How To Kill Black Algae In Your Swimming Pool

Black Algae Is Extremely Challenging

Black algae is by far the most challenging of the different varieties of algae. Many individuals claim that once you have black algae in your swimming pool, it will be there forever, and it does not disappear. That is not necessarily true, but the difficulty in removing it is due to the strong roots and protective layers over top of the black algae plant. Black strains can emerge even in the presence of normal sanitizing levels, proper pool filtration, and if you happen to own a Pebble Tec pool they love those the most! This form of algae is very slow growing but very hardy. It is extremely chlorine resistant.

How To Kill Black Algae

1. Brush Brush Brush – This means you are going to need to brush a lot but a standard nylon brush isn’t going to get the job done. You will need to buy a algae brush. This type of brush is a heavy duty wire brush that will be far more aggressive on the algae.
2. Check The Water Chemistry – When dealing with algae you will want to make sure your pH is between 7.4 and 7.6 and your Total Alkalinity is between 80 – 120ppm. You will also need to make sure your chlorine levels are high!
3. Raise The Chlorine Levels – You will need to add massive amounts of chlorine or triple the amount of shock than what is recommended to keep your chlorine levels high. The standard recommendation of 3 – 5 parts per million (ppm) during the summer will never be enough especially as summer continues or if you live in an area with lots of vegetation. During this time you will want to keep the high levels, brush regularly, and run the filter continuously until the algae are gone.
4. Brush Again – Brush it at least three or four times concentrating on where you first spotted the algae. Remember, black algae has deep roots that can be embedded into your pool’s interior finish. Even when it looks like it’s gone chances are it probably isn’t so keep brushing!

How To Prevent Black Algae From Coming Back

• Keep your pH, alkalinity and chlorine levels in the correct range at all times.
• Run your pump and filter for 8 to 12 hours a day all season long.
• Keep your pool clean by regularly vacuuming, brushing, and removing debris
• Shock your pool regularly
• Keep phosphate levels low

Remember, black algae can be a huge pain and extremely frustrating to remove. It’s something you will need to be aggressive about and something you will need to stay on top of to remove it.