phosphate removal fact or fiction?

[LukeNorris]

Hello,

This year in Atlanta, I have run into a lot of pools with yellow or mustard algae. All chemicals are checking in balance. I have been a fan of phospate removal for some time, but recently have become a skeptic. I was wondering of the other brains on here could advise.

Is removal of phosphates going to prevent algae from returning? Or is this another marketing ploy used to sell chemicals?

[waterbear]

They will help if the phosphates are the 'limiting factor' in the algae blooms. This means the water has high phosphate, no or little nitrates, and properly maintained chlorine levels for the stabilzier level in the water. If these factors are not all met then, IMHO, a phosphate remover is just a waste of money and time.

[CToon]

me : " I have algea in my pool , with plenty of Chlorine".

poolstore clerk : " You need phosphate remover"

me: " THis will work ? "

poolstore clerk : ( in a John Lovitz voice ) " Yeah , thats the ticket "


Seriously though , what Waterbear said ++

[CarlD]

Luke,
I'm with Evan on this.

"In Balance" probably isn't. Lots of folks follow "the rules" and keep chlorine between 1.5 and 3ppm while using Tri-chlor pucks or Di-Chlor powder which is raising their CYA...Once CYA hits 30, you MUST keep at least 3ppm in. When it hits 60, Chlorine cannot fall below 5ppm--and most test kits stop at 3 or 5ppm...Lots of people have CYA in the 90's or 100 and if you keep chlorine between 1.5 and 3 you COUNT on a bloom.

Once you do have algae, you must adopt our methods to kill it. Only then if it keeps coming back, do you check for phosphates.

Phosphates don't keep chlorine from killing algae--they merely are really good algae food. If the algae is dead and keeps being killed by the chlorine, the "food" phosphates won't be eaten.