Dealing with algae in your pool

Posted on Jun 20, 2014 | Comments (0)

If the water in your pool is starting to look green or murky while walls and bottom of your pool are becoming slippery this means that algae is beginning to grow in your pool and you will soon be seeing green patches of it on the walls, at which point it becomes much more difficult to get rid of it.

It's worth noting that adding fresh water or even replacing the water in your pool entirely does not get rid of the algae. It can survive on the walls and invade your pool once again after you refill it with water. In order to fight the algae you need to add algaecide to the pool, regular disinfecting chemicals won't do the trick if the water is already green.

Green algae is the most common microorganism that infects swimming pool. They contain chlorophyll and thrive on sunlight. In ideal conditions green algae can develop and colonize your entire pool in as little as 12 hours.

The best way to deal with algae is preventative water treatment with algaecide. When filling your pool for the first time, add 10-20 ml of algaecide for each 1000 liters of water in the pool. For pools with green water, add 20-30 ml of algaecide per 1000 liters of water. Dead algae will lose their green color and will form grey flakes that will be caught by your filter.

Brown and black algae grow in darker corners of a pool, in the shade. They typically grow on walls and give no indication of being dead or alive by changing color. Just like green algae, they are resistant to common disinfectants such as chlorine, but can be killed by algaecide. After the algaecide treatment brown and black algae still needs to be scrubbed off the walls.

Keeping algae and other microorganisms out of your outdoor pool is vitally important because when left unchecked it will quickly multiply to become a health risk and make your water unswimmable.