Hello everyone! I work for a pool company but before you throw whatever is in your hand at me please hear me out. I am in a situation where I dont quite know how to proceed. I have been fighting with (what i believe to be) mustard algae in an 18x36 vinyl liner pool. Approx 17,000 gallons. I use a taylor 2005 kit. The owners have dogs that get into the pool regularly and Ive tried to tell them how this could cause problems but they dont care too much. The first time I noticed it was towards the end of the summer. It looked like sand or pollen, a light khaki color. When approached with a brush it would poof away immediately. I would vacuum it out on waste and it would be back the next day. At that time the levels were: FC=1..pH=7.8..TA: 80 and CYA=40. So next I did something I thought would work......Sodium Bromide. I added the recommended dose which was about 8 oz, brushed the entire pool, walls and all and added about 6 pounds of 70% calhypo and i leave the pump running 24HR. Next day, its back. This time I vacuum out to waste and add granular trichlor, about 3 pounds. Next day, I go back and it hasnt come back. Great success I think! I backwash and rinse. Next day its back. By this time the pool chems are FC: over 10. pH=7.4. TA=70..CYA=50. So now most recent, I vacuum out to waste but I leave the pump off because I wanna see just how much and how quickly it comes back.......its now been 7 days in a row ive checked and not a single spec has come back since i left the pump off. Is this really mustard algae or am I losing my mind. Please help! Dont hurt me too bad. Thanks
Mustard or something like it
- Thread starter Phill23
- Start date
Hey Phill !!!!
So. On to the mess. Anytime we suspect anything algae wise, we Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. If you lose FC once there is no sun or swimmers then something is growing in the water and using the FC.
With an FC of 1, the pool was below minimum per the FC/CYA Levels and you are likely seeing the results from that.
We follow the SLAM Process. I must say so that you understand, it is a process. The pool didnt go south in a day, and it wont be cleaned up with a silver bullet. This can be difficult for a pool service to perform as you dont live there. At first, the pool blows through FC in under 2 hours. Usually by day 2 its getting 4-6 hours and by day 3 it will get 8+ hours holding FC. We reccomend that many people start on a weekend so that by Monday they can continue the SLAM and be back at work. In a similar fashion, you have other customers the way we all have lives besides the pool. But if your client is on a regularly travelled route of yours and you can visit frequently, it will work. The longer the pool stays below SLAM FC level, the longer it takes. Plain and simple.
Read up on those links and ask away if you have any questions.
We got helping others, in our hand. The industry is horribly misguided with equally horribly outdated prorocols that are a cash cow for the large chains, but there can be GREAT folks who work in the industry.
If the water is properly sanitized, dogs and swimmers are all but irrellavant. Many pool owners are told to keep their FC way too low, possibly due to an UV or O2 system. They can't handle anything in their pools. A hot day, swimmers, a storm, nothing.
Try not to do that again, as its likely to bite you. After a dose or 3, it becomes a bromide pool and it will convert all future chlorine to bromine. The only way to remove it is a full drain.
So. On to the mess. Anytime we suspect anything algae wise, we Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. If you lose FC once there is no sun or swimmers then something is growing in the water and using the FC.
With an FC of 1, the pool was below minimum per the FC/CYA Levels and you are likely seeing the results from that.
We follow the SLAM Process. I must say so that you understand, it is a process. The pool didnt go south in a day, and it wont be cleaned up with a silver bullet. This can be difficult for a pool service to perform as you dont live there. At first, the pool blows through FC in under 2 hours. Usually by day 2 its getting 4-6 hours and by day 3 it will get 8+ hours holding FC. We reccomend that many people start on a weekend so that by Monday they can continue the SLAM and be back at work. In a similar fashion, you have other customers the way we all have lives besides the pool. But if your client is on a regularly travelled route of yours and you can visit frequently, it will work. The longer the pool stays below SLAM FC level, the longer it takes. Plain and simple.
Read up on those links and ask away if you have any questions.
Thank you. Ive been working for the company about a year and Im always trying to learn new things. Im smart enough to say I dont know if its something I dont know. I want to be good at what I do so Im trying to learn everything I can. TFP has been wonderful for learningHey Phill !!!!
We got helping others, in our hand. The industry is horribly misguided with equally horribly outdated prorocols that are a cash cow for the large chains, but there can be GREAT folks who work in the industry.
If the water is properly sanitized, dogs and swimmers are all but irrellavant. Many pool owners are told to keep their FC way too low, possibly due to an UV or O2 system. They can't handle anything in their pools. A hot day, swimmers, a storm, nothing.
Try not to do that again, as its likely to bite you. After a dose or 3, it becomes a bromide pool and it will convert all future chlorine to bromine. The only way to remove it is a full drain.
So. On to the mess. Anytime we suspect anything algae wise, we Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. If you lose FC once there is no sun or swimmers then something is growing in the water and using the FC.
With an FC of 1, the pool was below minimum per the FC/CYA Levels and you are likely seeing the results from that.
We follow the SLAM Process. I must say so that you understand, it is a process. The pool didnt go south in a day, and it wont be cleaned up with a silver bullet. This can be difficult for a pool service to perform as you dont live there. At first, the pool blows through FC in under 2 hours. Usually by day 2 its getting 4-6 hours and by day 3 it will get 8+ hours holding FC. We reccomend that many people start on a weekend so that by Monday they can continue the SLAM and be back at work. In a similar fashion, you have other customers the way we all have lives besides the pool. But if your client is on a regularly travelled route of yours and you can visit frequently, it will work. The longer the pool stays below SLAM FC level, the longer it takes. Plain and simple.
Read up on those links and ask away if you have any questions.
I guess where Im most confused is this.....the talor kit only registers to 10 for the FC reading. Ive gotten it so high where it will bleach out but according to the CYA/FC chart on here to kill mustard it tells me (based on a CYA of 50) that i need to bring the FC level to around 26. How am i supposed to test for that precise of a reading with the taylor kit?
- Jul 21, 2013
- 53,433
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
You need the FAS/DPD chlorine test that is in the K-2006 test kit...
FAS/DPD Chlorine Test Kit
Riiiiiiiight. You said you had the 2005. Sorry, it got lost in the thorough post. You need a fas/dpd powder add on kit.
The color block test is pretty much a worthless test strip, even at Taylors own say so. Its inaccurate over 3 (per them) and will only really tell you that chlorine is present.
Also, PH readings are invalid at 10+ PH, which is why we lower it to 7.2 before SLAM.
Mustard algae isnt that common and is the last step of the SLAM, if need be. The yellow you are seeing very well could be the start of pollen this time of year in GA. You still need to kill the algae thats eating the FC, but it probably regular algae.
The color block test is pretty much a worthless test strip, even at Taylors own say so. Its inaccurate over 3 (per them) and will only really tell you that chlorine is present.
Also, PH readings are invalid at 10+ PH, which is why we lower it to 7.2 before SLAM.
Mustard algae isnt that common and is the last step of the SLAM, if need be. The yellow you are seeing very well could be the start of pollen this time of year in GA. You still need to kill the algae thats eating the FC, but it probably regular algae.
Thank you! It seems i need the 2006 to really feel confident/sure about my work. Thats a good place to start
Get the C. K2006 *C*. It has alot more supplies as the 'commercial' one,
- Jul 21, 2013
- 53,433
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Mustard Algae
Today We are going to show you how you can get rid of mustard algae in your pool. By following the steps in this guide and with no expensive chemicals.
www.troublefreepool.com
SLAM - Shock Level and Maintain
We’ve all had to deal with a green pool. Clear algae from your pool with a SLAM! Read here to use shock level and maintain to clear your pool.
www.troublefreepool.com
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,933
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Buying what @ajw22 posted will turn your k2005 into a k2006 - u will just not have the convenient box to store it in.
Since u are a professional the tfpro salt may prove to be a beneficial tool in your arsenal if you are getting low on other regeants as well & looking to purchase a complete kit with all the works.
tftestkits.net
Since u are a professional the tfpro salt may prove to be a beneficial tool in your arsenal if you are getting low on other regeants as well & looking to purchase a complete kit with all the works.