Algae In Pool Water

So, 'algae in pool - what to do?'. Most pool owners come across asking this question to themselves at one time or the other. It is one of the biggest botheration which cost them money and a lot of time. An important fact to take a note of, is that algae, in itself, is not a disease nor does it pose any threat. However, it utilizes sunlight and carbon dioxide to produce food, which provides the breeding ground for unwanted or harmful bacteria. The produced food serves as a source of nutrition for such bacteria and aids them to multiply rapidly and spread diseases. Apart from increasing the risk of illnesses, algae growth when left untreated, makes the pool cloudy or green, resulting in foul odor and taste. There are over 20,000 species of algae and their most common types, that cause swimming pool problems are green algae, yellow algae, black algae and pink algae. A brief introduction about each of these types of algae in pool has been provided below, along with the causes and remedies.

What Does Algae In Pool Look Like
As already discussed, there are four types of algae which are found to be common in swimming pools. The green algae in pool is the most common and easier to deal with. You can see it to be usually floating in the water and sometimes clinging to the walls. This type of algae imparts a green color to the pool water and affects its clarity. Green algae's presence can be spotted usually after a rainstorm with lighting. This is because lighting produces nitrogen which is fed upon by the algae. Know more on the green algae.

Also known as mustard algae, yellow algae in generally spotted on the shady side of the swimming pool. It is relatively difficult to be dealt with and even more difficult to be eradicated permanently. There is always a chance for the infestation to reoccur. Know more about brown algae.

As the name suggests, black algae in pool, appears as dark black or blue/green spots. The sides and bottom of the pool are the usual breeding grounds for these single-cell organisms. Their strong roots and waxy coating over themselves, makes them the most aggravated of algae stains. The stain caused by the black algae in swimming pool are extremely stubborn, due to their chemicals-resistant protective layers.

Pink algae infestation in swimming pools is rare and there is a formation of slimy pink or clear layers over various surfaces. It's not an algae though, but a form of bacteria which can turn the water cloudy, if left untreated for a long time.

Algae In Pool Causes
Lack of sanitization, filtration and circulation are the primary reasons for algae growth in pools. Apart from these, weather conditions such as rain, snow and storm are also responsible for carrying algae spores to the water. These algae spores have their sources from leaves, grass, flower, petals, etc. When conditions such as warm temperatures, sunlight, imbalanced water (higher pH level) and presence of nitrates are favorable, then an algae boom can be expected overnight.

So till now we have discussed about the appearance of different types of algae in pool and the factors which favor their growth. Now let's come to a more important section of the article...

How To Get Rid of Algae in Pool
A chlorine based shock is what is required to remove the algae in pool water. This process helps in raising the levels of chlorine in the water. 1 bag per 10, 000 gallon of water is generally recommended for the treatment, however, accurate information can be sought for at the manufacturer. Also, add a commercial algaecide after following the instructions regarding the dosages. However, it is better to manually brush off the algae from the surfaces of the pool before you add the anti-algae agents . This will help in clearing up the algae faster and more effectively.

Keep the circulation up and running for all day and night, until the water turns to normal. Keeping a check on and cleaning the filter of the swimming pool also helps in preventing recurrences of the algae in future. Another dose of shock can be carried out if the pool is showing improvements that are close to none.

Presence of dead algae in pool water is a normal scenario after the pool starts showing signs of improvement. So a proper vacuum of the pool would help in removing all such dead matter and restore the clarity of the water. Regular skimming also helps in inhibiting growth of algae in pool.

For more tips, read more on swimming pool maintenance. You may also be interested to read more on how to control pond algae.

So, this was it, about the causes and types of algae in pool and about how to get rid of algae? Keeping a proper and a regular check on the chemical balance of the pool water, can help in keeping all algae problems at bay. During the winter months, when the swimming pool is not in use, it is advisable to get it well covered. Do not let any weeds or grass to create a build up around the pool area and most importantly, maintain proper filtration and circulation.