Arggggg algae

Water bugs, swimming insects and sweat bees.
Foaming bubbly water. Frogs in the pool.
Dead animals in the swimming pool.
debt.disappear
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Arggggg algae

Postby debt.disappear » Fri 08 Mar, 2019 17:03

I test regularly and everything is in check. I have a bunch of reddish brown 'stuff' algae? on the floor. Tested again, chlorine and free chlorine are totally fine as is everything else. Only change was my vacuum came undone. While I get the vacuum not sucking would leave everything in place. But if it is algae how is that possible?

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Denniswiseman
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Re: Arggggg algae

Postby Denniswiseman » Sat 09 Mar, 2019 02:42

How do you test?
What are your numbers?
FC:
TC:
pH:
TA:
CH:
CYA:
What is your pool construction?
Algae takes hold when your free chlorine drops to low
You would have to Slam to get rid of it
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Re: Arggggg algae

Postby Teapot » Sat 09 Mar, 2019 08:54

Many peoples pools are just settling tanks, dirt settles on the bottom, someone stirs it up in an attempt to vacuum the pool and the water turns a little hazy.
12 hours later the dirt is right back where they started from but they believe it is a re-occurring problem so off to the shops they go. Some buy expensive robot vacuums and pressure side cleaners etc. Once more this stirs up the very fine silt and the water goes hazy again, they think they have cleaned their pool with their expensive gadget. 12 hours later because the pool has laid undisturbed the dirt is back on the bottom. The cycle continues.

As Dennis said we need and you need your numbers and not from useless dip strips, but reddish brown sounds more like dirt.
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Re: RE: Re: Arggggg algae

Postby debt.disappear » Sat 09 Mar, 2019 19:50

Teapot wrote:Many peoples pools are just settling tanks, dirt settles on the bottom, someone stirs it up in an attempt to vacuum the pool and the water turns a little hazy.
12 hours later the dirt is right back where they started from but they believe it is a re-occurring problem so off to the shops they go. Some buy expensive robot vacuums and pressure side cleaners etc. Once more this stirs up the very fine silt and the water goes hazy again, they think they have cleaned their pool with their expensive gadget. 12 hours later because the pool has laid undisturbed the dirt is back on the bottom. The cycle continues.

As Dennis said we need and you need your numbers and not from useless dip strips, but reddish brown sounds more like dirt.
Are you kidding? Ive been using the sticks exclusively since I started doing my own pool about 16 months ago.....they are not accurate? Oh boy! What do you recommend me using? I dont know to use a regular kit with drops etc.

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Re: Arggggg algae

Postby debt.disappear » Sat 09 Mar, 2019 19:51

Also, it brushes away easily. Plan is to vacuum again tomorrow then clean filter thoroughly and evaluate from there. Also will bring water to local pool store.

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Re: Arggggg algae

Postby Teapot » Sat 09 Mar, 2019 20:28

If you are vacuuming it, vacuum to waste, it's so fine it will pass through most filters. I have put a sample under a microscope it's very fine indeed. Move the vacuum head really slowly so as not to stir it back into solution.
If you get your own test kit buy a Taylor test kit or a Lamott colorQ.
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Re: Arggggg algae

Postby debt.disappear » Wed 20 Mar, 2019 17:45

Reporting back. Water levels are basically perfect as conformed by LPS.....I dont understand. I THINK its algae, greenish on walls and floor. Cleaned cartridge, brushed filtered more.....what else can it be? Im stumped!!!

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Re: Arggggg algae

Postby Denniswiseman » Wed 20 Mar, 2019 18:00

Denniswiseman wrote:How do you test?
What are your numbers?
FC:
TC:
pH:
TA:
CH:
CYA:
What is your pool construction?
Algae takes hold when your free chlorine drops to low
You would have to Slam to get rid of it

Please answer so that we can help you better
Even if your pool levels are perfect now you won't clear algae without Slamming
Teapot
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Re: Arggggg algae

Postby Teapot » Thu 21 Mar, 2019 08:23

What is LPS?
Your original post said brown on the floor of the pool, now it's green on the walls?
As Dennis asked, and I agree please post your numbers.
Denniswiseman
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Re: Arggggg algae

Postby Denniswiseman » Thu 21 Mar, 2019 09:49

Teapot wrote:What is LPS?
Your original post said brown on the floor of the pool, now it's green on the walls?
As Dennis asked, and I agree please post your numbers.

Local Pool Store?
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Re: RE: Re: Arggggg algae

Postby debt.disappear » Fri 22 Mar, 2019 06:52

Teapot wrote:What is LPS?
Your original post said brown on the floor of the pool, now it's green on the walls?
As Dennis asked, and I agree please post your numbers.
I am sorry. LPS local pool store. So I am a bit color blind and never had algae before. Here is the update. My chemistry was all perfect within normal range on every test the professional did as well as my strips. I think I had green algae which was good news compared to others. We had a bunch of rain and wind and best I can tell my Free Chlorine fell without me realizing it and algae took advantage.

I shocked the hell out of my pool (4lbs. 15k gallons +-)and got TC and FC to levels my strips couldnt read as instructed. Pool turned cloudy blue white. Ran filter on high rpm for about 15 hours so far, will let it run more. It is still a bit cloudy but there is no sight of algae at this point best I can see. I turned salt generator way down and have to wait it out I guess. After a bit more time I plan to thoroughly acid wash the cartridge (or maybe just get a new one for season) and wash well then replace.

Do you guys have an opinion on algaecide use, a little every week? Ive had the newly done pool over a year and never had to shock a single time, should I shock on a regular basis? We dont use the pool often but it has always been crystal clear just keeping levels good with 2-3x a week test strip testing.

Anything else I should try or update? I will bring water sample back to store and get a reading figure by Sunday to let everything settle down a bit. We are in sunny south florida so I assume the sun will soon beat down my chlorine levels. I never smelled chlorine etc even with some algae is that safe to assume the algae was not TOO bad? Im learning a lot here folks, thanks!




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Re: Arggggg algae

Postby debt.disappear » Fri 22 Mar, 2019 06:55

I just started using the taptalk app and missed a not, I am sorry and thank you all for your help!!!

See my update below I will follow up over weekend once this thing cycles through filter more and more. I cleaned cartridge filter just before slamming.

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Denniswiseman
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Re: Arggggg algae

Postby Denniswiseman » Fri 22 Mar, 2019 08:10

You really need to invest in a decent test kit (Taylor k2006c or TF Testkits TF100) pool stores and test strips are unreliable
You should use liquid chlorine (Bleach) instead of the powder because you are adding CYA or Calcium (excessive CYA renders your chlorine ineffective
For every 10 ppm Free Chlorine (FC) added by Trichlor, it also increases Cyanuric Acid (CYA) by 6 ppm.
For every 10 ppm FC added by Dichlor, it also increases CYA by 9 ppm.
For every 10 ppm FC added by Cal-Hypo, it also increases Calcium Hardness (CH) by at least 7 ppm
SLAM is Shock Level and Maintain
A properly sanitised pool doesn't need algaecide
What you call the chlorine smell isn't the chlorine but Chloramine
Teapot
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Re: Arggggg algae

Postby Teapot » Fri 22 Mar, 2019 08:45

Seconded everything Dennis said!
Also algaecide is crap, it doesn't work as well as chlorine, you use more chlorine burning out the algaecide. The only winner is the pool shop
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Re: RE: Re: Arggggg algae

Postby debt.disappear » Fri 22 Mar, 2019 11:18

Denniswiseman wrote:You really need to invest in a decent test kit (Taylor k2006c or TF Testkits TF100) pool stores and test strips are unreliable
You should use liquid chlorine (Bleach) instead of the powder because you are adding CYA or Calcium (excessive CYA renders your chlorine ineffective
For every 10 ppm Free Chlorine (FC) added by Trichlor, it also increases Cyanuric Acid (CYA) by 6 ppm.
For every 10 ppm FC added by Dichlor, it also increases CYA by 9 ppm.
For every 10 ppm FC added by Cal-Hypo, it also increases Calcium Hardness (CH) by at least 7 ppm
SLAM is Shock Level and Maintain
A properly sanitised pool doesn't need algaecide
What you call the chlorine smell isn't the chlorine but Chloramine


You are blowing my mind. The test in the store is not good? How is that possible? I believe you guys and all but how can they have a thousand stores and not have decent tests? The guy used drops etc.

I read somewhere else here that the powder was better. My CYA level was not impacted dramatically.

Ill get a kit and then I guess have accurate numbers going forward and make decisions based on that?

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