White fibers / flakes in pool

[joecords]

Hi all,

New pool owner here. Finally think I've been able to master the chemistry side of things and believe all of my levels are in good shape.

All of a sudden today, we are noticing many white fibers and flakes suspended within the water of the pool (not floating on top), which we have never seen before. Picture is attached. My wife suspected that it was some sort of pollen from trees, but it doesn't add up since it's literally everywhere and pool is always covered when not in it (we have an auto cover). We had pretty heavy bathing loads last weekend for 4th of July so bumped FC up to ~10 prior using the SWG. We were also for a few days which was followed by some rainy days, so pool has not been in use or open for most of the week, which is unusual for us. Could this be some sort of white mold due to pool not receiving light in a while? I did scrub the walls and run vacuum yesterday, which I do weekly.

I'm using the TF Test Kit and have the following numbers:

FC 5.0
CC 0.0
PH 7.5
TA 70
CYA 70
CH 100

Any tips or guidance is appreciated!

Joe

 

[mknauss]

First thought is scale from the SWCG, but your pH, TA, and CH do not imply that as a possibility.

 

[Texas Splash]

What kind of filter do you have? I don't see that in your signature.

 

[joecords]

Hayward Swim Clear cartridge filter.. will add to my signature.

 

[samhorowitz]

I had thin white strips out of a Return the Other day. Turned out it was bristles from an aging brush.

 

[Texas Splash]

Hayward Swim Clear cartridge filter.. will add to my signature.

Maybe check next time you rinse to see if any of those particles are visible and/or if you can capture any of them to inspect closely. Sam's note about the bristles was a good catch.

 

[joecords]

One other thought. My TA was 110+ and have been working on lowering it for a few weeks. I didn't think anything of it, but the MA I used was Klean Strip Green from Home Depot.

Klean-Strip Green 1 Gal. Green Muriatic Acid GKGM75006 - The Home Depot

For Pro's and DIY'ers, Klean-Strip is the leading brand of solvents, thinners, removers, and cleaners that are dependable for reliable results. Klean-Strip Muriatic Acid can be used to etch concrete, brighten concrete and masonry, or remove excess mortar from bricks. 90% lower fumes than...

www.homedepot.com

Could that have had additives that could cause this?

Doubt it's from a brush due to volume and differing sizes and shapes of the white stuff. Also, all of my equipment is brand new.

Thanks,

Joe

 

[red-beard]

Look at the acid bottle and verify the strength.

On the fibers, they look like pool brush fibers. I had this issue this year and replaced my brushes.

 

[Texas Splash]

I'm not aware of any issues with Kleen Strip. We might normally assume some of the stuff you see is scale coming off is from the SWG cell since you recently did an acid dosage. But as Marty noted, your numbers don't indicate scale. But it's a bit of a mystery. I'd recommend leaving the cover and keeping the FC slightly elevated for the remainder of the day. Reevaluate tomorrow to see if it's any better.

 

[mknauss]

A high TA can generate calcium flakes in a SWCG even if your overall water CSI is below 0.

 

[DJFaninTN]

going to go out on a limb and say sunscreen. noticed it when we had company over swimming and noticed they were using some ultra sweat proof sun screen. they were laying on it heavy.

i got some of it between my finger tips and started rubbing. it took a second but you could easily see it was a lotion of some sorts.

it all disappeared in a few days.

YMMV