One of the many woes which pool owners have to suffer from is the infestation of algae. This problem gets nastier and tedious to handle if the pool is surrounded by trees and other vegetation.
Algae, in itself, is not a disease nor does it pose any threat. However, it utilizes sunlight and carbon dioxide to produce food, which provides the breeding ground for unwanted or harmful bacteria. The produced food serves as a source of nutrition for such bacteria, and aids them to multiply rapidly and spread diseases. Apart from increasing the risk of illnesses, algae growth, when left untreated, makes the pool cloudy or green, resulting in foul odor and taste. There are over 20,000 species of algae, and their most common types that cause problems in swimming pools are green algae, yellow algae, black algae, and pink algae.
What Does Algae in a Pool Look Like?
As already discussed, there are four types of algae which are found to be common in swimming pools. The green algae is the most common and easier to deal with. You can see it to be usually floating in the water and sometimes clinging to the walls. This type of algae imparts a green color to the water and affects its clarity. Its presence can be spotted usually after a rainstorm with lighting. This is because lighting produces nitrogen which is fed upon by the algae.
Also known as mustard algae, yellow algae in generally spotted on the shady side of the swimming pool. It is relatively difficult to be dealt with, and even more difficult to be eradicated permanently. There is always a chance for the infestation to reoccur.
As the name suggests, black algae appears as dark black or blue/green spots. The sides and bottom of the pool are the usual breeding grounds for these single-cell organisms. Their strong roots and waxy coating over themselves makes them the most aggravated of algae stains. The stains caused by black algae growth in the swimming pool are extremely stubborn, due to their chemical-resistant protective layers.
Pink algae is rare. There is a formation of slimy pink or clear layers over various surfaces. It's not an algae though, but a form of bacteria which can turn the water cloudy if left untreated for a long time.
Main Causes
Lack of sanitation, filtration, and circulation are the primary reasons for algae growth in pools. Apart from these, weather conditions such as rain, snow, and storms are also responsible for this problem. The spores have their sources from leaves, grass, flower, petals, etc. When conditions such as warm temperatures, sunlight, imbalanced water (higher pH level), and presence of nitrates are favorable, then an algae boom can be expected overnight.
Solution
A chlorine based shock is what is required to get rid of the algae growth in a swimming pool. This process helps in raising the levels of chlorine in the water. 1 bag per 10,000 gallon of water is generally recommended for the treatment. However, accurate information can be sought for at the manufacturer. Also, add a commercial algaecide after following the instructions regarding the dosages. It is better to manually brush off the algae from the surfaces of the pool before you add anti-algae agents. This will help in clearing up the algae faster and more effectively.
Keep the circulation up and running all day and night, until the water turns to normal. Keeping a check on and cleaning the filter of the swimming pool also helps in preventing recurrences of the algae in the future. Another dose of shock can be carried out if the pool is showing improvements that are close to none.
The presence of dead algae in the water is a normal scenario after the pool starts showing signs of improvement. So, a proper vacuum of the pool would help in removing all such dead matter and restore the clarity of the water. Note that regular skimming also helps in inhibiting the growth of algae.
Doing a proper and regular check on the chemical balance of the pool water can help in keeping all algae problems at bay. During the winter, when the pool is not in much use, it is advisable to get it well covered. Do not let any weeds or grass create a build-up around the pool area, and most importantly, maintain proper filtration and circulation.
