Problem with mustard algae

So do you think I should vacuum to waste?

Also, I have about 5 lbs of individual packages of cal chlor "shock n swim" can I use those once I use up the dichlor powder I have? I just checked my calcium and it's 130.. I do have a vinyl liner. The spts are definitely getting smaller .. What about backwashing, how often should you do it? As always, thanks so much!

I don't know the ingredients in 'shock n swim' and I'm skeptical about adding things I don't know about. Too many voodoo mixes out there in the pool chemical world that sometimes have things in there that you don't want in your pool.

You should backwash whenever the filter pressure rises 8-10psi over your clean filter pressure. I don't think you need to vac to waste. Sounds like you only have a few spots and not a cloudy swampy pool. 'Vac to waste' wastes a lot of water.

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Originally Posted by PoolDoc

Mustard algae is VERY easy to brush off -- but it's apparently hard to remove 100% since it tends to return to the same spots.

I'd just dose with 4 gallons of plain 6% household bleach AND 1 lb of dichlor each evening, till you get the reagent. And, brush your spots daily, preferably right after adding the chlorine.

(I'm sure that somewhere there's a pool store that sells Taylor FAS-DPD reagents, but I've never heard of one that did so.)

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I actually found the FAS-DPD powder in a Leslies near White Plains. The clerk couldn't find a price anywhere in the system...and just gave it to me. That must be 10 years ago because it was just after my Dad passed away, in 2002. I was building my current pool and had taken down my Intex Donut for the last time.

I have trichlor tabs (4) I was going to put in for the week I was away...is that ok? My dad can add bleach periodically, and the shock I have is, "hth super sock it" it is 62.4% calcium hypochlorite, can I use that? I have that in one lb bags...I am trying to ,are it as simple for him as I can. Thanks!

The trichlor tabs will be okay for the week that you're gone--just test your pH (you need to do that anyway since you've been using dichlor, which is also very acidic) and push it up to the 7.6-7.8 range before you leave, so that the trichlor won't push it down too far. It's okay to use the cal-hypo if your calcium hardness levels aren't too high--if they're less than 200 or so, then they should be fine to use.