Thought it was mustard, now not so sure
- Thread starter PowerPigg!!
- Start date
Just now saw the pic of your skimmed debris........that's not mustard algae. I think mdragger is right......it's pollen.
Are you running your pump 24/7 and keeping up with the filter psi?
Are you running your pump 24/7 and keeping up with the filter psi?
For the duration of this new SLAM I am definitely back to 24 hour a day pump operation. The stuff poofs up when approached softly with the brush. I understand that usually points to algae? If algae, I don't know if it is dead or still alive--it looked yellowish, much like what I fought off during my SLAM weeks ago. I don't have the influx of tiny flowers or floating pollen on the surface this time though-- last time I was dealing with both at once.
Thinking through what might have happened, I'm wondering if the water level starting to drop from a new pool water leak, combined with use of an attached intex skimmer might have contributed to poor water circulation at the opposite end of the pool from the return due to the pump maybe not being strong enough. But then again, the stuff on the floor was arranged in closely spaced lines so that suggests water circulation being adequate there?
I have removed the skimmer attachment and the flow limiter on the other intake port to have the pump filter flow rate as high as possible, and I have rinsed off the cartridge. I do not have have a pressure gauge on this pump so I rinse it off weekly during normal times, and check daily during SLAM.
(Removed reply to duraleigh, seems I answered the pollen question here before I read it)
Thinking through what might have happened, I'm wondering if the water level starting to drop from a new pool water leak, combined with use of an attached intex skimmer might have contributed to poor water circulation at the opposite end of the pool from the return due to the pump maybe not being strong enough. But then again, the stuff on the floor was arranged in closely spaced lines so that suggests water circulation being adequate there?
I have removed the skimmer attachment and the flow limiter on the other intake port to have the pump filter flow rate as high as possible, and I have rinsed off the cartridge. I do not have have a pressure gauge on this pump so I rinse it off weekly during normal times, and check daily during SLAM.
(Removed reply to duraleigh, seems I answered the pollen question here before I read it)
So weird... FC tested at 27 ppm last night (a little over target of 24 ppm), and still measures 27 ppm as of about 15 minutes ago. Drizzling and overcast all morning, and found pool bottom just as covered with stuff as before--poofs up brown cloud when brushing. If this is algae, is it normal for there to be no apparent consumption overnight? I tested using the 5ml water sample both last night and today--could this be an artifact of error bars on the measurements?
- Jun 22, 2014
- 48,290
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Wasn't sure if you made note anywhere else in this thread, but is/was the ladder removed from the pool during your SLAMs? Nothing in the water at all correct?
Also, if you passed the OCLT, and it appears that you did, we should be able to rule-out algae. Has it been breezy there lately? It's amazing how much junk lands on the water's surface day and night only to settle to the floor.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 14,008
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Look at other things to see if there’s accumulation there too (like cars or the patio) if so maybe its just debris . When it’s really been dry it’s dusty as heck at my house & it gets all in my pool- we have alot of beige gravel.
Also- those cartridges are pretty terrible, I’m sure a lot of fines pass through them.
Here’s my skimmer sock after about 8hrs in use compared to a clean one
Also- those cartridges are pretty terrible, I’m sure a lot of fines pass through them.
Here’s my skimmer sock after about 8hrs in use compared to a clean one
- Jun 1, 2018
- 14,008
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
- Jun 1, 2018
- 14,008
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
If u want to maintain a lower ma min u will need to lower cya to 50ppm. (As recommended anyway)
Then MA min will be 7 - that way u will have ample opportunities to test & adjust ph even if u routinely dose higher.
Or u can dilute the ph test with distilled water when fc is above 10ppm if u wish to Maintain your current cya of 60 & it’s corresponding MA minimum of 9 or higher.
www.troublefreepool.com
I don’t think the answer is perpetual slam
at this point if u have literally turned over every stone & done the full MA protocol.
Then MA min will be 7 - that way u will have ample opportunities to test & adjust ph even if u routinely dose higher.
Or u can dilute the ph test with distilled water when fc is above 10ppm if u wish to Maintain your current cya of 60 & it’s corresponding MA minimum of 9 or higher.
PH - Further Reading
www.troublefreepool.com
at this point if u have literally turned over every stone & done the full MA protocol.
A-frame ladder was out during SLAM but fully submerged for a few hours during extra high FC MC levels to address any potential algae that made it inside the tubing.
Had not considered this, but I did have heavy rain and stormy conditions for much of three of the last four days after several days with almost no rain. Palm tree pollen could have washed off the tops of shorter trees around the pool.
The low FC usage also seems to suggest this may have been a temporary influx of pollen. The last time I did SLAM, FC consumption was clearly evident, unlike now. So if algae is only a small part of this problem, then it's just a matter of keeping up the filtering and vacuuming to remove the stuff.
I know my CYA level is above where it is normally recommended to be, but down here even 50 CYA is not protective enough in the 5-6 months that include the summer season. CYA 60 has proven to be a more reasonable target during that time.