If you’ve had a rough summer dealing with algae this is the time of the year that many swimming pool owners look forward too. Now that it is cooler it’s definitely easier to take care of your swimming pool because first and foremost, algae don’t like cold water. But why is my pool green and how do I figure out what to do? When it comes to bodies of water, taking care of them can be challenging especially when the water is warm and your water chemistry isn’t balanced. So that’s where we are going to get started…….
Green Algae: What it Is and How To Take Care Of It
The most common and easiest algae problem to kill is Chlorophyta, which gets its color from chlorophyll. Green algae float in the water, making it cloudy and giving it a greenish tinge. Slimy green algae also attach itself to your pools interior finish and floor. This is where it starts before it takes over your entire swimming pool. It is by far the most common form of algae and easiest to get rid of when you balance your water chemistry and filter your swimming pool appropriately. If your water chemistry isn’t balanced correctly or your filter isn’t functioning properly, algae will grow. If you have identified that there are algae in your swimming pool you will need to make sure you first balance your water chemistry. This means making sure your pH is between 7.2 and 7.6, that you raise your chlorine levels to 10ppm or higher, and you keep it as clean as possible. You will need to run your filter nonstop until the pool is cleared up and regularly add chlorine to keep the levels high. You will also need to brush the swimming pool several times a day. Depending on what type of swimming pool filter you have, you will need to backwash the filter as well.
How To Prevent Algae From Growing In Your Swimming Pool
If you want to prevent algae from growing in your swimming pool you need to do the following:
- Check your water chemistry regularly
- Keep your swimming pool clean
- Check for phosphates because they are food for algae and if you have them in your swimming pool even with chlorine algae will grow.
- Keep Your CYA levels within normal limits – too much CYA will bind up chlorine and not allow it to work
- Filter your swimming pool 10-12 hours each day when the water is warm
Remember, you will need to shock your swimming pool and when you do try to use a shock that doesn’t have stabilizer in it because you don’t need to add anymore CYA to your pool! Once you have done that correctly it’ll turn your water a cloudy blue which means the algae is dying. Run your filter continuously until it’s all gone and KEEP YOUR CHLORINE LEVELS HIGH AND YOUR PH WITHIN 7.2 – 7.6.
If you should have any questions about green algae and how to remove it, contact us today!
Recent Comments