MUSTARD ALGAE PLEASE GO AWAY!

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Jun 1, 2017
66
Dunn, NC
Slammed, water cleared, changed sand in sand filter. Now algae back. Keeps coming back to same places. On 2 specific seams and in divots on bottom. Readings were:
FC-5
PH-7.5
ALK-110
CYA-50
22X52 Intex pool-Intex saltwater system with sand filter.
So, added 5 gallons 6% liquid bleach this evening about 8pm. Will add 5 gallon a again in the morning. 5 gallons again tomorrow night. And so on. I am so frustrated! I am going to keep putting chlorine in until it is gone! I am waiting on testing reagents to come in mail. Frustrating. Dumb kits do not put enough reagents. I live in the country and do not have a pool store nearby. Sorry for the frustration. Will backwash before adding bleach in the morning. Should I vaccum also? How do I beat this stuff!
 
Thank you. I just checked my FC level and it was 28. Added another gallon. Have to go to bed. My husband is supposed to bring 10 more gallons of bleach home @ 8:00 am, after work. I will recheck FC at 7:30 in the morning. And brush. And backwash. Should I vaccum or should i wait until i know the algae does not come back. I know this is going to take 2 or 3 days. Also, since sleep is a necessity, there is no way to keep the chlorine level up at night. Is this ok?
 
This morning according to the FAS-DPD test I have lost about 6ppm FC overnight. Getting ready to add another 5 gallons of bleach to keep the level way up because the sun is getting ready to peak. Supposed to be a scorcher again today. Heat index of 110. Will add another 5 tonight and recheck with DPD kit tomorrow morning. And brush and backwash this evening again. My water has always been clear. Just algae on 2 seams real bad and in divots in pool. This morning i am not seeing the algae so much on the seams which means hopefully it is dying! Will update later this evening.
 
Since your CYA is 50, you only need to add enough bleach to get the FC to 20. Anything higher right now is just wasting bleach. The failed Overnight Chlorine Loss Test indicates you have algae, so let the regular SLAM Process do its thing. Only after you pass the SLAM's 3 criteria will you increase your FC higher to the Mustard Algae level. And when you do, it's only for 24 hours. We don't want you to damage your liner (fading).

So for now, increase the FC to 20 and do your best to keep it there "consistently" throughout the day and night. Spiking the FC only once a day is not the proper way to conduct the SLAM Process.
 
You should be following the SLAM process to get your pool clear but you are not. You are simply throwing bleach at the pool hoping for a good outcome.

Eradication of algae needs to be very methodical and you must follow the SLAM process exactly as it is written. Until you do so, you will waste more and more bleach and still struggle getting your pool crystal clear.

Why do you think you have mustard algae? Got a pic of your pool?
 

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I get the slam process. I only put 3 gallons in. Will check again at 1pm and add 2 more. Then tonight add 5 gallons. Why can't I slam at mustard algae level for 3 days straight. Will that not kill it? I did not see any this morning. My liner is fine. It is old anyway and it is an Intex pool. My water is clear. The reason I know it is mustard algae is because it is yellowish/orange and it is always in the same places. I touched it with the brush head and it went "puff" into a cloud in the water.
 
Day 3- waiting patiently on my CYA test kit and more Taylor r0871 reagent! Need that! In the meantime, pool water still using FC at night. I may have enough reagent left for an overnight test tonight. Not sure. I have to go to town tomorrow so I will stop at the small pool store there to see if they have any reagent. My pool is clear. Have not seen algae on the seam since yesterday. No CC. I am hoping I am doing the overnight right. I add my nightly dose of bleach and wait an hour and a half for the bleach to circulate into the water then test it and test again in the morning. It is hot and windy today. Tomorrow it is supposed to rain and be cooler. Crazy weather! I am hoping I am beating this mustard algae!
 
OK - keep the FC at 16 until you pass all 3 SLAM criteria. Then, if it was mustard algae, once you've passed all the criteria, raise the FC to the mustard algae level for 24 hours. Brush as often as you can during that 24 hours. Then let FC come back down to standard levels.
 
Pool is clear. CC-0. Still lost some free chlorine last night. Why won"t this algae go away! Tired of bleach! Will keep trying, though.Out of my R-0871 reagent. Some on the way. Should be here Thursday. I am guessing until then I need to keep adding chlorine and brushing. My pool is clear. No CC.Am keeping level at 25. At least I think I am.No reagent til Thursday. Uugh!
 
You're doing what you can. When you get reagents keep testing and adding as often as able to get to 16ppm FC. Be sure to take out and scrub down any ladders, stairs, etc. and check any folds in the liner, light niches, etc. for algae to scrub away.
 
IceShadow said:
You're doing what you can. When you get reagents keep testing and adding as often as able to get to 16ppm FC. Be sure to take out and scrub down any ladders, stairs, etc. and check any folds in the liner, light niches, etc. for algae to scrub away.
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Thank you for the support. We tr look the ladder out this morning. I brush when I add each. Have not seen algae in 2 days, but still losing some FC at night.
 
Then you're close. When the FC loss at night is 1ppm or less you should be set, since your water is clear and your CC below 1ppm.

At that point you should raise your FC to the mustard algae levels for the CYA and hold it there for 24 hours. Really brush EVERYTHING down during that time frame - walls, floor of pool, everything. After 24 hours at the higher level you should be set.

The steps/ladder should be scrubbed down with diluted bleach before putting them back in the pool on all surfaces. Anything else that goes in the pool should get a diluted bleach scrubdown too to make sure there's no mustard algae hiding on it.
 
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