Brothers Grimm has been transforming Ohio backyards into at-home vacation spots for nearly 30 years. Our depth of experience creating custom swimming pools and landscaping also makes us experts at every pool owner’s bane: algae.
What is algae? How does algae get in a pool? And most importantly – how do you get rid of algae once it’s turned your sparkling blue water a sickening green or yellow?
We’re glad you asked! To supplement our tips to get your pool ready for summer, we’ve put together some great info on how to deal with these unwelcome pool guests.
Let’s dive into our Algae Primer, including the basics on algae habitats, best practices for preventing algae in swimming pools and solid advice for getting rid of algae in swimming pools where they’ve taken root.
What Is Pool Algae?
The algae in swimming pools is a type of simple plant. It uses sunlight to make food and typically reproduces by dispersing spores. Algae multiply quickly on calm water surfaces in the hot sun – making swimming pools one of their ideal habitats. An algal bloom is a thick layer of algae that forms when extra nutrients, like grass clippings or pet waste, build up in the water. All algae contain chlorophyll, which gives most of them a greenish tint. Algae are not harmful to humans by themselves, but they often harbor harmful substances like E. coli or parasites.
How Does Algae Get in a Pool?
Algae spores are everywhere! They can waft into your pool in the wind, rain down in a storm or even hitchhike into your pool on swimwear or pool toys that came into contact with river or lake water. Once they’ve arrived, they quickly attach to pool walls and other surfaces – and unbalanced or poorly treated pool water creates the perfect conditions for them to thrive.
One important thing to note is that algae have a harder time taking root on slick, nonporous surfaces. So if you’re in the midst of an inner debate about concrete vs vinyl vs fiberglass pools, consider that vinyl liners have an edge over concrete in making your pool less hospitable to algae.
What Are the Different Types of Pool Algae?
There are several kinds of algae that swimming pools might develop. They’re identified by their colors – but some “algae” types aren’t algae at all! Here’s the basic breakdown:
- Green algae – Most common, easiest to kill. Can range from light teal to kelly green to blackish green, with darker shades indicating more severe blooms.
- Yellow algae – Less common, much harder to kill because it’s chlorine resistant. Sometimes called mustard algae. Ranges from muddy yellow to brownish, and can look like globs of pollen or sand on the water’s surface.
- Black algae – Not an algae, actually a bacteria. Takes root in textured surfaces, like concrete. Very difficult to kill and can regrow quickly if not thoroughly eradicated.
- Pink algae – Not an algae, actually a bacteria. Can cause illnesses like urinary tract and lower respiratory infections in both humans and pets. Requires intense cleaning, shocking and water rebalancing.
Preventing Algae in Swimming Pools
Getting rid of algae in swimming pools is no easy feat. In fact, this is one situation where a strong defense is actually your best offensive strategy. Here are our best prevention tips for avoiding the difficult task of getting rid of algae once it’s in swimming pools:
Keep It Circulating
Algae really like stagnant water. You can make your swimming pool a less attractive home for algae by keeping constant water circulation. You want the entire contents of the pool to turn over at least once a day for optimal circulation. Check that your pool pump is up to the task.
Maintain Properly Balanced Water
When all your pool chemicals are in their ideal ranges, the water is great for people – and bad for algae! Check levels with a water testing kit or strip as often as possible, once a week at a minimum. This allows you to make adjustments quickly and stay ahead of any algae problems.
Shock Your Pool
A more intense sanitizing of your pool on a regular basis can keep algae blooms from sneaking up on you. Products that contain calcium hypochlorite dissolve directly in the pool water, killing bacteria, algae and other organic contaminants. Do this step overnight to prevent the sun from evaporating away the chemicals. And drop your pool tools (brush, vacuum head, etc.) into the shallow end so they’ll get sanitized, as well. Then let your filter run for at least 8 hours. Depending on how busy your pool is, you could shock it weekly, monthly or after large gatherings to keep algae at bay.
Add Algaecide Regularly
If your pool seems like algae’s favorite neighborhood hangout spot, adding algaecide to your regular pool maintenance routine could be a great solution. It’ll stop spores that you can’t even see from growing into a full-bloom problem, and it’ll take care of small or early-stage algae growth. But a solid regimen of brushing and vacuuming, along with regularly balancing and shocking pool water, should prevent major algae blooms.
Brush and Vacuum Often
Remember how algae like to settle into the walls, floor and other surfaces in your pool? Well, your pool brush can evict them before they spread into a full bloom. Scrub your pool weekly, paying special attention to cracks, corners and crevices where algae like to hide! Then use your pool vacuum to suck up the algae, along with any other dirt and muck you’ve dislodged.
Use a Pool Cover
Along with being an important element of pool safety, a pool cover is an effective tool in your fight against algae. Swimming pools are like magnets for anything airborne, like dirt, yard debris and algae spores. A high-quality pool cover protects your investment from all these invaders. A solar pool cover goes one step further by limiting the UV rays that algae feed on while allowing solar energy to pass through and help keep the water warm.
How to Clear Algae in Pool Water
Prevention is key in the long run, but if your pool already has that greenish tint, you need to know how to get rid of green algae. You can use an algaecide product to nix small amounts of early-stage algae growth – or to pick off lingering algae after a round of vacuuming and brushing your pool, then shocking and rebalancing the water. But if yours is in full bloom there’s no shortcut for these steps:
- Vacuum manually on filter’s Waste setting.
- Brush walls and floor with a stiff brush on a pole.
- Test and balance water to optimal alkalinity and pH.
- Shock your pool
- Twice for green algae
- Three times for yellow or dark green algae
- Four times for black algae
- Run the filter for 8 hours to clear dead algae.
- Test and balance water again.
- Clean your filter to avoid regrowth.
with calcium hypochlorite:
Dive Into Quality With Brothers Grimm
A custom pool from Brothers Grimm transforms your property into an oasis of fun and luxury. Use these tips for getting rid of algae in swimming pools to keep the splash party going all season long! And contact us to elevate your pool with landscaping, a deck and other fabulous backyard features.
