Tips To Eliminate And Prevent Green Algae In A Swimming Pool

Algae. It is an integral part of our ocean’s ecosystems and a key oxygenator, allowing for all life on earth to breathe. It’s very important to the world, but it has no place in your swimming pool.

You don’t want to be like Homer Simpson and jump into your pool only to come out covered in green slime. Nor do you want to do what Homer did next and blind people by adding too much chlorine. In order to avoid that comical yet ultimately nightmarish scenario, we have compiled a useful list of tips to eliminate and prevent green algae in your swimming pool.

Chlorine

The key here, as with most tasks, is to stay on top of it. Neglecting pool maintenance and cleaning can allow algae to build up, thus making it ever more difficult to remove.

If you regularly use chlorine to kill any algae growth, your pool will stay in good health. Though, as we mentioned earlier, don’t use too much. Get a water testing kit to make sure the pH and chlorine levels are where they ought to be, and adjust two-to-three times a week as necessary.

If things get really bad and the algae won’t go away, you should “shock” your pool with chlorine. This essentially means administering a large dose of chlorine that may take one-to-three days (possibly longer for major algae growth) to make your pool swimmable again.

Brushing

Brush the walls and floor of your swimming pool to remove algae build up. Brush vigorously so as to make sure you get it all, as any algae leftover can spread.

Just like cleaning your bathroom, you have to be diligent; don’t forget tiny nooks and crannies, such as on the steps or behind ladders where algae likes to congregate, and make sure that the type of brush you use is suitable for your pool. Nylon brushes are best for vinyl pools and steel brushes work best on concrete.

Flocculant

Flocculant is a coagulant that clumps algae together, allowing you to vacuum up living algae. This is a greener method than chlorine and can work quite well, but it’s still advisable to keep some chlorine around for when you need it. Algaecide is also an option, but it can be expensive and results may vary from pool to pool. Algaecides are best used in small, weekly doses as a means of preventing algae build up.

If you’re having a problem keeping your pool clean or have any questions about removing algae, contact our team at Solda Pools today!