SLAM help for Mustard Algae

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S

stoles

Well-known member
Apr 13, 2022
91
Charlestown, IN
Pool Size
16200
Surface
Fiberglass
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Pentair Intellichlor IC-20
I posted previously for advice on a SLAM for mustard algae. We did it, and it went on and on and on for almost 3 weeks. I finally passed the OCLT test and finished the process. Fortunately, most of this was done in the summer when I was home with the kids for break most days. Now, they're back at school, and I'm back at work. Of course, I just discovered the SLAM wasn't successful. Our mustard algae is growing back in the same exact places it was before. I'm at the end of my rope here. I clearly need to SLAM again, but what do you do when you can't test and replenish chlorine between 7:45 am and 6:30 pm? How do you successfully clear your algae problem?

I need advice. 😩
 
stoles said:
what do you do when you can't test and replenish chlorine between 7:45 am and 6:30 pm?
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You can only replenish the chlorine when you get back. The FC will of course fall a bit, but it's not so "exact" that a few hours below the SLAM level will ruin the SLAM Process. No need to over-shoot either because that can be wasteful. Do the best you can.
 
Texas Splash said:
You can only replenish the chlorine when you get back. The FC will of course fall a bit, but it's not so "exact" that a few hours below the SLAM level will ruin the SLAM Process. No need to over-shoot either because that can be wasteful. Do the best you can.
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Is this going to cause the SLAM to take exponentially longer than it would if I could be there all day keeping it up?
 
stoles said:
Is this going to cause the SLAM to take exponentially longer than it would if I could be there all day keeping it up?
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It might make it slightly less efficient, but it's common. We have many members who simply can't be poolside all day during a SLAM Process to check the FC level.
 
I work all day too. All you can do is add a (few only a few) FC extra in the morning and/or have a neighbor/friend/whatever add some LC at lunchtime. If your algae came back after three weeks I would bet it is lurking somewhere you missed. Thats a long SLAM and the mustard SLAM levels are higher than normal SLAM.

The reason the SLAM directions say to brush every day is established algae on a surface has a protective layer the stops FC from completely killing it. A spot inside my skimmer opening got me one time and another time it was hiding in my light niche. If you have that pentair/american products light that Dang near all pools have, after removing one philip screw you can pop it out so you can scrub the plaster under the trim plate. The cord should be long enough to let the light sit on the deck.
 
djdonte said:
I work all day too. All you can do is add a (few only a few) FC extra in the morning and/or have a neighbor/friend/whatever add some LC at lunchtime. If your algae came back after three weeks I would bet it is lurking somewhere you missed. Thats a long SLAM and the mustard SLAM levels are higher than normal SLAM.

The reason the SLAM directions say to brush every day is established algae on a surface has a protective layer the stops FC from completely killing it. A spot inside my skimmer opening got me one time and another time it was hiding in my light niche. If you have that pentair/american products light that Dang near all pools have, after removing one philip screw you can pop it out so you can scrub the plaster under the trim plate. The cord should be long enough to let the light sit on the deck.
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Yesssssssssss. it was a very long SLAM. I feel like I let everything else go outside because my husband was travelling frequently at the time and I was the only one testing and adding and brushing and vacuuming. lol Lots of potted plants died those weeks. I do have 2 lights, but I'm pretty sure they are nicheless lights. This is what they're supposed to be. Evenglow Nicheless Light - PAL Lighting

What about an autocover though? Could there be something under the top of the cover that I can't see too? Is it possible to scrub the underside somehow even? Yikes. That's a bad thought.
 
I'm second guessing them being nicheless now though after reading the specs that say they're for gunite and vinyl.

ETA - read more. guess they're not exactly what I was told. :rolleyes:
 
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ok - well if anyone knows how I get to the underside of the autocover to make sure it's not the source of my mustard algae, I'm all ears. :oops:
 

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OK, I just have to say those are some cool lights! I'd check behind them for sure.

I've had a bit of mustard algae in my pool. It liked to grow in 2 or 3 tiny places where it's shady at the deep end liner seams. I knew I was going to have to SLAM this spring and getting rid of this stuff was on my hit list. What I did was attack it over the weekend when I had time. I made sure I was at SLAM level FC. Then I filled a 1 gal sprayer with 12.5% chlorine, grabbed a long handled tire scrub brush and hopped in the pool. I hit those spots HARD with the brush then sprayed them with chlorine. Then I took the FC up to mustard level, brushed the heck out of the pool and tossed in the robot. I kept the FC at mustard level all weekend and repeated the scrub/spray 3-4 times a day. It's gone. Dead. I killed it twice. Passed OCLT when I tested on Monday night/Tuesday morning. Interestingly enough, my CC had always tested at .5 when the pool was sparkling clear. Now it's zero.

Can't help with the autocover.
 
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Weird, every time I slam, I can never get the CC to zero either. I always get a slight pink that takes one drop to go clear again. The first time I slammed for days trying to get 0 CC then finally gave up, and when I went back to normal levels it was zero. Same thing just happened to me yesterday. I think maybe that part of the test has issues at high FC levels.
 
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