Successful treatment of "pink algae"

[Water_man]

Hi all,

I live in the Northeast where I’ve used my in ground pool from June to late September. Last year I started using a solar cover and I got a “pink algae” infestation. This was my third year of having my pool.
I did some homework and I found three suggested treatments:

A regular chlorine shock won’t cure Pink Algae. (It’s not an algae, it’s a bacteria!)
Pink Treat is sodium bromide and the active agent is the hypochloric acid which is formed when you shock the pool after adding Pink Treat. Pink Treat may do the job, however, once you use it your pool is converted from a chlorine pool to a bromine pool. Your chlorine consumption will always be higher.

There’s a ProTeam product which is VERY expensive.

I checked out Yellow Out http://yellowout.com/index.html by Coral Seas and called them up. They promised me that it would help. It did. Here’s the cleanup procedure:



1. Do you have “Pink Algae”?

If it’s pink, if it’s on the pool surfaces and crevices and if you can brush it off, then it is!
I’ve found that the term “pink slime” used for the Pink Algae is misleading.

2. Preparation

Do not skip this part!
Raise the water level by 2 – 3 inches.
Raise the water pH to 8 – 8.4.
Throw into the pool whatever had been in contact with the water (floats, brushes, noodles, goggles, vacuum hose, etc.)
If you hadn’t back-washed your filter recently – do it now.
Make sure you have enough chlorine for three super shocks. (I used 50% more than my regular dose of two packs for a 20,000 gal pool).
Stock up on a heavy dose of water clarifier. I used both a regular soluble clarifier and BioGuard’s “Sparkle Up” additive to my DE filter (see below).

3. Yellow Out application.

Stop the main pump operation.
Have in one hand a container with “Yellow Out” (YO) and in the other hand an equal amount of your chlorine shock compound. I used altogether three lbs of each and used three doses of 1 lb at a time.

Spread the YO near areas of infection and immediately an equal amount of chlorine at the same location. Let them mix in the water. Spread one can of 1 lb at a time. The trick is to spread a small amount of YO followed by an equal small amount of chlorine.
When you are done spreading all the ingredients, if you have a solar cover, spread it over the pool as you normally do.

DO NOT OPERATE THE MAIN PUMP FOR 8 HOURS.

4. Post-YO application Circulating

Reel up the solar cover and rinse both sides as you reel with a water hose.
If you can see the pink algae on the walls brush it off.
Keep on brushing later as the water clarity improves.
Start operating the pump. If your bottom drain operates and if you can regulate it, circulate through it only.
If not, use the vacuum line immersed at the pool’s deep end for pump intake.
REMOVE ALL CLOCK STOPPERS FROM PUMP’S CLOCK.
You’ll be circulating continuously for about 48 hours.

5. Second Shock

Shock 12 hours after the first treatment.

6. Third Shock

Shock again 12 hours after previous shock.

7. Reinstating water chemistry

pH should go back to 7.4. If it doesn’t ask the pros what to use for your pool. Fred from Coral Seas says not to worry about it – it’ll go down by itself. If the water is not clear (my water clarity was very low after the YO application) use a good amount of clarifier. If the pressure in your filter goes up by 5, back-wash it. I backed-washed mine twice and used BioGuard’s Sparkle Up added to the DE to aid filtration after the second back wash. Read label instructions how to apply the DE-Sparkle Up mixture. It’s easy.
Most likely a third back-wash wouldn’t be necessary.

8. Resume normal pump duty cycle (12 hour cycle) after water clarity has returned to normal. You should vacuum the bottom and walls and use robotic cleaners if you have one after the third shock. Pool should be clear after 48 hours of non stop circulation and vacuuming.

9. Sanitize all bathing suits that had been used in the pool by soaking them in a washing machine detergent. Use bleach if not prohibited by washing instructions on bathing suit label. I used Lysol too.

10. Double your normal stabilized chlorine dose. I am using 4 tablets now instead of 2.
Chlorine level is now 4-5. Keep it this way for a couple of weeks and then resume normal level.

11. Keep Shocking every week.

12. If you have any questions call Fred at Coral Seas. He’s an experienced pro.
Leslie can give you the basics but Fred is the lead man.
The 800 number is available on the package label and in the website.