Desperate for answers on Mustard Algae

[CUTURHAIR]

Hi,

I haven't gotten or found the answers I need to the mustard algae problem I am having. Problem is, I am leaving for vacation next week, and need to do something immediately. This is an 11,200 gallon, vinyl, inground pool, run with only grocery store chemicals, as Ben's methods instruct.

I ran shock levels faithfully, continuously for over 2 weeks, to no avail. I added bleach 2-3 times a day as needed during that time.

I had to go to get a new step for my step ladder at Leslies yesterday, and they said the only way I will get rid of it is to use Yellow Out, followed by PhosFree, to remove the phosphates.

I don't know what else to do at this point as shocking has not done a thing to help the situation.

So, will I be crazy to follow Leslie's advice on this treatment, and will it cause major problems in the future with my pool chemistry? I need to do this tomorrow, Monday, since I am off.

PLEASE, somebody give me any advice so I don't mess anything up. My pool water only has grocery store stuff in it, since the new liner was installed 2 seasons ago, and I hate to add pool store chemicals, but I am desperate, and don't want to keep battling the mess, and fear what I will come home to after a week away next week. My neighbor will continue my regular maintenance on the pool while I am gone.

Thanks, if you guys can help me!

John

[duraleigh]

Hi, John,

What are your test results this morning?

[tundraSQ]

Check my mustard thread...I used sodium bromide and kept the FC above 12 and had good luck. Before treating, I kept the FC above 10 for about a week, then added 4oz per 10gallons and added 1 galon bleach per 10k to kick the stuff into action. Then kept hitting the pool with clorox for 4 or 5 days to keep the levels above 12ppm...which BTW was alot more clorox than i thought it would be because the SB eats clorox like crazy. I seem to have kicked...no algae in sight for the 3rd morning....

[CUTURHAIR]

Here are my numbers this morning:

I haven't been keeping the shock levels this past week, as closely as I did for at least 2 weeks straight, with no results.

FC 5.5
CC 0
TC 5.5

PH 7.9 (My PH always runs high, even after muriatic acid, it always climbs closer to 8 or stays around 8 before I know it, which I believe Ben said a few years ago, was ok, just to let it ride out around 8 in my situation??)

Alk 90

CYA Still trying to get that up slowly. More than zero, but less than 30?? The test water is now cloudy, and the dot is less visible by far, but I can still see it when the tube is full, so I know my CYA is climbing, just not where I need it yet. Need to add more today. But may wait if necessary to procede further.

So, if sodium bromide is the way for me to go, here are my questions on that:

1) Should I just get the water back up to shock levels for another 2 weeks, since I will be gone all next week. I would rather be the one to do all the chemical additions if it is other than just the bleach.

2) If I start the sodium bromide tomorrow, how much do I use for 11,200 gallon, IG, vinyl pool, and how do I know when to add more? I know it said to shock immediately after adding the bromide to kick it in. Do I just keep the FC at shock levels for the next few days? Sounds like it will take TONS of bleach!

3) Should I just go with the Yellow Out, and then the Phos Free?

4) If I go with the sodium bromide, where do you get that? What is the best way to add it to the pool, I need to re read that thread and may find some of these answers there.

Let me know what y'all would do if you knew you only had this week to really focus on this, and only had a neighbor to add bleach while I am gone for the following week.

Thanks a lot!

Confused and mind boggled on this mustard algae!

John

[haze_1956]

Did you try using the Polyquat as was suggested on one of your other threads?

[tundraSQ]

I would wait for others that are MUCH more qualified than me to advise you on a path...BUT if it were me I would add the sodium bromide 4 days before you are going to be gone...and before that(starting now) i would raise the FC level to 15ppm and keep ith there while brushing the pool and vacuuming it every day. The SB is available in most pool stores and is not expenisive. They suggest 4oz per 10k gallons...but if you have a nasty problem then they suggest 8oz per. It comes in 1lb bottles and is granular..I added mine into the return stream..I would not pour it into the skimmer. So you put in your 80z and then add a gallon or more of bleach...and after an hour or so check your FC levels and add bleach if needed...and then brush and vacuum more. After that its just a matter of monitoring your FC levels...keep hem high and expect them to drop ALOT...after 4 days and while you are gone you just keep the levels up until no more algae. I found it to be gone after 4 days...but i kept my levels up after that...

cliff notes version...since you are going to be shocking anyway and keeping the levels up...adding the sodium brode won't hurt...and it may solve the problem....clorine alone will not kill mustard algae.

[duraleigh]

Hi, John,

Thanks for posting the numbers.......very helpful.

Reading between the lines, I sense you have lost faith in chlorine's ability to solve your issue. That's fine and I understand. I would make two points:

1. You need to manage your parameters more closely. I would not run my pH nearly as high as you do. 7.2 -7.6 seems best and many feel Cl is more effective in the lower ranges.

You do not have nearly enough CYA in there to maintain shock levels unless you are adding Cl every hour or so.

2. If you clear your issue with something other than Cl, what do you intend to change to keep it from recurring? It seems to me that your problem will simply return unless you get a handle on what is causing it in the first place.

[CUTURHAIR]

Thanks for all your help everyone! I hope to get through this at some point! I just wish I didn't have to leave town next week.

I would much prefer to just deal with it via chlorine. I know I need more CYA, but am doing it slowly as I am not sure at this point how much I have, and how much more I need to add to get into the 40ppm range. So, I keep adding by the half pound. I "believe" I have added 2 pounds so far.

So, say I stay the chlorine route for now, until I get back from vacation, and try to up my CYA more, and lower my PH, and keep shocking close to 15ppm as possible? Does that sound legit?

If so, what do I do first, add more CYA, any guess how much, being it has clouded my test water, so I know there is some there, just not up to the 30 mark yet.

Or, add muriatic acid to drop PH first? Can I do these two things by doing one today, and the other tomorrow?

I am using my PoolBuster Max CG vacuum, and not using my pool vacuum at all, so I don't have to worry about backwashing out my stabilizer, since there will be no need to backwash.

I haven't used the muriatic acid in at least a season or two. Can y'all tell me how much I need to add to drop from 7.9 to the preferred range in 11,200 gal vinyl pool? I think I just pour it from the measuring cup into the deep end?

Then, if I recall, that can/will alter Alkalinity?? How soon can I address that issue?

If y'all can give me the best order I should add these chemicals, and how long I need to wait in between, that would be great!

Thanks for your patience. And Dave, you are right! I have gotten slack on my numbers since last season, and hence, PROBLEMS.....

John

[duraleigh]

Hi, John,

It sounds like you don't have the bleachcalc....download it from any of mwsmith2's posts.....it'll calc Chlorine, pH, CYA and make it easy for you to put in accurate doses.

Next, I would bring down the pH. use the bleachcalc and aim for 7.4...you'll get pretty close if you measure accurately. pour it in front of the return jet...don't put it in the skimmer. (everything else can go in the skimmer)

Simultaneously with pH, I would add enough CYA to get to 30-40 range. The container will tell you how much to add.

If you get those in this afternoon, I suggest you bring Cl up to around 15 or so at dusk....it'll be most effective in the dark. If you can, test again before you go to bed and bring it right back up to 15. Tomorrow morning same thing. Repeat this daily (if you can test and add during the day as well, that's even better) until your Cl loses less than 2ppm overnight.

Adding polyquat to this regimen will hurt nothing and may very well be what you need to finish the job. Without the above steps, I'm not sure you'll have much luck.

I have no experience whatsoever with Sodium Bromide so I cannot comment.

I hear your frustration, John, but my money is on you ending up the winner....not mustard algae.

[CUTURHAIR]

Dave, thanks for all the help so far! I tried to download the bleach calculator, but it is not able to take me to the link. Any ideas what is going on with that? I am clicking on the link beside MWSmith's siggy.

Thanks,
John