How to get rid of Green Mold above waterline.

[rev29k]

Folks,

I have been trying to search for an answer to this and am not having any luck. I have a new pool (probably 6 mo. old), and am starting to get green mold spots on the grout above the waterline. No where else it seems. My question is how to get rid of it. I have read/been told to use chlorine on it, but that doesn't seem to be working at all. I put regular household bleach in a spray bottle, sprayed the water tile/grout, let it sit for a couple minutes and then scrubbed. Nothing. Is that what I should be using? Or should I be using something stronger.

I have heard/read to try rubbing a puck on the spots, but I also have light-grey colored grout, and am worried that might fade the color of the grout. Perhaps it wouldn't, I'm not sure. Does anyone have any experience with that? But I am also not sure what else to try using. We tried using green scrubby pads (like 3M ones for dishes) and that seemed to help scrub it a little better, but then we get tons of green pieces in the pool, and it really didn't help THAT much better. So I presume using a scrub brush is correct?

I know this probably sounds like a simple question, but I am not sure what else to try.

Any help with this is GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks everyone!

 

[rev29k]

Or perhaps is algae, I still them confused.

 

[zea3]

Can you post a picture of the problem area? How strong of a bleach solution did you spray on the grout?

 

[rev29k]

I don't know the strength, whatever regular household bleach is. Should I be using pool bleach, instead? I can get a pic and upload shortly.

 

[zea3]

If you sprayed straight bleach, even cheap dollar store 3% bleach, it should have killed whatever is growing. Do you know how old the bleach was?

 

[rev29k]

Here is an area with green I am trying to treat.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Have you used any copper containing products in your pool? At first I thought it was just a reflection off the water. Or is this under the water- hard to tell?

Maddie

 

[rev29k]

Its the green areas in several of the vertical grout lines in the middle of the pic. But I since posting I have gone back and tried some more, this time letting the bleach sit longer and it seems to have worked.

 

[rev29k]

But this leads me to another question. What is everyone using for removing calcium buildup on their grout? I have been using muriatic acid, but it also seems to eat away the grout as well. Any suggestions on strength? Wife has tried vinegar, which she said helps, but takes a bunch of scrubbing.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

The trick is to not let it develop at all. Keep your CSI slightly negative and don't let your pH get too high.

 

[rev29k]

I am aware of that, and I have been. Nonetheless, I do have a few places I am prone to getting it. How do most people handle calcium buildup on their grout? That's really the only place I get it.