| Pink Slime (and its "buddy" White water mold) is a | | | | companies across the country, in partial response |
| newer problem facing swimming pool owners | | | | to "consumer calls" to "get rid of chlorine in the |
| over the past 10 - 20 years. They are naturally | | | | drinking water" are now using mono-chloramines |
| occurring and are caused only by a lack of proper | | | | to treat the water (over the past 15 to 20 |
| pool maintenance and water chemistry. In fact, | | | | years). Mono-chloramines do an essentially good |
| even non-pool owners struggle with the pink slime | | | | job at treating pathogens in the drinking water, |
| in bathrooms, kitchens, and washrooms. Ever | | | | however, some of the non-pathogenic organisms |
| notice that pink ring around the basin? That's pink | | | | may indeed be getting by. Unfortunately, there is |
| slime. | | | | only experiential or anecdotal evidence. |
| Let's define what pink slime is. Pink slime is a | | | | Prevention of "pink slime" is preferred over |
| naturally occurring bacterium (of the newly | | | | treatment. Follow these steps to help prevent |
| formed genus Methylobacterium). Pink Lime is | | | | pink slime: |
| NOT a form of Algae, it is animal not vegetable. It | | | | |
| is pink- or red-pigmented and forms a heavy, | | | | 1. Physically brush & clean ALL Pool surfaces |
| protective slime coating which provides the | | | | weekly, including ladder steps (especially |
| organism with an unusually high level of protection. | | | | underneath each step) & rails |
| Pink slime consumes methanol (a waste gas) and | | | | 2. Expose ALL pool surfaces to as much sunlight |
| it is oftentimes found WITH White Water Mold. | | | | as possible (sunlight & UV are natural |
| This organism is very resilient and resistant | | | | oxidizers) |
| against halogen-based (chlorine or bromine) as well | | | | 3. Remove the lid from the skimmer to allow |
| as non-halogen sanitizers or germicides and can | | | | sunlight into the basket for several hours each |
| remain a contaminant even after treatment. | | | | day ** INGROUND POOLS MUST USE EXTREME |
| Although initially found in swimming pools being | | | | CAUTION in doing this in order to avoid a person |
| treated with biguanides (Baquacil, Soft Swim, | | | | falling into or otherwise injuring themselves due to |
| Polyclear, etc.), it is now seen in any and all | | | | an open skimmer. |
| swimming pool environments. This is NOT a | | | | 4. Regularly add oxidizing chemicals into the |
| biguanide problem ONLY nor is it CAUSED by the | | | | skimmer to purge & clean the filtration lines |
| use of biguanides. | | | | of any bio-film (use extreme caution if doing this. |
| The pink slime bacterium has an affinity for the | | | | Add chemicals slowly and remove ANY and ALL |
| matrix that exists on the surface of PVC plastics; | | | | objects, including slow dissolving chlorine tablets or |
| it will attach itself to & inside of the matrix, | | | | sticks, to avoid a potential chemical reaction such |
| allowing it to re-contaminate long after it appears | | | | as explosion. |
| that it has been seemingly "destroyed" (includes | | | | 5. When adding make-up water from the garden |
| pool toys, floats, ladders, steps, fountains, | | | | hose, allow the water to run for 2 to 3 minutes |
| automatic pool cleaner parts, skimmer baskets, | | | | before putting the hose into the pool. |
| weirs, directional fittings, garden hoses, etc.). Small | | | | 6. Regularly clean pool toys & floats (use |
| quantities of pink slime can lead to a | | | | BioGuard Stow Away acting as a mildewcide) |
| re-establishment of the problem. It is caused by | | | | 7. Regularly clean pool solar blanket (use BioGuard |
| improper water & pool maintenance, | | | | Stow Away) |
| environmental factors and poor circulation. Pink | | | | 8. Chemically clean the pool filter every 4 to 6 |
| slime prefers areas that are "dark" (not exposed | | | | weeks (use Strip Kwik, Kleen It or Soft |
| to direct sunlight) & with "slow moving" | | | | Swim® Filter Cleaner). This is a very |
| water. In another industry, medical technology, | | | | important step regardless of the filter type; sand, |
| this bacterium occurs regularly in laboratory tubin. | | | | DE or Cartridge. |
| Look for pink slime under ladder treads, behind | | | | 9. Add regular Maintenance dosages of "Shock" |
| the skimmer weir, on the undersides skimmer | | | | & Algicide every 1 to 2 weeks as prescribed |
| baskets, pool directional returns, underwater pool | | | | (3 to 4 weeks in bguanide pools). |
| light niches and light housings. If you find that the | | | | 10. Use borate products such as BioGuard |
| pool just isn't holding chlorine, bromine, or even | | | | Optimizer Plus as a preventative measure |
| hydrogen peroxide used in biguanide treated pools, | | | | (borates, when used properly at a rate of 50 - 80 |
| look for pink slime. | | | | ppm, allow the sanitizer to sanitize rather than |
| After regular tracking of homeowners swimming | | | | sanitize and prevent algae growth). |
| pools affected by pink slime, here are some | | | | 11. Run the filter a minimum of 12 hours daily to |
| commonalities: | | | | prevent "dead spots" in the pool. |
| - Many, but not all, affected pools have "smaller | | | | 12. Remember to clean & rinse the brushes, |
| (under) sized" cartridge filters. (i.e. using a 75 sq ft | | | | hoses & vacuums that you use to clean the |
| filter on a 24 ft Rnd aboveground pool or a 90 sq | | | | pool |
| ft filter on a 15 x 30 inground pool). | | | | 13. Leave as much of your pool equipment |
| - Affected pools get 6 hours or less of direct | | | | exposed to the sun (sunlight is a natural oxidizer) |
| sunlight on the pool surfaces. | | | | 14. Keep the water balanced at all times. Recheck |
| - Pool owners always leave the solar blanket on | | | | after heavy usage or rain or large "top-offs" of |
| AND don't chemically clean the blanket the | | | | new water. Water balance refers to Free |
| recommended 2 times per year to remove the | | | | Available Sanitizer level, pH, Total Alkalinity, |
| accumulated biofilm. | | | | Calcium Hardness. |
| - "Shocking" or oxidizing of the pool water is not | | | | Treatment of "pink slime" MUST BE QUICK AND |
| done with the recommended label instructions. For | | | | TOTAL! DON'T SKIMP! |
| example, rather than shocking the pool every | | | | Clean all pool & affected surfaces as |
| week or two, that task is neglected because the | | | | prescribed above. |
| water "looks fine." | | | | Physically clean & remove all visible "pink |
| - Rainy pool seasons see a dramatic rise in the | | | | slime" |
| cases of pink slime. | | | | Add an initial dosage of algicide to the pool |
| - Customers regularly add fresh water from their | | | | "Shock" the pool with a triple or quadruple dose |
| tap without letting the hose-water run for a | | | | Run filter 24 hours daily until water is clear & |
| couple of minutes (the pink slime is already | | | | halogen or peroxide levels are maintained at a |
| present in the garden hose and is transferred to | | | | "higher" level |
| the pool). | | | | Chemically clean the filter. Simple rinsing or |
| - Pools with sand filters are not changing the sand | | | | backwashing of the filter will not remove the |
| every 2 to 3 years AND not chemically cleaning | | | | greases, oils & other accumulated |
| the filter sand 3 times a season (once every 6 to | | | | contaminant from the filter and filter tank. |
| 8 weeks). | | | | Have the pool water professionally tested & |
| - Newer observation: Most of the affected seem | | | | analyzed. Look for a pool company that knows |
| to use publicly treated drinking water. Pools filled | | | | what they are talking about and isn't afraid to tell |
| with well water appear to be not as severely | | | | you the truth about problem. |
| affected. | | | | Maintain Optimizer Plus (or other borate product) |
| - Affected pools are not as fastidiously maintained | | | | levels |
| chemically (water balance, use of borate additives | | | | Maintain good water balance of pH, Total Alkalinity |
| such as BioGuard Optimizer Plus or Proteam | | | | & Calcium Hardness |
| Supreme, regular shocking), as clean pools. | | | | The longer that you allow the pink slime to |
| Another observation is that many water | | | | remain, the more difficult it will be to cure. |