+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: Never Ending War on Algae

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Western Michigan
    Posts
    5

    Default Never Ending War on Algae

    A problem every year, but this year it's brutal. Strictly BBB treatment and I make progress, but a green haze stays in the deep end and the typical patches show up every day in shallow end floor and stairs. Brush several times a day every day and maintain a 1ppm max loss of FC each morning. My latest readings this morning from treatment last night are:

    FC-15
    CC-1
    PH-8.0
    TA-140
    CYA-40

    Pool is 10 yrs old (though a put 20yrs in the chart by mistake). Could my filter by an issue after all of this chemical effort? I just had the laterals replaced but I'm still suspicious of it. Algae just seems to blow back in.

    Anyway, thanks for your help! This forum has taught me so much and provides hope during the battle!

  2. #2
    Watermom's Avatar
    Watermom is offline SuperMod Emeritus Quark Inspector Watermom 4 stars Watermom 4 stars Watermom 4 stars Watermom 4 stars Watermom 4 stars Watermom 4 stars
    Join Date
    Dec 1969
    Location
    Charleston, WV
    Posts
    9,345

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Western Michigan
    Posts
    5

    Default Re: Never Ending War on Algae

    It's there already. I filled it in on 6/12. Just didn't get a chance to post to the forum until today.

    Thanks!

  4. #4
    Watermom's Avatar
    Watermom is offline SuperMod Emeritus Quark Inspector Watermom 4 stars Watermom 4 stars Watermom 4 stars Watermom 4 stars Watermom 4 stars Watermom 4 stars
    Join Date
    Dec 1969
    Location
    Charleston, WV
    Posts
    9,345

    Default Re: Never Ending War on Algae

    Ok. Sorry 'bout that!

    Go and buy the smallest bag of DE that you can find. Dump a handful into your skimmer and then watch your return jets to see if it blows out of the filter and into the pool. That will help to test your filter to see if it is working properly. Then report back with the results.

  5. #5
    aylad's Avatar
    aylad is offline SuperMod Emeritus Burfle Ringer aylad 4 stars aylad 4 stars aylad 4 stars aylad 4 stars aylad 4 stars aylad 4 stars
    Join Date
    Dec 1969
    Location
    Northwest Lousiana
    Posts
    4,757

    Default Re: Never Ending War on Algae

    It sounds like you're not completely killing the algae off when you shock the pool, and then when your chlorine drifts back down it just comes back again. When you shock your pool, you need to hold it at shock level until you can go overnight without any chlorine loss, and don't have any more green left in the pool. This sometimes takes a few days, so if you're just shocking for one night you probably aren't killing it all off.

    Janet

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Western Michigan
    Posts
    5

    Default Re: Never Ending War on Algae

    Put a handful of DE in the skimmer. Didn't appear to come back into the pool. Should I try it again at some point?

    This mornings #'s:
    FC-14.5
    CC-0
    PH-8
    TA-140
    CYA-40

    I've been shocking the pool all week. There is less green for sure, but it's still there.

    Beside bleaching out the liner, is there any other damage that will be done to the liner at these high FC levels?

    I'll stay at it.

    Sure appreciate your help!
    Last edited by PoolDoc; 06-23-2012 at 10:25 AM. Reason: turn signature on
    gas heater
    16'x32' rectangle 22K gal IG vinyl pool; hand fed bleach; Hayward S200 sand filter; AO Smith Centurion 1hp pump; 8hrs; Taylor K2006; utility water; summer: solar; winter: mesh; ; PF:5.5

  7. #7
    aylad's Avatar
    aylad is offline SuperMod Emeritus Burfle Ringer aylad 4 stars aylad 4 stars aylad 4 stars aylad 4 stars aylad 4 stars aylad 4 stars
    Join Date
    Dec 1969
    Location
    Northwest Lousiana
    Posts
    4,757

    Default Re: Never Ending War on Algae

    Actually, you shouldn't see any liner bleaching with those chlorine levels, even with zero CYA. The CYA makes the chlorine sort of "less aggressive" , which is why you have to raise your maintenance chlorine level when you raise your CYA levels. In order to kill off the algae with a CYA of 40, you need to be at a chlorine level of at least 15 ppm, held there as consistently as possible, until the green clears up. I would keep it at 15-17 or so, if you can. Brush the pool after each chlorine addition, and be diligent about it-- and it will clear.

    The fact that your DE didn't appear to come back into the pool is a good thing--it means that your filter is doing what it's supposed to do and catching the dead stuff when it goes through.

    Janet

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Western Michigan
    Posts
    5

    Default Re: Never Ending War on Algae

    Well thanks to your help and support, I now have a beautiful clear pool. It's so nice to see blue instead of green. FC this morning was 13, PH-7.6 and CYA-50.

    Should I keep the high FC for a while or start to let it drift down?

    To everyone in the forum, don't give up. You have to really hammer this algae. Stick with the system.
    gas heater
    16'x32' rectangle 22K gal IG vinyl pool; hand fed bleach; Hayward S200 sand filter; AO Smith Centurion 1hp pump; 8hrs; Taylor K2006; utility water; summer: solar; winter: mesh; ; PF:5.5

  9. #9
    Watermom's Avatar
    Watermom is offline SuperMod Emeritus Quark Inspector Watermom 4 stars Watermom 4 stars Watermom 4 stars Watermom 4 stars Watermom 4 stars Watermom 4 stars
    Join Date
    Dec 1969
    Location
    Charleston, WV
    Posts
    9,345

    Default Re: Never Ending War on Algae

    Do you still have a CC reading of 0 or at least no more than 0.5ppm? If so, then go ahead and let the chlorine drift down and make sure you keep it between 3-6ppm all the time.

    Good job! Now, it's time to go swimming!

+ Reply to Thread

Similar Threads

  1. Cloudy water...then very small amount of algae...then algae bloom
    By Allan in forum Dealing with Algae & Slime
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 07-12-2011, 09:49 PM
  2. never ending chlorine demand help
    By cloudy water in forum Pool Chemicals & Pool Water Problems
    Replies: 21
    Last Post: 07-17-2010, 11:04 PM
  3. Cloudy, then green with a never ending chlorine demand
    By cleancloths in forum Pool Chemicals & Pool Water Problems
    Replies: 23
    Last Post: 06-22-2010, 08:24 AM
  4. Green algae? Mustard algae?
    By AE340B in forum Dealing with Algae & Slime
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 07-15-2007, 08:32 PM
  5. Rough Plaster Solutions-Happy Ending
    By AprilRose in forum In-Ground Pool Construction and Repair
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 04-17-2007, 08:55 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts