Why does algae grow in pools

Now, no one likes swimming in a chemical soup, but when algae strike, some short-term, high doses of water treatments will be necessary for the fight against algae. In particular, a proper pH level in your pool is vital. A desirable range is 7. Algae prefer a pH level of 8. Test your pool water to establish the levels, and add the appropriate amount of chlorine to increase or decrease the pH as needed. The chemical is effective at eliminating algae, but it can also produce noxious odors and irritating effects on eyes, skin, and hair.

You can rely on chlorine if you like. However, a better approach to sanitation is to install ozone and ultraviolet light UV systems in your pool. Both neutralize a variety of contaminants, including algae. Using ozone and UV helps slash chlorine needs up to 90 percent less chlorine while disinfecting water with maximum efficiency—albeit with fewer nasty side effects. Managing your pool water chemistry—including proper pH levels, alkalinity, and calcium hardness—is key to preventing algae infestations.

Special chemicals that specifically target algae are also available. Known as algaecides, they assist chlorine by weakening the outer membrane of algae cells. They are more effective at keeping blooms from getting started than they are at getting rid of them. To use algaecides most successfully, first, shock your pool with a high level of chlorine while running the pump to circulate your pool water for 24 hours keep swimmers out during this process.

Then add the algaecide follow the instruction on the bottle. The third element of the protection equation is consistent pool maintenance and cleanliness. You can achieve a spic-and-span pool with several kinds of measures.

Pool walls, floors, and steps are the most common places for algae to take hold, so target these spots for a thorough scrubbing. A variety of roving suction-type and pressure-type pool sweeps are available on the market. You can also consider robotic type cleaners. Each kind and model of cleaner offer various benefits, but all of them will help remove some of the dirt, leaves, twigs, bugs, grass clippings, plant foliage, and other organic materials that find its way into your pool.

As explained earlier, keeping a pool clean eliminates contaminants that algae could potentially use as a food source to nourish the spread of a bloom. This allows the sanitizer to kill contaminants more effectively. It also improves the effectiveness of the filtration equipment. Phosphate removers remove phosphates and nitrates from the pool, which are delicious food for algae. Pools can become contaminated with phosphates from fertilizers, mulch washing in the pool, or from heavy leaf and debris loads.

Filter cleaners are useful to keep your pool filter in top condition, ejecting oils, minerals, and metals that clog or gum up a pool filter and remove dead algae to prevent reinfection.

Although not useful in killing algae, a pool filter cleaner used regularly will help your filter trap the particles that become algae food, in addition to trapping algae itself. These are not algaecides but work to provide a synergistic boost to pool shock. Sold under trade names like Green to Clean, Yellow-Out, or Swamp Treat, it is effective on all algae types and colors.

Some chlorine enhancers contain sodium bromide, and some formulations are ammonia-based. The addition of ammonia and lots of chlorine creates monochloramines, which act well on many algae types. Sodium Bromide creates bromamines in the pool, at least temporarily. Chlorine enhancers have the distinction of working well in pools with high levels of cyanuric acid, over 50 ppm — which, as mentioned earlier, makes free chlorine less potent and reactive.

First off, balance your water, paying particular attention to pH, as your chlorine is much more active in the low end of the range, 7. Secondly, check that your filter and pump are operating correctly. Shut off the pool heater if you have one to lower the water temperature. Adjust valves for optimum circulation and allow the pump to run 24 hours a day until the pool clears. Turn on pool cleaners to help stir things up. Backwash as necessary, but only when pressure rises by at least 5 psi or the flow rate is noticeably diminished.

For suspended green algae, shock the pool hard. The higher your cyanuric acid level is, the more pool shock is required to overcome the sluggish effect of stabilization. A general amount would be between 2 to 5 lbs of granular pool shock per 10, gallons of pool water — using more when cyanuric acid levels are above 30 ppm or when the algae bloom is especially aggressive. Test the water the following day for pH and chlorine. Brush the walls and floors towards the main drain daily, and vacuum as needed.

Using a flocculent may be a good choice after shocking if the pool is still swampy. If you cannot see the bottom of the pool and it is filled with leaves and debris, it may be wise to drain the pool, acid wash, and refill it plaster pools only. It is nearly impossible to restore clear water to a pool that is very dirty with debris.

Another option is to drain half the water and refill it with fresh water while removing as much debris as possible. After the chlorine level has come down below 5 ppm, add an algaecide and brush the pool again. When it all settles, vacuum the pool to waste, if possible. Test and re-balance the pool water after it clears.

You can use clarifiers to assist a struggling pool filter. Remember to run the filter hours per day until the water clears. For algae that are not suspended but only clinging to the walls, follow the same advice above. First, shock with brushing, add an algaecide a few days later, brush again, vacuum to waste preferred , or vacuum followed by backwashing the filter. We recommend a steel-bristled brush for algae on plaster pools. Organic material and bacteria contribute to algae growth.

Regular brushing of seemingly clean pools is not only good exercise for you, but prevents dirt from harboring in the pores of the plaster, which is a good start for an algae colony. Using specialty chemicals or algaecides is recommended to provide a back up to normal sanitation and filtration processes and is necessary for many pools.

Most pool filters should run for a minimum of 12 hours per day, or longer if the pool filter is undersized or the filter media sand or cartridge is old and not as effective as it once was.

Poor circulation can also play a role, especially for larger pools with inadequate plumbing or pump size. Using an automatic pool cleaner can help circulation immensely. Potassium Tetraborate: This algae treatment chemical, when added to the pool water in proper dosage, prevents algae from converting carbon dioxide into the fuel it needs for growth.

For swimming pools, you can use a product manufactured under the trade name Proteam Supreme. Chitin: Not an algaecide meaning to kill algae per se, but its properties might be called algaestatic that is, to prevent algae growth. Chitin has the ability to coagulate and remove a wide variety of suspended materials and impurities from the water. This allows the sanitizer to more effectively kill contaminants unobstructed. It also improves the effectiveness of the filtration equipment.

Sold under the trade name Sea-Klear , chitin can be a valuable weapon in your algae arsenal. Phosphate Remover: Phosphate removers remove phosphates and nitrates from the pool, which are a very tasty food for algae. Pools can become contaminated with phosphates from fertilizers, mulch washing in the pool, or from heavy leaf and debris loads.

You can test your pool for phosphates with testing strips, and treat for removal with PhosFree , or PhosKlear. Filter Cleaners: Filter cleaners are useful to keep your pool filter in top condition, ejecting oils, minerals and metals that clog or gum up a pool filter, and remove dead algae to prevent reinfection. Although not useful in killing algae, a pool filter cleaner used regularly will help your filter trap the particles that become algae food, in addition to trapping algae itself.

Chlorine Enhancers: These are not algaecides, but work to provide a synergistic boost to pool shock when added separately, but at the same time. Sold under trade names like Green to Clean , Yellow-Out or Swamp Treat , it is effective on all types and colors of algae. Some chlorine enhancers contain sodium bromide, and some formulations are ammonia based. The addition of ammonia and lots of chlorine creates monochloramines, which act well on many types of algae. Sodium Bromide creates bromamines in the pool, at least temporarily.

Chlorine enhancers have the distinction of working well in pools with high levels of cyanuric acid, over 50 ppm — which as mentioned earlier, makes free chlorine less potent and reactive. First off, balance your water, paying particular attention to pH , as your chlorine is much more active in the low end of the range, 7.

Secondly, check that your filter and pump are operating properly. Shut off the pool heater if you have one, to lower the water temperature. Adjust valves for optimum circulation and allow it the pump to run 24 hours a day until the pool clears.

Turn on pool cleaners to help stir things up. Backwash as necessary, but only when pressure rises by at least 5 psi, or the flow rate is noticeably diminished.

Brush the walls and floors towards the main drain on a daily basis, and vacuum as needed. Using a flocculent may be a good choice after shocking, if the pool is extremely "swampy". If you cannot see the bottom of the pool, and it is filled with leaves and debris, it may be wise to drain the pool, acid wash and refill it plaster pools only.

It is nearly impossible to restore clear water to a pool that is very dirty with debris. Another option is to drain half the water, and refill with fresh water, while removing as much debris as possible. For suspended green algae, shock the pool The higher your cyanuric acid level is, the more pool shock that will be required, to overcome the sluggish effect of stabilization. A general amount would be between 2 to 5 lbs of granular pool shock per 10, gallons of pool water — using more when cyanuric acid levels are above 30 ppm, or when the algae bloom is especially aggressive.

Test the water the following day for pH and chlorine. After the chlorine level has come down below 5 ppm, add an algaecide and brush the pool again. When it all settles, vacuum the pool to waste, if possible. Test and re-balance the pool water after it clears. Clarifiers can be used to assist a struggling pool filter. Remember to run the filter hours per day until the water clears. Regular testing can help you stay on track with the proper chemicals. To keep algae out of your pool, you will need to test and adjust the chemical levels in your pool at least two or three times a week.

With these simple steps, you can break the cycle of algae growth and start relaxing in a pristine swimming pool! That is a sure recipe for disaster. Instead, contact The Pool Butler to learn about our regular pool maintenance services.

And if you slipped up and have a huge algae bloom, we can help with that, too. There is never a reason to live with a green pool. What Causes Algae? How is Algae Harmful? Maintaining an Algae-Free Pool Proper maintenance, routine cleaning, and appropriate chemicals all play a crucial role in preventing algae growth in your pool. Posted in Swimming Pool Cleaning.

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