Wanted: Mustard algae or suspected mustard algae

[gonefishin]

Thanks for the additional info chemgeek. Hopefully there will be involvement.

Hoffmans...I can't wait to hear back from you. Either respond in this thread or by private message. Thanks!


dan

[mikemedic]

I have too been fighting what I think is Mustard Algae. My pool water is very clear but in areas i am getting streaks of yellow and sometime a cloudy film on the bottom. It is not slimy but keeps reoccurring and doesn't affect the water clarity. I jacked my FC up to 20-22 ppm as my cya is 70. The chlorine level is holding over night and was before. I think this is mustard algae or could it be pollen, anyways i am on my 2 day of keeping th FC above 20. I am going to do it for a few more days due to it being crappy rainy here in West Virginia.

I wish I would have taken some pics. If the crap comes back I will take some pics and post

Mike....GO MOUNTAINEERS!

[hoffmans]

GoneFishin,
Ask and you shall recieve.
I got the samples by using a child's medicine syringe. Googles made for clear viewing under water. It is difficult to retreive this stuff. It vanishes easily and puffs up and clouds away into an invisible powder when disturbed. But turn your back & it will return.










[IMG]

Sorry the pictures are not that great. It was windy and there was alot of ripples on the water.
If you want more pics I will try to get some that are more clear.
Just let me know.

My symptoms are the same as Mikemedic & everyone elses'.Did you read that long thread @ TFpool?

I would be happy to share the wealth of our mysterious brown pool potion.

My email is hoffmans@oct.net
I can bottle it and mail it if you like.
~Amber Hoffman

[Tredge]

Borax solved this problem for me....looks to be gone for good.

All summer and not a spec of it since I added Borax. Had a good amount early spring before I added it tho!

First summer algae free for me.

[chem geek]

There was also a recent report in this post on another forum where using PolyQuat 60 appears to keep away yellow/mustard algae as well, though it's a bit too early to know for sure. So use of an alagecide, either 30-50 ppm Borates (by the way, what is your Borate level?) or weekly PolyQuat 60 combined with chlorine keeps away yellow/mustard algae without needing the higher chlorine levels.

We know from other users that keeping the Free Chlorine (FC) level at a minimum of 15% of the CYA level will keep away yellow/mustard algae without any need for an additional algaecide, but it appears to be a rather hard limit and a high FC level that some people don't want to deal with (it's about double the "minimum" FC of 7.5% of the CYA level for green algae that roughly corresponding to Ben's "Min" column). Others have shocked their pools (and equipment -- poles, etc.) at FC levels of 60% of the CYA level and eliminated the algae, but it wasn't easy. So there are various options for people.

Richard

[mikemedic]

good to know, i jacked my FC to about 20 for 4 days. Seems on now, but this happened before. If my CYA is 70 I would need to leave my FC at 10.5?
I may try this, having a rainy humid august, then i may back off in sept.

How do I measure borates? I have a taylor test kit K2006 I believe, and if I add borax will this not jack up my PH?

GIve me some ideas

[aylad]

How do I measure borates? I have a taylor test kit K2006 I believe, and if I add borax will this not jack up my PH?

You have to buy the borate strips separately...Accucheck has some out, and I believe LaMotte might have some, too. If you add the borax, it will jack up the pH...you'll have to counter the pH rise by adding muriatic acid so that your pH stays within normal ranges, just the borates increase.

Janet

[chem geek]

good to know, i jacked my FC to about 20 for 4 days. Seems on now, but this happened before. If my CYA is 70 I would need to leave my FC at 10.5?

Yes. If you don't use an algaecide or completely get rid of the algae via intensive shocking (42 ppm after first lowering the pH to 7.1, but that seems almost insane, doesn't it?), you'd need to keep a minimum of 10.5 ppm FC with your 70 ppm CYA to keep away the yellow/mustard algae. At least that's the experience of users so far. Though technically shocking at 42 ppm FC at 70 ppm CYA is equivalent in disinfecting chlorine to 1.6 ppm FC with no CYA (which is lower than most indoor pools), the high numbers scare me, even though I know the chemistry behind them.