Desperate for answers on Mustard Algae

[Sherra]

He's apparently changed the link trying to make it shorter...here's the original link and I just tried it so it should work. Save the file to your desktop so it's readily available...it's a VERY small file.
http://www.hal-pc.org/~mwsmith2/BleachCalc262.exe

[CUTURHAIR]

Thanks Sherra, but the link didn't work! It isn't meant for me to get this calculator today!!

John

[CUTURHAIR]

OK, here is where I am today. I added 2 cups of muriatic acid yesterday. PH started at 8.0 and was at 7.5 after a while. TA dropped to 80 from 90. I also added another 3/4 pound of stabilizer, so I will have to give that a while before testing. I added four 96 ounce jugs of 6% bleach last night to shock, which actually took FC to 16.5 ppm. I checked again this morning and FC was 16, so I only lost .5 ppm overnight, which is a first. Do you think that is partially due to dropping the PH, making the bleach more effective? However, my TA was up to 100ppm this morning. So it started at 90 yesterday BEFORE the mur. acid and dropped to 80 yesterday after the acid and was 100 this morning. The PH had also drifted a bit more as well, and was around 7.3 this morning. I believe PH readings are not that accurate with shock levels??

Also, there was much less algae in the pool this morning than normal. I vacuumed yesterday morning, and brushed the pool down in the evening. I rebrushed the entire pool again this morning and will check chlorine levels again in a few more hours.

I feel like my CYA is soon to be near the 30+ mark. I know it is >0, but ,<30, as I can see the water is cloudier than plain pool water when it is in the tester, so I think that will be in line soon.

Dave, you recommend adding Polyquat, so can you tell me how much I should add for 11,200 gallon vinyl pool? And, do I need to continually add polyquat after this initial dose for maintenance sake, or just one time? I really want to take all measures to get this under control before I leave on Saturday for the week. My friend will be able to vac. and brush and add bleach, but I really don't want him messing with any other chems while I am away. No telling what I could come home to though.

Anyway, let me know what you think so far.

Thanks for all the help from everyone, btw!

John

[duraleigh]

Good morning, John,

I have never used polyquat so I have nothing to offer other than I'll bet the dosage is on the bottle. Others may know.

John, I personally have never needed polyquat but Pooldoc indicates it does no harm, is probably a very good preventative, and may be helpful as a cure.

I like your pH and Alk numbers. Don't overworry if they drift around somewhat.....that's maybe as much due to the testing vagaries as anything else. Just keep them around where they are.

You are wise to restrict your neighbor to bleach. You are doing everything well (very accurate additions of your chemicals) and I believe you will see continuing improvement in your pool if you continue the regimen.

I'm not sure the lower pH helped the Cl....I've read that but don't know. The results are what matters and I got a feeling you are gonna' get good results

[CUTURHAIR]

Thanks Dave. I hope I am getting there! Do you think if I can keep the FC as near to 15 as possible through Saturday morning, that will be ok? Then, if it seems to be gone, just have neighbor dose with normal amts of bleach?

I think I will probably add some polyquat to be safe. Anyone else advise this for my situation, or NOT advise? If you advise this, can you tell me what dosage to use, a true treatment dose I would assume, or a maintenance dose?

Thanks,
John

[sailork]

John, I tried the link and it didn't work for me either. I've put the Bleachcalc on my home web server (I'll delete it whenever mwsmith's comes back up...) See if you can get it from here...

Ah, He's changed the link. I'm taking mine down and posting his:

http://home.earthlink.net/%7Emwsmith...achCalc262.exe

[CUTURHAIR]

Yes, that did work. Thanks! I think Michael was working on it yesterday, as I found the new link to work that he had changed. Those calculators are awesome!

[ytngt]

I am a big time believer in polyquat.

I have a plaster pool that was mistreated by the original owners and it is rough in areas. I refuse to replaster the pool until it gets significantly worse... When you have rough plaster you have to be on the lookout for black alge. So I have used polyquat as algae prevention for three years. Knock on wood but I have never had a green, yellow, or black algae bloom...

I would add the whole 32oz bottle to your pool as an initial super dose of polyquat.

The only problem with polyquat is the price, normally $20... But I ordered some from Leslies on sale $7.33/quart last month now it is on sale under $5.00. So I ordered 5 more quarts.

Good luck.

[CUTURHAIR]

Is that the Pooltrine 60? Is that what you ordered from Leslies? Wonder why it is so cheap online?
John

[ytngt]

Yes, the pooltrine 60 from Leslies is polyquat. I have used a hand full of brands (polyquat) over the years but this is by far the best price ever!!!

The biggest complaint anyone has with polyquat is the price but that argument vaporizes at $5 a quart.