Mustard Algae

[dand]

Well. I am really about to give up. I had mustard algae last year most of the season and I noticed it starting again this year. It is a brownish/yellowish color that clings to the wall, brushes off easily but is back the next day. Does anyone have any good advice on getting rid of this? I am somewhat new at this pool thing (3rd season) and I heard someone mention that I should vacuum to waste? Does that mean vacuum with the bottom valve open letting out all the water I vacuum? I have tried the copper algicide and I have added a ton of shock. I also have been using tons of 3" tablets, smashing some of them to raise the levels up really high hoping to kill it with no luck. I was also told to wash or leave the brushes and other tools in the pool to clean them as well, is this true?

Any help would be great, I am losing my mind!!! Thanks!!!!

[tkalla2000]

Check your CYA level. Also reposition your returns to the areas where the yellow algae is.

[ANG]

The best product for getting rid of Mustard is Yellow Treat. Follow the instructions and you wont have a problem getting rid of it. What I suggest also is using a Phosphate remover. Your problem seems to be a phosphate problem also. Algae does not grow unless it has a food source, which are phosphates. Phosphates are introduced to the pool by basically any organic matter that falls into the pool such as grass or leaves. When the phosphate levels are high then algae blooms are more common, which seems to have been the problem you had last year.

[dand]

Thank you both for the replys. I will try both and repost how I make out. It looks like the Yellow Treat is hard to find nearby, so I will order online. Thanks!

[rbdeli]

Does anyone know: Is it possible to have mustard algae stains that do NOT brush off? I have stains that look as those you describe, but they do not come off with a brush. I have treated my pool twice with metal stain remover and though it works the stains keep reappearing after a couple of weeks. I'm wondering if it's not metal after all. They are beginning to look a bit greenish-yellow, rather than brownish yellow.

Thank you both for the replys. I will try both and repost how I make out. It looks like the Yellow Treat is hard to find nearby, so I will order online. Thanks!

[chem geek]

Mustard algae will brush off and tend to come back in the same place, usually on the shady side of the pool. I haven't heard of it staining.

[merc80]

rbdeli,

After you added the stain remover, did you add anything to remove the metals from the water, or to sequester them? Sounds like the stain remover is working to get the stains (probably copper) off the pool surface, but not out of the water. I think there's a couple different ways to approach this.

1. Use the stain treatment again. Follow up the stain removal with something to trap the metal in your filter. I've had good sucess with "Sun" brand "Metal and Scale Control II." There are other brands that make similar products, but this is the one I'm most familiar with. The important thing is you get a product that will REMOVE the metal from the water. Make sure you follow the directions on the bottle.

2.Use the stain treatment again. Follow up the stain removal with a sequestering agent. This will keep the metal trapped in the water and not allow it to stain the pool surface. If you are on a well, or you think the metals are in your source water, this may be the better option. If you go this route, the sequestering agent needs to be added on a regular basis, or the stains will re-appear.

Any other suggestions? I'm always looking to learn something new.

[HoustonMan]

NOTE: I'm a super newbie novice. I just bought this house that has a pool. I don't know anything about pool chemical maintenance.

After two very hard rains I experienced green algae which quickly turned into yellow algae.

On the instructions from the guy at the pool retail store I...

1. Added soda ash to get my ph above 8.0

4 hours later...

2. I added yellow out and 1.5 lbs of shock.

18 hours later...

3. I reshocked the pool with 1.5lbs of shock.

The yellow algae is dying and coming off the sides of

the pool. I believe the water will clear up after running

the pump for 24 hours.

I'm going to clean out the filters today to avoid the

algae coming back.

I'm having a difficult time brushing the pool. I wish

there was a motorized underwater brush that would

make the brushing a lot easier. :-)

David

[mark6437]

Dand,

I had some pretty bad mustard algae problems a few years ago. I was pulling my hair out. It would go away and then come back. Over and over and over.

Well I found out the problem. I was told about CYA, Stabilizer i.e. Cynuric Acid. When it gets too high, usually above 100, the chlorine basically stops working. When it stops working thats when the Algae comes. There is alot more to it than that but basically you need to check your CYA level. If it is too high you need to drain your pool. Either halfway then fill up, or all the way, then fill up. This is the only way to get the CYA level to go down. When the chlorine starts working again you will not have any mustard algae problems again.

Hope this helps

Mark

[dand]

Thanks for the advice Mark. Last year I was able to get rid of the mustard (right at the end of the season :-)). I think what was happening was every time I got rid of the problem, I reintroduced it by putting the vacuum hose, skimmer, etc back into water when the pool was clear. I bought a product called mustard buster from the local pool store which was pretty inexpensive, though i don't remember how much. Before I treated I got all the pool levels corrected, vacuumed, and took filter apart cleaned. Then I submerged everything in the pool... ladder, hoses, kids toys, skimmers, vacuum, and poles. Then I treated everything with the mustard buster which made the pool super cloudy. After a few days of running filter 24/7 with everything in pool, I again took filter apart and cleaned everything. Worked like a charm.

Opened the pool this year to find the water was crystal clear and it has been fine since. Thanks for all the replies folks.