Please help me diagnose this! Pink bacteria

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Just wanted to chime in and say I just helped a neighbor do a SLAM on his pool recently, about half the size, and went through about 4 gallons of chlorine a day, for almost a week before the SLAM was done. Sometimes it takes a while, but the honest answer is, something is eating the chlorine in the pool. The only answer, is more chlorine, at SLAM levels, to power through it.

ghoover522 said:
Is it okay to stop the SLAM process early?
Click to expand...
The real answer is, yes, you can, but the best answer is NO, you do not want to.

With a overnight chlorine loss of 50%, the number is going to continually drop. I saw it with my neighbor, for days the water was so clear, the feeling of frustration takes over.... "This is a lot of chlorine, water is clear, lets call it done". But if you do that, the only thing that will happen is all the chlorine will be consumed by whatever is in that water, the water will become cloudy, and you will have to start over.

I know it is frustrating, but I also know this SLAM is the right course of action and you will get through it.

I do not have any more to add then all the others have said, they are right, this is the course, just wanted to say I've seen it on the forum here, and in real life, this is the path, you understand it, and once you are through it, you will likely never have to do it again, but your experience will help many others in the future.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mdragger88 and SoDel
More of my 2c lol. In one sense, the overnight chlorine loss is good, in the sense of another data point.

I pose it as a question — if the SLAM level is maintained as prescribed, isn’t there an amount of time where all that chlorine has to eventually kill and oxidize even stuff that’s “hiding” from overall circulation? Like, if the chlorine is being used, that has to mean it is in some sense getting to the hidden places to be used and if the pool owner can’t get to those places to scrub, the chlorine just needs more contact time?

If the issue is oxidize hidden organics, would a quality enzyme (like Orenda CV-600) possibly help? I know that goes against the grain but chlorine isn’t great (good not great) at oxidizing formerly living organics so maybe time for heavier oxidation artillery? As a one-off for a particular pool with seems to be something has to be hiding somewhere, is it worth a try? (and I’m ok if the tomatoes have to be thrown at me for suggesting it lol — just an idea).
 
ghoover522 said:
I have removed the ladder and scrubbed it. No algae. Skimmer boxes are fully clean. Brushed fully around the light and the bottom jet.
Click to expand...
You need to remove the light (with it off) & scrub the niche, also remove the drain cover & scrub the “bowl” that is beneath it. They both can hold lots of stuff. If u take a close pic of the light & the drain we can assist on how to remove them.
Algae & pink slime (especially) coat themselves with biofilms to protect themselves (from chlorine & other offenders) to allow them to proliferate. If they aren’t scrubbed the chlorine has a hard time getting to them & killing them.
 
ghoover522 said:
Can anyone tell me what is growing on the skimmer area and the baskets. This happened at a time that the pool chlorine dropped to 2ppm. I have ordered some PhosFree that I will try out. I have a high iron issue in the water as well that results in constant re staining of my steps. I have been using The Pink Stuff for the metal staining on a weekly basis.

Pool is Vinyl Chlorine 16,000 gallons. DE Filter and Hayward chlorinator.

My latest test is below using the kit purchased on this site:
7/19/22
Ph 7.5
Calcium 120ppm
Free chlorine 6.5ppm
Chloramines 0ppm
Total chlorine 6.5ppm
Alkalinity 120ppm
Click to expand...
Pink algae is a growth of pink, slimey bacterial matter which can sometimes occur in pools and laboratory equipment. The name is a misnomer, because pink algae is not a true algae but is actually caused by a bacterium in the genus Methylobacterium. The color of the bacterial growth comes from pigments within its cells. The slime formed around the bacteria provides it with a relatively high level of protection from external threats. Like other species in its genus, pink algae is a methane consuming bacterium.[1] It has an affinity for the matrix of PVC plastics, and will attach itself to both the inside and the outside of PVC materials inside of the pool. Pink algae infestation in a pool often occurs alongside an infestation of white water mold.[
 
  • Like
Reactions: Shirker and Mdragger88
If this is true, and the chlorine is not able to get to them, why is Free Chlorine being consumed constantly during this SLAM process? I am not going to be able to remove the bottom jet. The water is too chlorinated to get into the pool and try to swim down there and do that. I can try to remove the light. It is a Pentair IntelliBrite light.
 
ghoover522 said:
If this is true, and the chlorine is not able to get to them, why is Free Chlorine being consumed constantly during this SLAM process? I am not going to be able to remove the bottom jet. The water is too chlorinated to get into the pool and try to swim down there and do that. I can try to remove the light. It is a Pentair IntelliBrite light.
Click to expand...
The fc is working on it slowly… if u want it to end quickly you need to disrupt the biofilms with elbow grease 💪
It is safe to swim with fc anywhere between minimum and up to slam level for your cya FC/CYA Levels
 
ghoover522 said:
If this is true, and the chlorine is not able to get to them, why is Free Chlorine being consumed constantly during this SLAM process? I am not going to be able to remove the bottom jet. The water is too chlorinated to get into the pool and try to swim down there and do that. I can try to remove the light. It is a Pentair IntelliBrite light.
Click to expand...
There are many reasons chlorine can be consumed beyond what you are treating. The info says "a relatively high level of protection from external threats," not that it is invulnerable.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mdragger88

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
Okay I put the hose on Jet and taped it to a pole and went around the light and the bottom jet. I release some what I can only describe as pieces of dead skin. It is clear and stringy / stretchy. No green dust was released. I suppose the pink bacteria was dead but it left behind a film of some sort? FC is back up to 20
 
ghoover522 said:
Okay sounds good. I will try keep scrubbing and brushing.
Click to expand...
Your robot is also a possible hiding place for algae, especially if it has stayed in your pool between cleaning cycles. While keeping an elevated FC is important, finding and scrubbing all these hiding places is what's ultimately going to end this SLAM for you. Keep in mind, while blasting with water may dislodge some nasties, those areas still need a good scrubbing as well. Are you able to get the cover off your floor drain and take a peek in there? I'd keep the ladder out, as well as the robot (between cleaning cycles), to eliminate them as even possible sources. It's a process of elimination, so remove as many variables as you can and take the time to thoroughly scrub each area and know it's spotless. We all know it stinks, but it's the only way this SLAM will end.
 
The robot is spotless. Zero algae there. I cleaned the light thoroughly behind it. I didn't remove the bottom jet. That's the only last place for a tiny bit of algae. I'm not comfortable entering the pool at FC of 15... All sources state that FC should be 5ppm or lower for safety.

Free chlorine loss test results this morning.
9pm 17ppm
6am 11ppm
 
ghoover522 said:
All sources state that FC should be 5ppm or lower for safety.
Click to expand...
"ALL SOURCES"? With a CYA level of 50, the FC/CYA chart shows your FC should REGULARLY be between 6-8, 4 being the minimum. You are safe to swim up to SLAM level (20) . Plenty of people on here with crystal clear pools, no itchy skin, burning eyes who run their FC above 5. They've been doing it for years. As of last night's test, my FC is 8.5. I'll admit, before coming to TFP, I thought there was no way it was safe to run your chlorine above 4 based on "sources" and pool store advice. I'd urge you to do your own research on the CYA/FC relationship to better understand what's going on in your pool. My third summer TFP'ing.......nobody smells chlorine in my pool, nobody has any irritations, nobody's swim suits are fading, nobody has grown an additional appendage.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mdragger88
ghoover522 said:
All sources state that FC should be 5ppm or lower for safety.
Click to expand...
I think it takes some time to settle into the TFP methods and maybe this is one of the last misconceptions you will get past from previous advice. Before TFP, you probably would have been battling this with the advice from a pool store, and maybe finally just drained the whole thing and started over because nothing was working. Before TFP, the misconception was it is unsafe to be in the pool with chlorine levels above, lets just say 5. But if you finally settle in to the protocols taught here, and leave all the other sources behind, you will find a TFP in your extended future. It is hard to mix old teachings and the TFP way, it really is. Take some advice from here, then some from there, and maybe all put together they work, but just TFP works very well.

You have to decide for yourself what you do and are comfortable with, but you will read time and time again, it is perfectly safe to swim in water with chlorine levels up to SLAM levels.

Keep the battle going!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mdragger88, reggiehammond and BK MAC
FC level is back up to 21ppm. I have guests that need to use the pool tomorrow at 3pm so I need to wrap up this SLAM process by then. Hoping tonight FCLT shows lower Chlorine loss.

Latest test:
Free Chlorine: 21ppm
Chloramines: 1pmm
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply