Yet Another Algae Question

[crokett]

I have (I think) mustard algae. It looks brownish in the water but when I pull the cannister filter the filter looks yellowish. Pool has about 2600 gallons in it. I have 6 1" tabs in the skimmer and have been shocking almost daily. Added some algaecide yesterday, not sure that did much. I know CYA is low to none - the tabs are supposed to add it but not sure that is helping.

Been vacuuming but have to stop every few minutes as that clogs the filter. So I clean the filter and try again. Right now I am preventing it from getting worse but not really killing it.

Is it more effective to get the algae off the bottom before adding the algaecide/shock? Should I switch away from the stabilized tabs, add stablizer and switch to bleach?

<edit> When I vacuum should the water be going back into the pool or vac to the ground and plan on refilling?

pH is 7.6 Alkalinity is 150PPM. Stablizer I know is low to none. Pool is above ground vinyl.

thanks

[Guest]

For one, you aren't going to kill anything if you don't get your CYA up to 30 - 40 ppm (your chlorine is non-existant without a *stabilizer*). That's the first thing I'd do. PH looks good but your TA looks high. Get the TA down a bit and ph regulated and shock the hell out of that pool after you brush it and then vac to waste.

HTH.

[crokett]

I thought the stablizer was to prevent against sun-related loss. The chlorine will still work w/o it in there AFIK. I guess I am wrong?

I brushed and shocked tonight. currently using the stabilized tablets but tomorrow I will get some stabilizer and switch to bleach. That will let me control exactly what goes in there and bleach is cheap. With the tablets I really have no idea how fast it is getting into the pool. I tried some algae stuff but read somewhere it is mostly a preventative and not much good once you get it. I can tell you the algae I have just laughs at it.

[chem geek]

You are correct that chlorine will still work without stabilizer, but if your current stabilizer (Cyanuric Acid, CYA) level is zero or very near zero, then the chlorine will get broken down from the UV rays of the sun VERY fast. Half of the FC level will get degraded in about a half-hour during direct noontime sun if there is no CYA in the pool.

So you really have to have at least some CYA in the pool to prevent the chlorine from getting too low too quickly.

[South TX Poolguy]

When I vacuum should the water be going back into the pool or vac to the ground and plan on refilling?

If you are able to vacuum to the ground, you should. That would remedy 2 issues.

Shock with Dichlor and you will add CYA at the same time. You wont need much for 2600 gallons. 1 pound adds 6ppm CYA and 6.7 ppm of FAC per 10,000 gallons.

Find a product with Sodium Bromide for yellow algae. You can use a copper algicide to prevent further outbreaks.

Good Luck.

[crokett]

You can use a copper algicide to prevent further outbreaks.

I have a good pool store here - they sell you what you actually need as opposed to what they want to sell. Got a copper algicide to clear it up. I do know the algicide I've been using doesn't touch it.

Irony is I have well water in my pool and earlier this year after filling I added a chelating agent to get the metal out so as not to react with the chlorine. Now I am adding it back to kill the algae.