that it could bloom quickly, but this stuff is really embedded as if it's been growing a while. I am still skeptical that it got this bad in only 4 days.

SoCalTFP · Jun 20, 2023

After our second algae issue in the first year of pool ownership I decided to fire our pool guy and take on the TFP method. Seeing the amount of babysitting and chlorine a SLAM requires it makes complete sense why our pool guy dumped algaecide and shock in and called it a day.

Since your not going to be around I’d have the local guy do what he’s gonna do and OCLT then likely slam when you return for longer.

Do you have a SWG? That was the cause of both our issues, first time heavy scaling and second time cell failed. Might be worth having him inspect and clean that while your gone if you do.

Others might have better recommendations for long distance but I’d imagine you’re at his mercy until you return.

woollybully · Jul 10, 2023

I had a good discussion and continuing with twice a week service through the summer. It seems most likely that the previous owner started neglecting the pool after we signed the contract. As I was remote, my realtor did the walk-through and probably did not check the pool very closely. I have the pool guy brushing twice a week with wire brush and keeping the chlorine at 20ppm. Unbelievable the lack of knowledge from pool "professionals." He was using test strips for water testing. He did not have a wire brush (I bought one). Both he and the 4 "experts" at the pool store (Pinch-a-Penny) had never heard of FAS-DPD testing. I gave him a link to the K-1515 test on Amazon and he agreed to start using it.

This is a very small pool. No SWG, cartridge filter.

JamesW · Jul 10, 2023

Looks like black algae, which is very slow growing but very nasty stuff.

reggiehammond · Jul 10, 2023