New User Getting Butt Kicked By Algae

[Watermom]

Dichlor is acidic and will lower your pH. Plus, your FC is still too high to add more chlorine right now. Hold off on the dichlor until your FC drops to 3-4ppm.

Personally, since you don't have high pH nor high CH, I wouldn't worry about the TA. It's not all that high really. Go ahead and just add a little 20 Mule Team Borax (laundry aisle at Walmart) and use that to bring your pH up some. Start with a half a box added slowly to the skimmer while the pump is running, breaking up any clumps. Aim for mid 7s on pH.

[TCP007]

Thanks Watermom. I think we hit that "breakthrough" point with the super-chlorination I did last Thursday night. I've been reading that a non-existent CYA level like mine is an open door invitation for algae. We had a pretty good rain today, so I believe that contributed to the pH dropping. Rain also seems to invite algae. I did throw some algaecide in yesterday, so I hope that will do something even with the low CYA.

I will hold off on adding more chlorine and keep testing the chlorine levels. I'm hoping to be accepted to the site soon so I can read other posts, too. Thanks again!

[Watermom]

It is chlorine levels and not CYA levels that allow algae to grow. Also, the reason that rain appears to invite algae is because people typically don't check their chemistry as diligently when it rains. Bottom line is --- if you have adequate chlorine, you don't get algae despite rain or what your CYA level is.

What kind of algaecide did you add?

You can read other posts. If you log out first, you'll be able to see the entire forum. We had hoped to get caught up this week with getting all the new registrants processed that have come on board lately but with the passing of Ben's dad on Sunday, it is going to be a little longer until we are able to do so, unfortunately. Hope you understand.

We are glad to have you join us, however!

[CarlD]

It is chlorine levels and not CYA levels that allow algae to grow. Also, the reason that rain appears to invite algae is because people typically don't check their chemistry as diligently when it rains. Bottom line is --- if you have adequate chlorine, you don't get algae despite rain or what your CYA level is.

To be very precise, what WM means by "adequate chlorine" is the appropriate chlorine level for your CYA level, whatever that CYA level is, will keep you from getting algae.

[TCP007]

And that's what brought me here really. I need to get my CYA up. It is so low I can't measure it, and my chlorine gets used up too fast.

I added some pH Increaser last night (less than a pound; it was all I had) and that helped to bring pH up to around 7.2 I have asked my wife to pickup some Borax today, as WM suggested, so we'll give that a whirl this evening and see if that helps us get closer to 7.4

Do you folks NOT recommend using Muriatic Acid to raise CYA? I checked an online pool calculator the recommends 3 gallons of muriatic OR a little over 7 lbs of dry acid. I also read that muriatic acid won't bring my pH down like dry acid (?)

[Watermom]

No, we do not use muriatic acid to raise CYA. You either need to use a type of stabilized chlorine that has CYA in it such as trichlor or dichlor or just buy some CYA separately and add it directly. Adding it directly or using dichlor is the fastest way to add it. Trichlor is slower.

Do you already have any trichlor or dichlor on hand?

[BigDave]

Do you folks NOT recommend using Muriatic Acid to raise CYA?

No, no we don't. It doesn't. CYA (aka conditioner and stabilizer) does as does trichlor and dichlor.

I checked an online pool calculator the recommends 3 gallons of muriatic OR a little over 7 lbs of dry acid.

I would burn that link and never ever ever use it again. Your pH is already low.

I also read that muriatic acid won't bring my pH down like dry acid (?)

Nope! muriatic acid (HCl) lowers pH and nothing else.

It's probably not a good idea to mix our advice with whatever you read wherever else.

[TCP007]

Yes, I mentioned this yesterday. I already added my floater back into the pool a couple days ago (Tri-Chlor 1" tabs). I use granular Di-Chlor as my regular sanitizer. You suggested I wait until my FC comes down to 3 or 4 before adding any. I shocked last week using liquid chlorine (Walmart had a sale for boxes of two, 1-gallon jugs of HTH liquid chlorine for $6.50!) but I don't buy liquid chlorine typically.

You suggested that people don't stay on top of their chlorine 100% the time, and that is almost certainly true of me, but I'm pretty sure I'm more diligent than the average bear. I believe I'm learning that my chlorine has been sabotaged by my low (perhaps zero) CYA levels. If none of what I just said is true, then I'm really wasting time, and have done too much online reading.

Thanks for listening and sharing.

[Watermom]

I'm sorry that I didn't scroll back through to reread this thread when I asked if you had trichlor or dichlor on hand. With as many posts as we answer in a day, sometimes questions/info gets repeated.

Trichlor will add CYA but will do so slowly. If you want to increase it faster, you are better off using dichlor. For every 10ppm of chlorine that it adds, dichlor will also add 9ppm of CYA

I hope you didn't think I was saying that you aren't staying on top of your chemistry. That was certainly not my intent.

You are right that not having enough CYA will cause chlorine to be lost faster.

[BigDave]

You are correct that you need CYA to protect chlorine from the sun.

I'm confused that you've been chlorinating with trichlor and dichlor and your CYA level is low - we usually see the opposite.

I don't think you are wasting your time here but any time spent where ideas like muriatic acid will raise CYA and have no effect on pH is a waste.

Stay with us. We'll get you right.