Re-occurring ZOMBIE Algae...

[PoolDoc]

Should I exchange this for the real stuff?

Yes. Mystery ingredients can cause very, very real problems with your pool.

[Waldog]

Yes. Mystery ingredients can cause very, very real problems with your pool.

Oh boy... guess I'll have to exchange it for the real deal... I need another gallon anyways for my borate operations. LOL

So this morning... the bane of my existence has returned. I had small amounts of algae on the bottom of the pool near the walls. Basically where the seam is on these intex type pools...

I'm really at a loss here... FC level is still coming down from 30. I'm at 12. I have still kept adding bleach just to be on the safe side. Other folks are telling me that it may not be algae that it could be pollen.

We have had lots of rain, maybe it's washing off the surrounding trees and collecting on the bottom, I do not know.

I had to drain off waste during a bad rain the other night, so I'm betting my CYA is down to around 30 now. I am tempted to get some powdered shock and see if that will help?

Otherwise, I'm just going to keep my FC high, and keep brushing...

[PoolDoc]

I am tempted to get some powdered shock and see if that will help?

You need to stop thinking of pool chemicals by their brands or descriptions, and start thinking of them by the chemical they contain. "Powdered shock" could be an excellent choice OR a terrible one, depending on which CHEMICAL is present in the "powdered shock" you have in mind. Neither we, nor you, know whether that product is good or bad for your pool, till we know what's actually in it.

Pool store operators and especially, pool chemical makers, really, really want to prevent you from getting involved "in the complications of pool chemicals and their effects": they want you to let them "make it easy for you". And honestly, if they actually did just that, PoolForum would be unnecessary. The problem is, they don't. The reasons are complex and pool store operators are themselves somewhat the victims of misinformation and misdirection from the pool chemical makers. But the bottom line is, the primary purpose of pool brands is to (a) sell you cheap chemicals expensively and (b) sell you rarely needed but high margin chemicals routinely.

Back to your pool: dusty debris on the bottom could be any of the following: mustard algae, dead algae (either green or mustard), sand from your filter, blown in or tracked in dirt or pollen.

You can probably rule some of these in or out yourself:
+ No dusty wind? Then, no blown-in dirt.
+ No pollen on flat surfaces outside? Then, no bulk pollen in pool.
+ No body tracking in dirt or sand? Then, no tracked-in dirt.
+ No yellowish-green somewhat uniform coating on your pool walls and floor, prior to accumulations of powder? Then, the dust is is not dead mustard algae.
+ Dirt does not feel gritty between your fingers, when you pinch a bit of it up? Then it's not sand.

[Waldog]

Is there a recommended dry shock? Just curious. I would never visit the pool store for chems BTW. I would use Walmart because at least there I won't be bothered by pesky pool store sales people. LOL Sorry, I didn't mean to make you fret. I'm just frustrated. I will most likely pickup MORE walmart bleach since it does seem to be more potent than the Aldi bleach I was previously using and bring the pool up to SHOCK level... again...

To answer your questions:
You can probably rule some of these in or out yourself:
+ No dusty wind? Then, no blown-in dirt.
Well, it's been windy, but during our torrential downpours.

+ No pollen on flat surfaces outside? Then, no bulk pollen in pool.
Noticeable pollen was early this spring. I have not noticed it on vehicles or other surfaces around my house. However, we have 2 acres and lots of trees. It could be wash off the trees, no?

+ No body tracking in dirt or sand? Then, no tracked-in dirt.
No one has been in the pool since Saturday night, and I had vacuumed the pool Sunday.

+ No yellowish-green somewhat uniform coating on your pool walls and floor, prior to accumulations of powder?
Then, the dust is is not dead mustard algae. - Well on the floor near the seams where the floor meets the walls.

+ Dirt does not feel gritty between your fingers, when you pinch a bit of it up? Then it's not sand
Pool is too deep for me to try that, can't lean over and grab some, but it is NOT disturbed by my skimmer pole, but is brushed away with the pool brush.

[PoolDoc]

Pool is too deep for me to try that, can't lean over and grab some, but it is NOT disturbed by my skimmer pole, but is brushed away with the pool brush.

Sounds like sand. Can someone swim down and check it?

[Waldog]

Sounds like sand. Can someone swim down and check it?

Well, I brushed this morning and it turned to a green cloud... but... what you say makes sense, and I say this because I recently changed where my return was facing. They recommend you face it to make the flow of water go clockwise assuming the skimmer is 6'oclock, but I found if I kept it this way, skimming was reduced. So I've had it facing down... which would cause anything coming back in, sand or otherwise... to be spread out to the edges of the pool floor. Make sense?

I'll check when I get home, and try to inspect the suspect more closely. LOL

Thanks for all your help!!!

[PoolDoc]

Woah! Stop the train!

If you brushed it, and got a green cloud, it's mustard algae. End of story! (You could ALSO have sand present.)