Dubosity's Thread: Lost in Cloudiness/Mustard Algae Hell

[Watermom]

That is the only type of algaecide that we recommend. Do not buy anything other than that one. Some other types will complicate things and cause foaming problems and add other unwanted ingredients.

[Dubosity]

I cannot thank you enough for responding so quickly! I can't tell you what a relief it is to feel that I have real support out there. Truly...I'm moved to tears.

Watermom, you asked a few questions:
What type of pool is this and what is the volume? Outdoor (uncovered; in-ground, gunnite), ~30K gal.
What type of filter and what size pump do you have? The filter is a pleated, papery, upright, cylindrical cartridge (not sure if this is helpful, but I do know that the contractor said recently that he thought it was probably too small for the pool) - we clean it at least once/week; pump is 230 hp and ~15 amps.
What have you used in the past for your source of chlorine? I moved in 1 year ago and during that time have only ever used trichlor tablets and occasional liquid (unstabilized) chlorine.
Anything else you have added? Be specific --- not product names, but ingredients: The only thing other than what I've already mentioned is a couple months ago, we added a TA reducer, 93.2% sodium bisulfate.

I did go out today and purchase a Taylor CYA drop-test (to add to my K-2000 kit). It tested at 100 (at least that is when the black dot became just barely visible; the point at which I could not see it at all was 120 - I'm not sure which is the correct reading.

In case it helps: Today the pool is looking blue (no green tinge at all), but is still cloudy.

Thank you, again, for all your help!! I'll definitely check out those links.

[Dubosity]

And thank you, Ben, for taking the few moments you had to respond! I'll check and see if Walmart has the Polyquat. Is the OTO/phenol red different than the phenol red reagent that comes in the Taylor test kit?

Also: I don't know if this is significant, but I've NEVER been able to get an accurate chlorine reading. I do know that right now it is really, really high (since we just added 2 gals yesterday).

Ugh. I had a bad feeling about adding the Yellow-Out and I did it anyway. When will I learn to trust my gut?

[PoolDoc]

Just got back, trying to hurry through things and get users upgraded and posts moved.

But . . . Taylor pH test is fine -- however you do NEED the OTO chlorine test. It's not very precise, but it's very dependable. And, given your difficulty with chlorine readings, we need the info from a DEPENDABLE test.

Ben

[Dubosity]

Hello again,
I was able (finally) to find the OTO chlorine test. It is definitely an orange result...and it has stayed orange even after 5 minutes. (Does this mean my combined chlorine is also really high?)
I cleaned the filter this morning. It had a lot of green in it, but not quite as much as previously.
The pool looks very blue, no green tinge, and pretty clear (though still just a bit cloudy in the deep end). I do see about 6 circular spots of what I believe is mustard algae right in the middle of the shallow end; when I brushed them, they plumed up and dispersed.

I could not find Polyquat, without other ingredients (like clarifier) added. :-( I went to 3 different stores...Walmart, Lowes, and Pinch-A-Penny pool supply. Any suggestions? Do you think I still need it?

I await your response with bated breath. :-)
Thank you!!

[Dubosity]

One more question: Is it safe to swim?

[PoolDoc]

Orange just means your chlorine / bromine is high -- doesn't give you any info about what kind. However, under your circumstances it's probably mostly "free".

As long as you keep it high and your clarity is increasing and the spots are getting smaller and there's no 'green' on the filter . . . you can probably just maintain chlorine levels and let the rest go.

Can you swim safely? Yes.

But . . . those levels may be hard on swimwear. So wear old swimsuits, or if your fences are high enough, you can skip them altogether. The chlorine won't hurt skin. It may be irritating to your eyes (or not) -- won't hurt to find out -- just don't open them underwater if it is.

But, go ahead and get a Taylor kit (Amazon link in sig), since you've still either got to drain to lower CYA OR run sustained high levels of chlorine to compensate for the CYA. If you haven't read the "Best Guess" page (link in sig) yet, it would be a good idea to do so.


Ben

[Dubosity]

Thank you! I did read everything I possibly could on this site...there's some REALLY great info here!
I'm concerned about keeping such a high chlorine level because I won't be able to get an accurate pH read...and because swimming nude isn't always an option.Based on what I read in another thread, I was thinking about losing the pucks and chlorinating with bleach (or non-stablized tabs), in an attempt to reduce the CYA (over time) rather than draining and refilling. Is that, in fact, an option for me?

[Dubosity]

I don't know if I should keep this thread going or start a new one. Forgive me if I've chosen incorrectly.
My husband is pushing back on the use of bleach AND whether to drain/refill. His arguments are 1) we spent $80 on the bucket of trichlor tabs and we have enough to last the rest of the season 2) we're currently renting the house and don't know how whether we'll end up buying it or not, and 3) it's going to cost at least $100 to partially drain and refill. I have 3 questions:

1) If I drain/refill enough to bring the CYA to 40-60 ppm, can I go on using the trichlor for the rest of the season? (I"m in N Central Florida where the season can run through the end of Oct.) Will the levels rise back that fast?

2) If I'm able to convince him to go with bleach, how do I know the amount needed for my 30K gal pool and how often it must be added? (I realize I would be maintaining a different level depending on whether we end up renewing the water.

3) If we decided not to exchange the water, so that I need to maintain about 8 ppm of chlorine, how do I reliably test the pH? Can I count on the directions in the Taylor kit (ie, dilute the sample with tap water before testing)?

Sorry to be such a pain. I did try to glean everything I could by reading through just about every post on the site, but I didn't really see anything that specifically answered these questions. Thanks for your patience.
Debra