CC is .5 ppm....algae bloom?

[sabres07]

Thanks to this forum, my pool has been a breeze this summer.

However, the last few days of testing have revealed that I have .5 ppm or less of CC when using my Taylor 2006c test kit. Prior to that, it was always 0. Does this mean an algae bloom is right around the corner?

Nothing else has changed, my chlorine levels are right where they need to be based on the Best Guess Chart. We did have heavy rains a few days ago and since that time, I have been getting a slight CC reading. Should I bring the pool up to shock level for the next day or so?

Otherwise, my water is crystal clear.

[aylad]

CC of 0.5 doesn't necessarily mean algae, it just means there's something in the water that the chlorine is killing. If it gets to 1.0, or if your water starts looking hazy, then I would shock the pool. If the CC isn't rising, and you're keeping your chlorine where it needs to be, then don't worry about it.

[sabres07]

Ok, thanks for the reply.

It is just that this is my first year of actually knowing what the heck is going on with pool chemistry even though I have owned my pool for 10 years. The thing I want to know is how to spot a potential algae bloom so I can take evasive, swift action.

By the way, this site is awesome!

[PoolDoc]

The thing I want to know is how to spot a potential algae bloom so I can take evasive, swift action.

On a vinyl pool, the sides get slippery first.

BUT, the universal pre-algae marker is . . . you let your chlorine get low! You should assume anytime that happens, you are on the verge of an algae outbreak.

[Watermom]

On a vinyl pool, the sides get slippery first.

Interesting. I actually think on my pool I usually notice the bottom getting slippery first.

[PoolDoc]

Could be. I wouldn't have noticed, because I've never owned a vinyl pool. It's something I learned from servicing them . . . which I rarely did from inside the pool!