Mustard Algae? Stuck on walls

[Jtyler]

this is my first time posting. We had a TON of algae when we opened our pool. After a few weeks of brushing, shocking, and getting everything functioning; this stuff won’t budge. We have been to our local pool supply dozens of times, socked, algecide, all of it.
I recently found this forum and site and am starting a SLAM followed by the mustard algae protocol. I am hoping to get some advice on if I am doing this right. Lots of dates pictures below from the last week. Pictures start on 5/28 when we were still trying to get the water right. Before then we had double shocked (4bags and done algecide, changed filters, and scrubbed everything we could off the walls multiple times a day with a wire brush).
I’ve done the vitamin c vs. chlorine puck test. It is definitely organic. But how do I know if it’s just stained?

~22,000 gallons
Plaster
2023 c5030 Hayward cartridge filter running 24 hours
Our deep end skimmer barely functions
New polaris
Maryland
New water in early 2022

night of 6/3- Water looked great. Stuff on walls as stuck on as ever.
FC got down to zero. Added 6 bags of granular shock and a bottle of sodium bromide.

Today-
Water looked great. Walls (especially steps) looked visibly better but still visibly plenty of algae or staining.
FC 0.61
TC 0.61
CC 0
pH 7.3
Hardness 177
Alk 67
CA 46
Copper and iron both 0
Negative for nitrates
Phosphates 578

I’ve just added (evening of 6/3) three gallons of 10% liquid chlorine. Brushed the entire pool.

I understand for the SLAM method I need to check my FC regularly and add chlorine regularly. Using the calculator I think I’m trying to get to ~16ppm. Once my OCLT is less than 1 I need to raise to ~24ppm.

I’m addition to looking for confirmation if taking the right steps. Should I add another bottle of sodium bromide? My concern is also how I added 6 bags of shock last night and this morning my FC was only .61. Also multiple local trustworthy pool places near us keep recommending a staining treatment. But to use those you have to keep your chlorine low for a few days and I am just not sure that is the right answer.
Any help would be so greatly appreciated.

 

[PoolStored]

Should I add another bottle of sodium bromide?

No, don't add more. By adding sodium bromide to the pool, you now have a bromine pool, not a chlorine pool. Managing a bromine pool is different than managing a chlorine pool (see article).

If you want a chlorine pool, unfortunately changing from bromine back to chlorine requires water replacement because the spent bromine is bromide salt in the pool so adding any oxidizer to the pool, including chlorine, just reactivates the bromide to bromine.

Given that you have algae at the same time, let's get you some help... @mknauss @JoyfulNoise @JamesW @Donldson

Sodium Bromide - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum.
You need a proper test kit. Order one now. Then start your plan to do a complete drain/exchange of your pool to fresh water. You must do this to remove the bromide.
After you have done a complete drain/exchange and have your proper test kit, we can provide guidance in being sure the algae is eradicated and how to follow proper maintenance procedures.

 

[Jtyler]

@PoolStored
Oh no! I hope I didn’t ruin the summer/pool. Thank you for tagging some others. This has been weeks and weeks of not a lot of help from our local pool companies so I appreciate the assistance!
Do I keep with the SLAM method?
now that I read your article since I cannot test for bromide or bromine vs chlorine not sure if I should be multiplying the FC by 2.25.

 

[PoolStored]

@PoolStored
Oh no! I hope I didn’t ruin the summer/pool. Thank you for tagging some others. This has been weeks and weeks of not a lot of help from our local pool companies so I appreciate the assistance!
Do I keep with the SLAM method?
now that I read your article since I cannot test for bromide or bromine vs chlorine not sure if I should be multiplying the FC by 2.25.

Deep breath...we got you.

Order a test kit NOW. Link-->Test Kits Compared

Read this article, particularly section 1.6, "No Drain Water Exchange" and get started on a complete water exchange....

Draining - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

I'm sorry this happened. Welcome to #TeamPoolStored, where admitting the pool store is the problem is the first step, and the second step is get a good test kit.

You summer is not "ruined" for the summer. It may take a bit of work to resurrect the pool, but you will get there. Proof? Link-->How Clear is TFP Clear?

 

[PoolStored]

Do I keep with the SLAM method?

No, exchange your pool water.

 

[Jtyler]

@PoolStored
Thank you!
I ordered the TF-Pro Salt.
I’ll pick up a pool pump in the morning and start to swap out the water and then I will re-start doing the SLAM.
for the no drain exchange- I’ve searched high and low. I can’t figure out how I will know if I’ve pumped enough to know it’s done. I am picking up a pump that does about 1600 gph. I don’t want to “over run it” with this method because I will have to get a delivery or two of water since I’m on a well.

 

[Jtyler]

@PoolStored
What do you think about doing this test to see if there is still bromine in the pool before draining it?

Bromine or Chlorine? What's in Your Pool? • Pool Chemistry Training Institute

This happens more than I realized. Many chemical manufacturers use sodium bromide in their algae control products or specialty products like yellow something

poolchemistrytraininginstitute.com

 

[PoolStored]

Waste of time and money. Bromine is very long lasting...that's why the drain...

 

[Jtyler]

@PoolStored
Just wanted to give you an update. We are still in the process of filling our pool four hours a day due to our well. We only emptied out about half of the pool and drained it from the bottom since bromine is heavy, and should have fallen to the bottom of the pool after the pumps were off for a few hours. I am also still waiting on my test kit unfortunately. It is supposed to be delivered Thursday so for now, I am still only using test strips. I have been adding at least 6 gallons of liquid chlorine to the pool each morning and 6 in the evening. Every 12 hours almost all of the chlorine was gone. But this morning we had a breakthrough. After adding chlorine last night was over 10 ppm. And this morning when I woke up, it was still over 10 ppm. I’ve never been more excited
And almost all of the yellow algae is gone. There is still a little bit along the corners of the steps and tanning ledge but I am confident it will be gone in the next day or so. I will post my exact test results on Thursday when I get my test kit, for some advice on what needs to be added. Thank you again for your help to get me this far and hopefully we will be able to start our SWG soon and gets this pool open for summer!!

 

[Jtyler]

@PoolStored
So my pool is almost filled.
I did my first “real” testing. I haven’t added chlorine since yesterday. Almost all signs of discoloration are gone. Recommendation on next steps?

FC 19
CC 20
CYA is less than 30.
TA 120

 

[PoolStored]

CYA is less than 30.

Was the tube clear when filled to the 30 line? Any obscuration?

Has the pump been running at all?

CC of 20???? Are you sure? or did you mean CH?

pH and CH?

FC = free chlorine
CC = Combined Chlorine
CYA = Cyanuric Acid
TA = Total Alkalinity
CH = Calcium Hardness
pH = pH

Let's match your results to these mnemonics...

 

[Jtyler]

Was the tube clear when filled to the 30 line? Any obscuration?

Has the pump been running at all?

CC of 20???? Are you sure? or did you mean CH?

pH and CH?

FC = free chlorine
CC = Combined Chlorine
CYA = Cyanuric Acid
TA = Total Alkalinity
CH = Calcium Hardness
pH = pH

Let's match your results to these mnemonics...

CYA was a little cloudy when it got to the top but I could definitely still see the black dot.

The pump has only been on 1 hour a day until we get the water back up to the skimmers. But we have been brushing it and moving all the water 2x day and running our robotic vacuum constantly plus have the hose on 5 hours per day.

Ah- sorry!
FC was 19
CC was 1
TC was 20

 

[PoolStored]

pH?
TA?
I'm assuming CH was 20.

I would get 30ppm of chlorine stabilizer into a sock and tie it off firmly, when you can turn the pump on, put it in front of a return, after 30 minutes squeeze a bunch, over time squeezing or with return flow, it will dissolve.

 

[MITBeta]

Also multiple local trustworthy pool places near us keep recommending a staining treatment.

This has been weeks and weeks of not a lot of help from our local pool companies so I appreciate the assistance!

You came around pretty quickly on this initial assessment.

was a little cloudy when it got to the top but I could definitely still see the black dot.

Have you added any CYA/stabilizer? If not, it's zero. You should add dry stabilizer hung in a sock in front of a return jet ASAP.

 

[Jtyler]

pH?
TA?
I'm assuming CH was 20.

I would get 30ppm of chlorine stabilizer into a sock and tie it off firmly, when you can turn the pump on, put it in front of a return, after 30 minutes squeeze a bunch, over time squeezing or with return flow, it will dissolve.

Ph was just above 7.2.
TA was 120.

I will add the stabilizer- thank you.

 

[Jtyler]

pH?
TA?
I'm assuming CH was 20.

I would get 30ppm of chlorine stabilizer into a sock and tie it off firmly, when you can turn the pump on, put it in front of a return, after 30 minutes squeeze a bunch, over time squeezing or with return flow, it will dissolve.

Also- I didn’t test CH but will make sure I do that in the morning.

 

[Jtyler]

You came around pretty quickly on this initial assessment.



Have you added any CYA/stabilizer? If not, it's zero. You should add dry stabilizer hung in a sock in front of a return jet ASAP.

Hi! Yes- very happy I found this site! I feel like it saved our summer. We spent so much unnecessary money and time. And of course- I’ve gained alot of knowledge already.
Thanks!!

 

[PoolStored]

Also- I didn’t test CH but will make sure I do that in the morning.

Please do, this is important to a plaster pool!

You pH is fine, leave it alone. pH in the 7s is ok...let it rise to 8, then adjust to 7.6...rinse and repeat..good to go!

 

[Jtyler]

Please do, this is important to a plaster pool!

You pH is fine, leave it alone. pH in the 7s is ok...let it rise to 8, then adjust to 7.6...rinse and repeat..good to go!

CH is 300-350 (12 drops was purple but 14 was definitely light blue).