Filtering out dead algae and determining pool system efficiency...

[Winglessflight97]

First I'd like to thank all of you for a wealth of information that has gotten me ahead on my new pool home. I have a few questions for you guys:

1) I have a Pentair cartridge fitration system on my pool and have had a bear of a time learning about and fighting algae. Now that i've killed it, why is it taking so long for my system to filter the dead algae out? (a week?) Is there a better filter element that i can get to make this process more efficient?

2) I have four eyelet nozzles in my pool, but the farthest one from the pump is blowing the hardest. Is this because of a possible problem in the pool plumbing? (BTW: i have no idea which nozzle is first after the filter)

3) Are there drawbacks to swimming with dead algae still in the water?

[PoolDoc]

Hi Wingless;

1) You can 'DE' test your filter, to see if there's a problem.

Purchase a small amount of DE (or a large amount -- it's not very expensive) and add a coffee can full (or equivalent) to the skimmer while the pump is on and running. Then check your hi-flow eyeball, to see if a cloud of DE returns to the pool (it shouldn't). If it does, your filter has problems. In the case of a cartridge filter, the most likely problem is that your cartridge needs to be replaced. After wards -- if your filter is OK -- you can add small amounts of DE to improve filtration, but it will also greatly shorten filter runs.

2) It could indicate problems, or it could indicate that someone has tried to balance pool flow by putting flow restricting eyeballs in the nearer units.

3) I don't like to encourage people to swim when they can't clearly see the bottom -- for lifeguarding-type reasons. But dead algae, IF you also have a decent chlorine level, is not a health issue.

Ben

[Winglessflight97]

I woke up this morning to find YET AGAIN... algae blooming. I tested my water this morning and here's what i got:

Hardness - 250ppm
Chlorine - 5-10ppm
Free Chl - 5ppm
pH - 7.8
Alkalinity - 80ppm
CYA - 30-50

This test was done with AquaCheck Select test strips. So what gives? What am i doing wrong that algae just keeps reoccurring, even with sufficient Chlorine and pH levels? I might also add that the pool was beautiful when we moved in approx. one month ago. The pool does have a Chlorine feeder on it, but i've been trying to keep with using bleach to keep my CYA levels from getting higher while I get this thing in order.

[PoolDoc]

Test with strips, you can't be certain that you DO have enough chlorine. Your CYA may actually be one notch up (50 - 100, I think) and your chlorine one notch down.

Do this:

1) Add 2 gallons of 6% (check the %) plain household bleach per 10,000 gallons of pool water. Then continue to add daily to maintain your chlorine at the highest level of chlorine your strips register.

2) Brush all visible algae spots daily.

3) Check your filter with DE per above.

4) Use muriatic acid (gloves, glasses, watch the fumes) to lower pH and borax to raise it. Keep your pH between 7.2 and 7.6, for now.

5) For now, do NOT use ANY other chemicals, except these (bleach, borax, muriatic). Nada. Nothing. Not even if you think it will help. ESPECIALLY not, if your pool dealers says you MUST use this. If your dealer wants (or will) test for phosphates, do so. But do NOT buy and add phosphate remover. This is critically important that you not do so till you are 100% sure your filter is performing well. Otherwise you are liable to cloud your pool, and leave it cloudy for weeks.

6) Order a K2006 or K2006C per links below. Test and report once you receive the kit.

Ben