Newbie and Mustard

[BPool18]

The good news: I just discovered this site tonight.

The bad news: I just discovered this site tonight.

Kit was ordered tonight.

Background: Bought current home in April. Has 22,000 gallon kidney shaped IG pool (built in 2014) with sand filter and salt water generator. I Had pool professionally opened 30 days ago. Was a green monster — neighbors said they let it go towards ends of the year last summer...but it was professionally closed. When we opened the pool, not only was it as green as a baseball field, but we pulled out a wicker patio furniture seat that had been in it all winter. Just proof that I think it was closed poorly.

Anyway, I originally hired someone to help me get it ready for swimming as I knew nothing. He put a few gallons of shock in and the green went away - but very cloudy. He said there were phosphates - added flocculant (revive) and turned filter off for 48 hours. Was still cloudy but could see the milky sand-like powder/dead algae at bottom. He was coming back to vacuum when I received a call from him saying he would be unable to continue to help me due to some personal issues he was dealing with (blessing in disguise for me as it forced me to start learning). Had no idea how to manually vacuum..but figured it out. Didn’t know about vacuum to waste so kept vacuuming to filter (but I did backwash). Figured out how to vacuum to waste and started doing that. Cleared up very quickly — leveled out water chemistry (from pool store water test results). Used pool, was 90% clear and I thought things were good.

I had about 10% remaining of the dead/grey/white algae to vacuum up on Monday of this week when I noticed it looked a bit more green/yellow. Saw some green algae on the ladder and what looked like “mustard drops” on the shallow end. Added a few gallons of shock and a solution 60 Algecide (polyquat). Went out the next day and seemed to be getting worse — with the brush got the brown dust “poof” down sides and bottom. Pool was still clear and not horrible but knew something was up. Went to pool store, tested and tc/fc were about 2ppm. After speaking with store owner (who built actual pool at my home), recommend sodium bromide and 8 gallons of liquid shock for the mustard algae. I went home, vacuumed to waste the large algae spots (some of the pieces had “curled” into a little ball), then brushed like crazy to try and get all of it loose. Shocked 8 gallons and added sodium bromide. Swept several more times that night.

Woke up today, and looked better (pool very clear...almost sparking clear, no large deposits) but brushing most areas still resulted in the dust “pool”...this stuff is really hiding). Brushed in morning (about half of what was observed yesterday was present), brushed at noon, tested water (pool store) and got a whopping 0.2 Tc/FC!!! Less than 24 hours from the 8 gallon shock.

Went back and swept like crazy again - took apart ladder, used colorox/bleach and cue tips to get all crevices in ladder, behind light, on skimmers, etc. much deeper clean. Swept again. Added 8 more Gallons of shock and swept some more.

Hoping this goes away. Seems to be diminished today so maybe tonight’s efforts killed the rest of it. But even after that shock tonight, still getting some cloudy “poofs” when brushing. Here are my numbers just PRIOR to tonight’s 8 gallon shock.

Tc 0.2
fc 0.2
ta 135
ph 7.2
calcium 250
cya 45
salt 3100

Any thoughts? Also, stupidly ran my brand new robot Thro this stuff the other day so the filter I’m sure has mustard algae. What’s the best way to clean? I can wipe down the robot with a Clorox beach solution but what about the filters? Didn’t want to put it in the water during this super shock.

Thanks for any input!

 

[kellyfair]

Hello. I am so sorry you didn’t find us before tonight, because we would have saved you money and frustration!

With all the stuff you’ve added to your pool, the things that concern me the most are the floc (can totally gum up the sand in your filter) and the sodium bromide. I don’t know much about the latter, so will wait for someone more experienced to comment. In the meantime, don’t add any more potions to your pool, use plain liquid chlorine, and wait for your kit.

Here’s some reading material:

ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
SLAM
Pool Math

 

[BPool18]

Thanks. Yes, just have to wait for the kit.

The (somewhat) good news is that this morning, pool appears 100% sparkley clear (though it pretty much did for most of yesterday), but the test strips showing a deep purple so the shock appears to be holding (though it’s only been 13 hours and no sun out)

I should be going to get a pool store measurement today (not much else I can do until the kit comes in). Did an initial sweep - still getting a light “poof” of material in most areas - some areas extremely light or none at all. Also, another change is the “poof” color is now more of a white/grey than a yellow/brown so thinking this may be dead. Again, pool looks clear - you would never know that material was there if you didn’t sweep. Should I backwash?

 

[BPool18]

I’ll also add that Ive read about the confusion between pollen and mustard algae...I’ve doubted myself because the pool really has been very clear. Seemed not to be pollen though because 1) was on the slopes (slopes seemed the worst)/walls and love to fill in the liner seams 2)the quick poof and dissapear-and settle manner 3) the fact that 24 hours after 8 gallons of shock - I was reading 0.2.

Good news (at least for the moment) is that chlorine level is holding.

I soaked the vacuum hose, and brush during the shock process to decontaminate. And will wipe down all floats etc with a Clorox solution. Not sure how to address the robot. The filters certainly have what looks like dry yellow/green algae on them. I can wipe down the robot shell with a colorox solution but what should I do about the internal filters - soak them in a Clorox solution?

 

[Mr Bruce]

Skip the pool store and skip the strips, neither are worth the time. Just add a gallon of bleach (not Clorox, it now contains an additive you do not want in your pool) Wal-Mart "chlorinating liquid" is good, or just their regular 6%. You could soak the robot filters in a diluted solution of bleach. Backwash your filter when the pressure gauge reads 25% above the post-backwash pressure. Remember, it's backwash until the discharged water is clear, turn the multiport to "Rinse" and run filter until the sight glass is clear, then multiport back to "filter". Pump should be off when moving the multiport.

Post some test results when your kit arrives, just add a gallon of bleach a day and brush at least once a day until then.

 

[BPool18]

Thank you. Am I reading the pool calculator correct where 1 gallon of 6% shock raises a 22,000 pool about 3 ppm? The pool store shock I’ve been using shows a sodium hypochlorite solution of 12.5 percent with the remaining being listed as “other ingredients” - so essentially one gallon of this pool store shock raises a 22,000 pool around 6 ppm?

 

[mknauss]

You are correct.

The 'other ingredients' in the liquid chlorine is, water.

 

[BPool18]

You are correct.

The 'other ingredients' in the liquid chlorine is, water.

Thank you. I tried to get expedited shipping on my Tf-100 but wasn’t available so I have to wait the 5-7 business days.

My pool looks sparkeking clear. However, you can’t see it with the naked eye, but Still getting “poofs” of residue when sweeping but it’s definetley more of a white/grey color. Really want to maintain this and not lose all this work...and my kit doesn’t arrive for another week. Help!

 

[mknauss]

I would suggest adding the 1 gallon of 12.5% 'pool store shock' each evening and circulate the pool well. It will hold what you have and you will be ready to move forward when your kit arrives.

Did you order the TF100 directly from TFTestkits.net?

 

[BPool18]

I would suggest adding the 1 gallon of 12.5% 'pool store shock' each evening and circulate the pool well. It will hold what you have and you will be ready to move forward when your kit arrives.

Did you order the TF100 directly from TFTestkits.net?

Thank you sir. I will get a case then so I can add 1 per day. Pump has been going 24/7. Will be hot here next few days so is it ok to add a bit of water as well?

i did order directly from them but expedited shipping wasn’t available.

Id love to put my robot in but just worried about reinfecting. Especially the robot filter. Should I let the filter soak in the pool shock solution?

 

[mknauss]

You can add water. Not an issue.

Not sure there is a need to run the pump 24/7. But that is up to you.

I do not see an issue with using the robot. All parts of it will be immersed into the same water as the pool. If you like, you can soak the filters first.

Take care.

- - - Updated - - -

Could you add a signature? See Pool School - Read This BEFORE You Post

 

[BPool18]

I cranked up my swag to 80-90% as well.

This is How my pool looks today - is crystal clear. Best it’s ever looked. However Still getting cloudy poofs with most brush strokes. But it’s definetley a white/grey color and nothing is visible unless you brush.



Could you add a signature? See Pool School - Read This BEFORE You Post[/QUOTE]

 

[mknauss]

What SWCG do you have? A signature really helps ---

You may not want to add a full gallon of LC if you are also creating chlorine with the SWCG. We recommend not running a SWCG during a SLAM (you are not doing one yet but waiting for a test kit to do one) as SWCG maintain FC, they struggle to raise it.

 

[BPool18]

Update: at 6 pm, strips indicate almost zero chlorine - crazy. At 10 A.M. I was getting deep purple but nothing at end of day. Stabilize reading from pool store still showing around 45. Also it’s was 90 degrees and sunny today. Still get some poofs but they are white/grey when brushing. Pool still looks sparkling clear. If I can just hold this till my test kit arrives I’ll be ok. I have a case of shock. Should I add one a night or two? Just to maintain.

the salt generator is a Hayward turbo T

 

[mknauss]

My list of SWCG's does not show just that for a Hayward. Is it a T-9, T-15?

I would stay with one gallon. I would not trust anything the strip tells you. It will bleach out at high FC values.

- - - Updated - - -

Signature -- Please!!!!

 

[BPool18]

Im sorry - it’s a T cell 9. I will add the signature tonight.

I thought about the strips bleaching out but I added a cup of pool water to a cup of two water and still white...

My list of SWCG's does not show just that for a Hayward. Is it a T-9, T-15?

I would stay with one gallon. I would not trust anything the strip tells you. It will bleach out at high FC values.

- - - Updated - - -

Signature -- Please!!!!

 

[mknauss]

OK - so the T9 can put 3.8 ppm of FC in your pool if run 24 hours at 100%. So not a big deal. Leave it on if you like.

FYI -- that SWCG is really undersized. Under normal summer time conditions, you will need to run it between 18 and 24 hours per day at 100%.

When it dies, get a T15.

Take care.

 

[BPool18]

Thank you sir. Will do. Cranked up to 100 now.

But concerning the fact the pool has (what I believe is 0 chlorine) after the second 8 gallon shock 24 hours ago...should I add two gallons tonight just to maintain? It obv worked as the dust is only noticeable when brushing and white pool is clear. Just want to make sure I can enjoy and maintain it until my kit arrives.

 

[mknauss]

You can add more LC if you wish. We are hesitant to suggest that as we do not know what your CYA really is.

 

[BPool18]

You can add more LC if you wish. We are hesitant to suggest that as we do not know what your CYA really is.

Thank you for the responses. Feel like I’m alone on this one until my kit comes in. We just have family in town this week so trying to make the pool enjoyable.

Im going to pool store tomorrow or water sample to try and get a better cya reading. At least it’s better than strips. I’ve never had a cya reading that was super high or super low so would be surprised if that’s the issue.

I guess ill just keep adding 1-2 gallons nightly and hope I can maintain unless there are any other suggestions.