I think my Mustard Algae is back.....

[tundraSQ]

Hi Tundra,

My pool has been throwing out small amts. of sand for a couple years. They came and put new sand in this season, and it continued. I had them come back out and empty the sand again, and double check that the laterals weren't broken and they weren't, as I looked with the pool repair guy. He said there were only like 3 things that could cause sand to come in, one being broken laterals, and I can't remember the other 2, but he said I didn't have any of the 3 problems. So, it is a mystery. You could be having sand coming in from your returns, or have you had much wind lately that would be blowing in gritty debris possibly from the surrounding environment around your pool?

John

I have a DE filter....but I do have a dirst driveway...and we have been having loat of rain and wind...who knows.

[poolrx]

Tundra,

I get sand/dirt in the pool every time I mow and also when it is windy out. I don't think it is algae from what your describing. When I had the mustard algae it would literally multiple overnight it seemed like.

Even though you vacuum it up some is floating around and when you shut the pump off it settles to the bottom. If the clumps seem to be in the same spot all of the time(due to the flow of the return) and the sides are clean it is more than likely debris from the wind and rain.
You can definitely feel the different b/t gritty vs slimy. Gritty is good

[CarlD]

A classic cause of medium coming back into the pool is a pump that has a higher capacity than the filter can handle.

That's after you eliminate broken laterals in a sand filter, and torn screens or fingers in a DE filter.