Could this be algae or dirt/pollen?

[waterbear]

DO NOT trust the pool store to give you accurate readings ESPECIALLY CYA

This really depends on the store and who is doing the testing. Let's be fair now. I am the first one to say that many pool store employees who test water are clueless but there ARE a few of us good ones out there!

[itstoohot]

OK, back from the pool store. Here we go:

PH - 7.8
FC - 6+
TC - 6+
TA - 140
CYA - 80
Copper - .06

Pool temp is about 78F

I sampled the stuff and pool store says its algae. They are also a little confused that I still get chlorine readings with this stuff in the pool. They had me purchase Green Treat by United Chemical. I haven't put it in yet. It is sodium bromide based (48.5%).

Thanks for all your help!

[CarlD]

DON'T USE THAT STUFF!!!!! YOU'll SPEND WEEKS ADDING TONS OF CHLORINE TO GET IT OUT!!!!!!! THE CURE IS WORSE BY FAR THAN THE DISEASE!!!!

It's only for desperation situations--which you do NOT have!

Nowhere have I seen that you VACUUMED your pool. Do so and see if it goes away and returns. I get all kinds of similar looking stuff on the bottom of my pool from pollen and dust and it just vacuums up and the pool chemistry is FINE. It looks a lot like that but it's definitely NOT algae--it is brown but not a problem.

[itstoohot]

I have tried to vaccuum and found it returning through the jets. I pulled the filters out to clean them, assuming they were at capacity, and found them to be rather clean except for a yellowish-greenish hue to the water running out of the cartridges. I have not tried vaccuuming since I put in the clean cartridges.

[CAP]

Vacuum to waste.

[itstoohot]

I have a cartridge filter (Hayward SwimClear). How do I vacuum to waste?

[CAP]

I don't know anything about a cartridge filter but with my sand filter I have a multi-port valve that can divert the water from the pump to several different locations (filter, waste, backwash, rinse). When I get something in my pool that the filter won't "catch" I'll vacuum to waste and this gets rid of it.

Apparently you don't have this option available. I'm not sure what to tell you, maybe someone else will chime in and help out.

[waterbear]

I have a cartridge filter (Hayward SwimClear). How do I vacuum to waste?

With a cartridge filter you can't. Carts can filter down to 20 microns which is pretty small. you can't filter out live algae....you need to kill it.

[itstoohot]

Quick update -

I vacuumed this evening (all the big stuff lying on the floor) using a skimmer sock, then removed the cartridges and replaced with clean ones. Afterwards, the water was tested and I got:

TC - 3
Ph - 7.6/7.7
TA - 110
CYA - assumed to still be at 90 (tested yesterday)

Using a test strip for free chlorine, I got 3.

After a little hesitation (since we are using a Nature2 cartridge), I put in 10.5 gallons of bleach (6%) to get to 23ppm, which is the approx. shock level for CYA at 90 according to table posted in this forum.

Am now running the filter 24/7.

Hope to have more news (good or bad) in the morning. (I think I'm using parentheses too much?)

[swimmy]

I am having a similar problem. I have shocked the pool and it stays free of yellowish brown powder which collects in the same spots of the liner each time until I turn on the filtration. (It poofs when swept and vaccuums easily). I have shocked and treated with yellow rid. The pool water is perfectly clear and the pool floor will stay clear for days UNTIL I turn the filtration system on. I too believe it is coming from jets. I have backwashed and rinsed and poured in the recommended amt. of filter cleaner. Could the filter sand need to be changed. If this residue is in the pipes how do I push it out?