Mustard algae?

[Tscott667]

I've looked and researched and still can't 100% tell if this is mustard algae or not. Me and the wife took a week long vacation and THEN we got Covid for a week. So our pool has not been taken care of for 2 weeks or so and this is what our pool looks like. This is a small pool, but already have bought and upgrading to another next year and are experimenting on this pool so it doesn't happen with the bigger one that we will be using. (new pool will be sand.) It's like a fine dust that on the bottom of the pool NOT on the sides and never knew where it started (mustard algae starts in shaded areas usually) so we don't know how it started to know what algae it is. Also our CYA is 60 which would mean our FC should be between 7 and 9 but we bought the k-2006 test kit which only goes to 5, I thought this was one of the good test kits but not if it only goes to 5. What is a better test kit that will test higher especially since mustard aglae is suppose to be shocked to 34 right?

 

[randytsuch]

Does your test kit have the FAS-DPD test? This is the one with powder and a little blue spoon and another bottle one you use to add drops and count.
The 2006 kit should have it, and it will let you test FC as high as you need.

If mustard, Its Actually 35 if mustard, I'd round up

Mustard algae is really easy to brush away, acts kind of like dust.

 

[Tscott667]

Does your test kit have the FAS-DPD test? This is the one with powder and a little blue spoon and another bottle one you use to add drops and count.
The 2006 kit should have it, and it will let you test FC as high as you need.

If mustard, Its Actually 35 if mustard, I'd round up

Mustard algae is really easy to brush away, acts kind of like dust.

So just slam/shock the Crud out of it? There's a few videos of people brushing it off into the water then shocking it. That didn't seem to work for use. Maybe we didnt do it right, then we tried Alagaecide.....

Another thing we ran into after we scrubbed the algae into the pool then slamed it, is that the water was so cloudy for 2 days that we couldnt see the bottom to keep scrubbing where the algae was...

 

[randytsuch]

You need to shock and brush it too. Mustard can be a pain to get rid of. You might have to clean out filter and lights too, anywhere it could hide.
there's a page here about mustard,

 

[PoolStored]

What is a better test kit that will test higher especially since mustard aglae is suppose to be shocked to 34 right?

Get one of these kits. Test Kits Compared

 

[Donldson]

I've looked and researched and still can't 100% tell if this is mustard algae or not.

That is not mustard algae. That's just normal run of the mill green algae. The fine dust you are finding is likely dead algae. Please do not just dump tons of chlorine in blindly, even if it was mustard (I see zero evidence that that's what you are dealing with) that is not how the process works. The simple answer is to follow the SLAM Process. Algaecide is also not going to solve this problem, it is designed to prevent algae not rid a green pool of it. What kind did you use? There's some types that can cause major issues with the ability to manage the water.

The k-2006 has the FAS-DPD chlorine test which can test well above 5 ppm, if your kit does not test beyond 5 ppm then you did not get a k-2006. Can you post a picture of the kit?

 

[Tscott667]

That is not mustard algae. That's just normal run of the mill green algae. The fine dust you are finding is likely dead algae. Please do not just dump tons of chlorine in blindly, even if it was mustard (I see zero evidence that that's what you are dealing with) that is not how the process works. The simple answer is to follow the SLAM Process. Algaecide is also not going to solve this problem, it is designed to prevent algae not rid a green pool of it. What kind did you use? There's some types that can cause major issues with the ability to manage the water.

The k-2006 has the FAS-DPD chlorine test which can test well above 5 ppm, if your kit does not test beyond 5 ppm then you did not get a k-2006. Can you post a picture of the kit?

Sorry, we were being dumb, we do have the k-2006 and it does go above 5, we re-read the manual and all. So how does one tell if it's mustard algae or just dead algae? We will be slamming it hopefully this weekend once we get over our sickness, since we are still sick from covid.

so slamming (along with the filter) will get rid of the dead algae after we brush it off into the water? That's the only thing I don't get, we slamed it earlier, the water got cloudy, unable to see the bottom, let the pump go for 2 days straight and it just stayed cloudy, and now it's just back to the bottom of our pool as a fine dust.

 

[Tscott667]

This is it sitting on the bottom, clear water.

 

[Donldson]

This is it sitting on the bottom, clear water.

I'm sorry, but I would absolutely not consider that "clear", your water is green and cloudy (it's very shallow, if it were deeper it would be easier to notice). This just looks like a typical algae bloom.

Would you mind sharing what algaecide you added to your water?

 

[duraleigh]

That's not mustard. Plain ole' algae and as my friend Mr. Dnldson says, you will need to SLAM the pool.

Frankly, you are stabbing around trying things when you don't know the outcome. If you have enough time, you may get your pool clear by accident.

If you REALLY want your pool clear, The SLAM process leaves no room for guessing and "trying it to see" chemistry additions.

The SLAM process will not desert you unless you stray from the path and follow your old ways!

 

[Tscott667]

I'm sorry, but I would absolutely not consider that "clear", your water is green and cloudy (it's very shallow, if it were deeper it would be easier to notice). This just looks like a typical algae bloom.

Would you mind sharing what algaecide you added to your water?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002WKKC9K?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

We will stop using the algaecide (only used it once) immediately and try slaming it again.

So how does one know if it's just "plain ole algae" or mustard algae? As slaming techniques is different for each one. What's a good sign?

 

[Tscott667]

So time for an update. I've been slaming since Saturday. CYA 50, shock level at 20. Saturday and Sunday I checked EVERY 2 hours all day both days kept at 20. Yesterday and today, I checked in the morning and after work. So it has cleared up DRASTICALLY. This is what it looks like as of right now. In the first picture is that a little bit of mustard algae? Also still have a thin layer of algae on the bottom in the entire pool that I sweep into the pool then keep at 20 FC. Since I've been slaming for 4 days now do I need to try to recheck for PH incase it has gone down or anything. Is that mustard algae? Do I now go to Mustard Algae shock which is 30?

We are trying to learn as much as possible on this small pool for our bigger pool next year and to hopefully enjoy this thing this weekend.

 

[Tscott667]

So time for an update. I've been slaming since Saturday. CYA 50, shock level at 20. Saturday and Sunday I checked EVERY 2 hours all day both days kept at 20. Yesterday and today, I checked in the morning and after work. So it has cleared up DRASTICALLY. This is what it looks like as of right now. In the first picture is that a little bit of mustard algae? Also still have a thin layer of algae on the bottom in the entire pool that I sweep into the pool then keep at 20 FC. Since I've been slaming for 4 days now do I need to try to recheck for PH incase it has gone down or anything. Is that mustard algae? Do I now go to Mustard Algae shock which is 30?

We are trying to learn as much as possible on this small pool for our bigger pool next year and to hopefully enjoy this thing this weekend.

Any advice? This is my filter after 2 days of constantly running and not cleaning. And 5 total days of SLAMming. Still regular algae? The stuff at the bottom of the pool is so fine my vacoom will not picky it up and cant puck up by hand. I gues I need to really get a vacuum that goes to waste.

 

[mknauss]

Stay at SLAM. Those clumps look like regular algae.

Mustard Algae level is only used for 24 hours AFTER you pass the normal SLAM.

Keep brushing, vacuuming, etc. Above Ground pools are slow to clear.

What filter type do you have? Filling out your signature really helps us help you.

 

[duraleigh]

Brush that fine debris up into the pool water. Your skimmer will take it to the filter. Are you watching the psi of your filter? What is it?

Forget mustard algae. You don't have it.

 

[Tscott667]

Thanks. I will upgrade all my info soon. I know PH tests dont work at slam level chlorine. But im sure its changed a bit since its rained while ive been slamming for 5 days. Do I still not let the chlorine get a little slower so I can test my PH?

 

[duraleigh]

No. Follow the SLAM process to a T. Your only tests during the SLAM are for FC and CC.

 

[Tscott667]

OK thanks, its slow but surely working, still after a week algae keeps clumping up a little at the bottom. Also, with a CYA of 40 or 50, you need 5-7 or 6-8. Is there an easier way to test the chlorine rather than the dust, drop method. I know there is R-0001 and R-0001 which is faster but all the tests kits seem to only go to 5.

 

[Texas Splash]

with a CYA of 40 or 50, you need 5-7 or 6-8.

You may be referring to the regular daily FC levels, but remember you are still in the middle of a SLAM Process. You should be using the SLAM tab in the FC/CYA Levels which tells us if your CYA is 40, the FC level should be 16. If your CYA is 50, then an FC of 20. You must continue to maintain that level and do the daily brushing, vacuuming, etc until you pass all 3 SLALM criteria. The SLAM Process works if you follows that page carefully as Dave noted above.

As for accurate FC testing, the FAS-DPD (powder & drops) is by far the best method. That is why both the TF-100 from tftestkits..net and the Taylor K-2006 from Taylor Industries include it in their kits.

 

[randytsuch]

Magnetic stirrers make the FAS and other counting drop tests much easier to do, especially with a high FC.