Closing with "pink slime and white water mold"

[CarolineM]

Thank you Carl!

[CarolineM]

Think we should rename the thread NOT closing with pink slime/wwm! To date have used 41 bottles (121oz/8.25%) Clorox. Water is finally starting to clear - can almost see bottom of deep end. Have brushed every day. I'm still trying to maintain 15ppm chlorine, but with my CYA dropping to 0, will this hurt the vinyl liner? Do I need to raise the CYA now or wait till spring? Does the mesh cover let in enough sunlight to matter?
Thank you for encouraging me to go ahead and clean this mess up! I appreciate your help! Never seen anything like it!

[PoolDoc]

(41) 121oz bottles of 8.25% would be about 130 ppm on your pool -- that is definitely in the range of normal consumption once the pool goes swampy.

1. If your pool is covered, don't add CYA yet. If your pool is uncovered, I'd recommend installing the mesh cover, but leaving the corners accessible, if you can do this. It's much easier to clean up an algae-only swamp covered, than it is uncovered. When you're ready to vacuum, you can just unhook and flip back one side.

2. Have you been testing CC levels? If not, you should. It's possible your CYA has been converted in part to ammonia. If so, that consumes huge quantities of chlorine, during cleanup.

3. I'm sorry I haven't chimed in sooner, but I was waiting to get more definitive results on using phosphate removers in conjunction with winterization. Keeping your phosphate levels below 125 ppb during the pool season can be very difficult, since phosphates can enter the pool from multiple sources -- my own local potable water has ~2ppm or 2000 ppb phosphates! But during winter, you are NOT constantly adding phosphates, so it may be practical for you to drop your phosphate level < 125 ppb, and then be able to keep it there till spring without any further effort.

A pool with very low phosphates is not algae-proof, but it is quite algae resistant, and *should* be easier to maintain. Very likely, you can achieve that for less than $100. If you're interested, let me know. But keep in mind, I have not fully tested this method myself yet.

[CarolineM]

Thanks PoolDoc! I have the mesh cover on - doing as you said. When I tested 0 CYA, took a sample to Leslies - they showed 45 CYA - took another sample to another store - they showed 25 (lol) I ordered new reagent and retested - it's 0. Leslies also tests phosphates - they showed 0 (for what its worth). Only lost 2 ppm chlorine overnight - I put 1 bottle Clorox in this morning and its holding so far at 15 ppm. I'll try the phosphate stuff if you think I should. Oh, meant to ask, should I put my Polaris in while shocking? I've scrubbed it and soaked in Clorox. Thank you!

[PoolDoc]

Don't buy any phosphate remover, yet. I've been testing phosphate testkits, and have seen some sketchy results. Instead,

1. buy a Taylor phosphate testkit;
2. test BOTH your pool and your tap water;
3. call your water company, find out the phosphate level in your tap water, and use that to validate the results.

It's unlikely your phosphate level is actually 0 (ie, less than 125 ppb PO4) -- algae simply does not thrive in that situation. You'll need to do some accurate testing FIRST, to see what your options are. The specific PoolForum / Amazon store page for the test kits is http://astore.amazon.com/poolbooks?_...g=UTF8&node=11

[CarolineM]

Oh man, what is going on with my pool? When I do the PH test at first it looks ok - 7.6, THEN it turns a PURPLE color - using the phenol red. Tested with the Leslies kit - using R0014 and it does the same thing - at first looks like 7.6 then goes to deep red. Still holding my chlorine at 15ppm, but until now my PH tested normal! Pool is clearing, but now there's a ring in the skimmer - kind of looks like mud. Could that be from dead white water mold??? Had this pool 15 years and have never had these problems! Help!

[PoolDoc]

Perfectly normal result, when you have very high chlorine levels. High levels of chlorine convert "phenol red" to "chlorophenol red", which is a different indicator. Don't worry about it! If you are using nothing but bleach, your pH won't change too much.

What's the texture of the ring in the skimmer? (It could be organic debris, from all the algae & slime . . . including white mold.)

[CarolineM]

Thank you so much PoolDoc! I was SO worried! The ring in skimmer is kind of like mud - I clean it off and it reappears daily. Hopefully just organic debris. Pool is completely clear now, but can still smell the combined chlorine - can't see anything to vacume out - will brush again today and continue to maintain 15ppm. Ordering phosphate kit today - but, won't rain add phosphates?
Thank you PoolDoc and CarlD - don't know what I would've done without your help!!!

[PoolDoc]

Rain can add nitrates (another algae nutrient), but I don't believe it adds phosphates.

That said, I have not fully explored the avenues by which phosphates enter the pool. However, I'm sure the two primary routes are treated fill water (well water wouldn't normally contain phosphates, but 'city' water usually does) and phosphonate based metal / stain control products. A third route are United Chemical's products. Many of those contain phosphates, apparently as a detergent to improve chlorine & bromine penetration of algal biofilms.

The issue with city water is the reason we'll need to test BOTH your pool water AND your fill water.

[CarolineM]

Well, brushed the pool a couple of days ago - it looked so good I almost didn't brush - the water is crystal clear - but there was the stuff again - it looks like clear mucus - just saw a little bit when brushing the deep end. How can it still be there?? I'm beginning to think that Clorox alone is NOT going to kill this stuff!