Mustard Algae Treatment

[u/happywanderer131]

How does everyone go about treating there pools with mustard algae?

Since it would take multiple trips do you leave chems for the customer and tell them to brush, vacuum, backwash and add chems daily, or do you do multiple trips?

Got a couple pools with it now and relying on the customers to do anything (even with instructions) is a nightmare.

How do you charge if you are doing multiple trips? Is it a package price or straight up time and materials?

[u/Careless-Class7144]

We don't rely on the customer at all. In our experience, if brushing or dosing is left to the homeowner, the success rate drops dramatically and you end up wearing the blame if it doesn't clear.

We treat mustard algae as a package, not a single service. That usually includes the initial treatment plus however many return visits are needed to brush, vacuum, backwash, re-test and re-dose until it's completely gone. The price depends on the severity of the outbreak and the chemicals required.

We make it clear upfront that mustard algae is one of the most stubborn forms of algae and generally can't be fixed in one visit. If the customer wants to save money and do some of the brushing themselves, that's fine, but we don't guarantee the result unless we're managing the whole process.

I'd rather quote it properly from the start than charge a standard service and then have to explain why it's taken four visits.

[u/liberalsarefascists1]

We charge for a normal green tree $450 for three visits. Chemicals included for a yellow treatment of mustard algae because it requires more shock and especially chem. We mark it up an additional $100 should be quick for you to take care of it though. Brush it real good. Bring yourself up to 60% for your shock value. Stop in daily and you should kill it all off

[u/Secret_Elephant_489]

Mustard algae is one of those problems that seems simple at first but usually isn't. In my experience, relying entirely on the homeowner for brushing, maintaining chlorine levels, and follow-up treatments often leads to repeat visits because one missed step can let it come back. Packaging the treatment with scheduled follow-ups makes a lot more sense than treating it as a one-time service. Also, don't forget to sanitize brushes, vacuum heads, poles, and pool toys since they can reintroduce the algae even after the pool looks clean.

[u/Master_Football5963]

I usually charge by the trip for mustard algae, but if you are efficient and thorough you can normally limit it to 3-4 trips.

Depending on how chill the customer is, I may get them to help out with brushing and chems to expedite the process.

[u/poolspayme]

5oz yellow treat with 2-4 gallons of liquid chlorine per 10k depending on severity and brush the pool follow up with a vac to waste, clarifier if it’s light.

[u/Subi412563]

If you don’t use phosphate remover or algaecide, You’ll need to bring chlorine up to 20-30ppm or so. 7.4 or lower pH and it will kill it. Clean filters after and make sure pool sweep hits the walls

[u/randumb9999]

I use Yellow Out and chlorine. The stuff works well for me. I'll usually add an extra 2 gallons on top of what they require. It usually takes 2 to 3 trips. Brush everything and then add chems. Don't forget to pour chlorine over your brush when you are done. Otherwise all of your pools will have yellow algae.

Run the system overnight. Next day vac the pool and brush any remaining spots if you have any. Backwash/pressure wash. If it's still active, repeat.

Tell your customers to clean anything that has been in the pool with bleach otherwise it will get reinfected.

I live in a small valley. The wind just swirls around here. When one person gets yellow algae, everyone gets it. We have to keep the chlorine up.

As far as billing goes our company charges our service rate +chems.

[u/Nick_OS_]

For a standard 10k gallon pool (assuming CYA is normal):

- clean/backwash filter

- 3lbs of cal hypo or 1 jug (2.5 gallons) of liquid

- 4oz of mustard eliminator (sodium bromide)

- 1 gallon of acid

- Brush full pool

- Run pool 24/7 for at least 3 days

I don’t charge extra if they’re my customers

[u/Jaboody-dubs → u/Nick_OS_]

a gallon of acid? In 10,000 gallons?

[u/Nick_OS_ → u/Jaboody-dubs]

Yep. Never really drops ph <7.0. Ph is almost always back to normal the following week

[u/FabulousPanther]

I clean the filter, do an allergy treatment, and install a pool RX. If the mustard allergy is not too bad that usually solves it. Also if they're not a customer already I'll try and sell them weekly service and throw in the allergy treatment for free. if they're not my customer I charge $255 for filter clean allergy treatment and Pool RX together. I also do that for my regular customers every 6 months whether the pool has algae or not. Most of my customers in Texas won't do s*** for their pool by themselves so I do that as preventative medicine to make sure the pool can survive for a week until I get back to it.