Everyone wants a swimming pool in their backyard for the hot summer days. It’s a great way to cool down or have fun with your family and friends. However, maintaining a swimming pool is not easy, especially when algae contamination could put your health at risk or compromise the pool.
Apart from bad filtration and pH levels, these sneaky little spores can also be introduced into the water in numerous ways: dirt, rain, contaminated toys or swimwear, and wind.
The problem appears when they start to contaminate the pool water. Preventing is a lot easier than treating algae problems, though, so let’s see the type of algae in pools and how to get rid of them.
Types of Pool Algae
Algae are oxygenic microorganisms that can invade your pool in the blink of an eye. Just because the water has not turned green doesn’t mean that no algae are present. There are around seven major types of algae swimming in the water, but you need to focus on the following three.
Mustard Algae
These are algae with a yellow-like appearance that clings to your pool’s corners. Often mistaken for pollen or sand due to its light appearance, this type of algae is chlorine resistant, meaning it is more difficult to get rid of. If you cannot do it by yourself, hire residential pool cleaning services to do it for you. It will require a lot of brushing, followed by extra water shocking.
Green Algae
This is the most common invader of pool water and, simultaneously, the easiest to get rid of.
Once in, this type of algae spreads quickly, causing green slime on the surface and clouding the water. To get rid of it, your pool will need detailed vacuuming and brushing, followed by filtering and shocking the water with extra algaecide or chlorine.
Black Algae
This type of algae is actually cyanobacteria growing in abundance. It’s difficult to eliminate because it takes root in crevices and cracks. Getting rid of this type of algae requires several rounds of deep and thorough cleaning due to their high resistance to chemicals.
More severe cases will require draining your pool and washing the pool surface with acid.
How to Get Rid of Algae?
After identifying the algae type in your pool, you’ll need to use all methods to get rid of the contamination:
- Vacuum your pool: For best result,; you should vacuum the pool manually rather than relying on automatic cleaners. Concentrate on areas where algae grow.
- Brush the walls and floor: By brushing, you’ll loosen the algae, which will then be filtered out or killed. Pay attention to corners, shady areas, and corners.
- Test and balance water: Test the pH and alkalinity of the water with strips or other test kits.
- Shock the pool water: Super-chlorinate the pool water to kill algae growth.
- Apply an algaecide: Use the right algaecide for the type of algae in your pool.
- Filter out algae and clean the filter: Water will become cloudy once algae are killed. Filter the water for at least eight hours to clear it up. Make sure you clean the filter once you are done.
- Test water a second time: Make sure pH, alkaline, and chlorine levels are balanced, and everything is normal.
Get the Right Residential Pool Cleaning Services in Dallas
Weber Pools in Dallas, TX will help you fight algae contamination and other pool-related concerns.
We offer weekly pool service, maintenance, repairs, and remodels performed by our experienced staff. Customer satisfaction is our top priority. Contact us, and you’ll get the best service in town!