Pressure washing for algae?

[Themacdadt]

I was thinking wouldn’t it be a lot easier to get in the pool ( still full of water)with a pressure and try to pressure wash the algae off from the walls and floors? It seems hard for me to do a good job with a wire brush on the pole. If you haven’t guessed I am dealing with mustard algae that seems to come back every day. Even following the SLAM procedure for mustard algae.

 

[JJ_Tex]

I wouldnt use a wire brush on mustard algae for fear of damaging my plaster (black algae is a different story). I'm not sure about the pressure washer, but why arent you using a normal nylon brush?

And you are following the SLAM procedure for mustard algae, including the extra high dose of chlorine at the end?

 

[Themacdadt]

My regular nylon brush won’t phase it. I am following the slam process and the extra high level of fc at the end.

 

[duraleigh]

If you are following the SLAM correctly, you may have algae embedded in scale. Got a pic?

Pressure washing is not a good idea regardless of the circumstances.

 

[Themacdadt]

I have been brushing and slamming for 6 days now pool looks 99 percent clean. Water is clear. Just seems like either I have more darker pebble Marcite texture areas which resembles a stain.i will try to get pics.

 

[proavia]

Can you post a full set of test results from just before you started your SLAM?
How often are you testing and adding chlorine during the SLAM?
What test kit are you using? Please add that to your signature.
When using the nylon brush, are you seeing anything removed from the surface?

As Dave said, pressure washing is not a good idea.

 

[JohnT]

Your pressure washer won’t like having the nozzle submerged.

 

[Themacdadt]

Don’t know if you will be really to tell but here they are. All parameters were correct when starting slam, using TFTestKits reagents, and following slam process . Must be hard to see the darker areas I’m referring to.

 

[Themacdadt]

Coming down from the high mustard level of chlorine of 38ppm and will get to all target levels and see what happens. Sure hope I don’t have to re slam.

 

[JJ_Tex]

Did you pass the 3 criteria for ending the slam? That water looks pretty clear to me, but wondering about OCLT.

 

[Themacdadt]

Yes I did

 

[Themacdadt]

Any experts live in Brevard county Florida?

 

[Katodude]

Going back to the original question, what is the issue with using a pressure washer in the pool. What if you use a 40 degree or 25 degree nozzle. I think it could be a good alternative to brushing, especially with things like black algae. Is there a risk it damages the pool surface?

 

[JohnT]

Going back to the original question, what is the issue with using a pressure washer in the pool. What if you use a 40 degree or 25 degree nozzle. I think it could be a good alternative to brushing, especially with things like black algae. Is there a risk it damages the pool surface?

Mine eats nozzles when submerged even for a second.

 

[Themacdadt]

Update!!!!!!

After reading so much on algae and why I’m having a problem I came across a thread on metal stains and how vitamin c will take out iron stains rather quickly. So I got home crushed up some vitamin c and put it on the floor of the beach area. Within seconds the stains that were thought to be algae starting clearing up to the color my floor is supposed to be.
SO... (1) now that I have been slamming for 10 days with levels up to 38ppm did I cause any problems with equipment?, (2).what is the TFP protocol for removing these stains? I follow TFP ways of maintaining and hopping there is a solution that don’t include pool store people trying to sell me chemicals with more metals in them.
And lastly, how did I get this problem? Oh yeah is poly 60 a sequestering agent?

Thanks all,!!!

 

[JohnT]

Check out this thread Ascorbic Treatment to rid Pool of metal stains

 

[aeh0603]

Oh yeah is poly 60 a sequestering agent?

No, it's an algaecide.

 

[Themacdadt]

So what would be a sequestering agent?

 

[aeh0603]

I think ProTeam Metal Magic is what I have used in the past, but there are others as well. I'm pretty sure Jacks Magic makes one as well.

One note about sequestering agents is that you will need to regularly dose your pool with them to maintain the effects or the metals may redeposit on your pool surfaces leaving you right back where you started. This is especially true if you have an ongoing source of metals to your pool like is often found in well water. In my case, I did the AA treatment for iron stains, but don't have high iron in my source water, so I did the AA treatment using a sequestering agent as described in the article. But when I was done I did a series of partial drains of my pool. My main purpose of draining was to reduce my sky high CYA levels, but this also reduced the metal concentration in my water enough that I do not use a maintenance dose of sequesterant and I have not had the metal stains come back.

 

[ajw22]

Ascorbic Acid Treatment - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com