Is this algae?

[bouche03]

First, a little about me and my situation...I purchased a new house in late October of last year, about a week after the prior owners closed the pool. Being in Indiana, this is normal. We had the pool inspected when it was open and had the pool pump repaired under warranty as there were some issues with it. Have a Pentair Superflo pump and a Pentair SD70 sand filter, with a vinyl liner and 11,172 gallons. Anyways, when we opened the pool last month to have the new pump installed, the pool was green and covered in algae. We got things running and I scrubbed the entire liner and shocked it. Have been learning on the go ever since, using this website as a valuable resource. Unfortunately I didn't discover this website until I went to the pool store and spent $300 on supplies (thankfully only about $50 was not needed). Anyways, I digress...after learning about pool chemistry and getting levels under control, I believe I have a mustard algae issue. Current levels (per pool store done yesterday) are PH of 7.5, FC of 1.5, TC of 1.7, CYA 38 CH 129, TA 104. I know I need to get FC up a touch today before doing the OCLT to determine what is going on, but with my chlorinator running at max setting of 5, I can't keep the levels up so I assume I have something in the pool. First pic is when I opened it, and the 3 showing the brown dust accumulating in crevices and on the bottom each day. There are no trees around my house, so I don't believe this to be pollen...the brown dust just poofs away when I try to suck it up and brushing brings dust off all surfaces of the pool sides included; thoughts and advice is appreciated for a newbie, and thank you greatly in advance! My intention is to SLAM the pool based off the FC/CYA chart after the OCLT.

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
You need to follow the SLAM Process. To do that, you need a proper test kit. I suggest the TF-100 or Taylor K2006C. A proper test kit is needed to get the accurate water chemistry results needed to follow the TFP protocols.

While you are waiting on your test kit, add 5 ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine / plain bleach to your pool each evening with the pump running. This will replenish the FC lost each day to the sun and also inhibit any algae in the water from growing further.
I suggest you read through Pool School - Trouble Free Pool and even look at a few of our videos TFP-TV - Trouble Free Pool

 

[V___25]

Hi and welcome! You've been given the best advice above. I do question the mustard algae possibility though. You said there are no trees around the pool and mustard algae tends to grow in shaded areas where sun generally doesn't get or in poor circulation parts of the pool.

 

[bouche03]

Thanks guys! I have tried my best to take advantage of all the wonderful info on the site, so already got my test kit and did the pool school reading. All awesome info for a newb like myself The one photo with the dark clumps is the deep end of the pool on the same side at the 2 returns, so I imagine that is the worst circulated part of the pool. I tested myself this morning and FC is still at 1.5, with CC about the same (no visible changes in color) and TA at around 110, PH 7.5. Gave it a good scrub again today and will get FC up and do OCLT tonight and turn the chlorinator off overnight while pump is running. Do I need to remove what's left of the pucks in the chlorinator?

 

[V___25]

Do you intend to use the pucks permanently? They will raise your CYA over time and make your needed FC climb as well . As someone who struggled with high CYA due to prior owners exclusively using tabs, I would ditch those, bypass the chlorinator, and stick to LC. Also, as Marty said, I wouldn't add anything other than 5 ppm of LC each day until your test kit arrives and you know exactly what you are working with. Hold off on the SLAM until you have a good test kit. Pool store results only exist to get you to spend $300 on stuff you generally don't need.
Keeping brushing and vacuuming/running robot daily and let us know when you can get solid test results. From that point, you'll get boatloads of help!!

 

[bouche03]

Do you intend to use the pucks permanently? They will raise your CYA over time and make your needed FC climb as well . As someone who struggled with high CYA due to prior owners exclusively using tabs, I would ditch those, bypass the chlorinator, and stick to LC. Also, as Marty said, I wouldn't add anything other than 5 ppm of LC each day until your test kit arrives and you know exactly what you are working with. Hold off on the SLAM until you have a good test kit. Pool store results only exist to get you to spend $300 on stuff you generally don't need.
Keeping brushing and vacuuming/running robot daily and let us know when you can get solid test results. From that point, you'll get boatloads of help!!

Thank you! I have discovered that since my last post that TFP is not a fan of the chlorinators due to the CYA issue. I am glad to know that, unfortunately, I already got a bucket of disks...oh well, live and learn. I have lots of LC, so will transition to that on a permanent basis.

 

[V___25]

While we follow the FC/CYA relationship, many people with pools do not. That said, you may be able to find a buyer for that bucket of pucks if wish to or you can save them for vacations when you need to throw a few in the floater.

 

[BowserB]

Thank you! I have discovered that since my last post that TFP is not a fan of the chlorinators due to the CYA issue. I am glad to know that, unfortunately, I already got a bucket of disks...oh well, live and learn. I have lots of LC, so will transition to that on a permanent basis.

As long as your bucket of disks is tightly sealed (if the pucks inside are loose, you might want to individually or in small bunches put them in ziploc bags and back into the container, just to keep the chlorine from gassing out wherever you store them), you could save them. I find from time to time, especially over winter, the CYA drops, and even in the summer it will drop a bit due to the southeast Texas sun. When that happens, I can turn down the SWCG to a low % and I put pucks in a floater until the CYA is back up, still monitoring FC of course. That's worked so far.

 

[Mdragger88]

Pucks have their place but their blind use leads to big problems.
Your cya is about as high as it needs to go so it’s time for the liquid diet. Save those pucks for vacation or the occasional cya boost.
Be sure to post & use YOUR results from YOUR kit for dosing/adjustments- the others can’t be counted on. Especially cya. Also with cya - always round up, so anywhere between 30&40 counts as 40.
SLAM Process on !

 

[jedigrover]

Just want to add to vacuum, vacuum, vacuum. The "dust" is probably dead algae, and if it stacks up on top of live algae, it can wind up helping protect it from chlorine exposure. You must get the algae and remnants *out* of the pool. Clean the filter often until you get through this.