Black algae? 🤔

[Bigbensgirl]

New to TFP...stumbled upon the site a week or so ago after getting upset that pool store was trying to sell me baking soda for $60. Our pool was finished at the end of August last year and we are complete newbs trying to figure things out after the fact .

Current issue: I noticed black stuff on the bottom of the pool last week and after searching thought it might be black algae (we also had what I think was mustard algae as well). After receiving my TF-100 my initial numbers on 7/3 were:
FC- 0
pH- 8.0
TA- 100
CH 375
CYA- 50

I've been slamming (& addressed the pH and CH) & brushing daily w a wire brush since then. I have passed the OCLT the passed two nights and my numbers this morning are:
FC- 22
pH- 8.2 (I added the amount of MA suggested by PM)
TA- 100
CH- 450
CYA- 45

The other/mustard algae is gone, however the black stains persist (see pic), so I'm not sure if this is black algae or something else (I have not tried the scrape/smear).
Also of note my hubs thinks I'm nuts for trying these "home remedies" and that I should "leave this to the professionals", but I think that's part of our problem (being at the mercy of so-called pros).

TIA

 

[JamesW]

Your Nature2Fusion Chlorinator probably has a mineral cartridge, which contains copper and silver.

The turquoise and black are probably copper stains.

 

[JamesW]

Can you show the original color of the pool when it was new and a picture of the whole pool and the system?

Can you pull the filter cartridges and show them before and after cleaning?

Get a stain ID kit.

I would remove the minerals from the Fusion.

Have you used any other copper products like copper algaecide (blue liquid)?

Stain ID Kit | Jacks Magic

jacksmagic.com

 

[JamesW]

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Black Algae and High Copper

I used the Copper Ionizer and did not notice copper went high 1.5. Pool wall and bottom is black color now. It looks like black Black Algae. Please advice how to control the Copper or black Algae. I used No Metal from Leslie pool and cleaned the filters, no luck.

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[Bigbensgirl]

Can you show the original color of the pool when it was new and a picture of the whole pool and the system?

Can you pull the filter cartridges and show them before and after cleaning?

Get a stain ID kit.

I would remove the minerals from the Fusion.

Have you used any other copper products like copper algaecide (blue liquid)?

Stain ID Kit | Jacks Magic

jacksmagic.com

Thanks for the stain ID kit recommendation. Scrape & smear was negative for algae.
Here is a pic right after Pebble Tec applied (it actually looks similarly in this pic like it has returned to this color)

and with water (the black color disappeared and it blended in w the rest of the Pebble Tec color (Pebble sheen)...until recently

and the equipment


The mineral cartridge does contain copper & silver...we have not used any other copper containing products (no algicides).

 

[JamesW]

I think that the problem is copper.

Copper stains usually start out as a turquoise color and then turn black.

I would remove the minerals.

You don't need the UV device as your pool gets plenty of UV free from the sun.

 

[JamesW]

Can you pull the filter cartridges and show them before and after cleaning?

Copper will usually be blue in the filter.

 

[JamesW]

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[Bigbensgirl]

Can you pull the filter cartridges and show them before and after cleaning?

Copper will usually be blue in the filter.

Before:



After...


I didn't notice a blue tint...just brown. This was our first time cleaning the filter since it was cleaned in September. The mineral cartridge was supposed to be changed every 3 months but we've never replaced it...one more thing we wasted $ on

 

[JamesW]

The brown might be just dirt and maybe some silver metal stains.

I don't see any turquoise that would indicate high copper levels, but we know that there is probably some copper due to the mineral cartridge.

Let's see what the stain id kit indicates.