Are you noticing that your pool water is beginning to turn a strange color? Or are you concerned about some small bits of debris you’ve seen floating on the water’s surface or clinging to the bottom and sides of your pool’s liner? Chances are pretty good that if you could say yes to either of those questions, you may have an algae problem in your pool. In this series of articles, we’ll be exploring the different types of algae you can find in your pool, the reasons you get algae in your pool, and how you can take care of the problem.
What is the Main Reason Algae Accumulates in a Pool?
If your pool isn’t properly chlorinated, it can end up becoming a breeding ground for unsightly and potentially dangerous algae. Staying on top of your pool’s chlorination level is critical to maintaining a healthy swimming environment. If your chlorination routine has slipped and you’ve started noticing some discoloration, there are several different potential algae culprits. These would include blue algae, which is sometimes referred to as green algae, as well as yellow algae and black algae.
Blue algae, the one you’re most likely to encounter, is also, thankfully, the one that’s the least difficult to get rid. It’s extremely important to promptly seek to remove algae from your pool as soon as possible after you notice it. That’s because it can cause anything from a slip and fall hazard, to skin irritation, to the development of a hazardous bacterial infestation.
What Does Blue Algae Look Like?
As noted above, if your pool water appears blue or green, you most likely have blue (also known as green) algae in the water. You may have developed this problem due to a clogged or slow draining filter or failure to keep your pool properly chlorinated. The good news is that since blue algae floats on the surface of the water and doesn’t adhere very strongly to the pool walls, it should be fairly easy to remove.
How to Get Rid of Blue Algae
You can use a pool brush to brush it off your pool’s surfaces and then put an algaecide into the water. Sometimes if the blue algae problem is severe, it won’t respond to the algaecide and brushing alone. In these instances, use liquid chlorine to shock the pool water.
Tips to Prevent Future Infestation of Blue Algae
In order to prevent a re-infestation of blue algae, you can take preventative measures. Carefully monitor the appearance of your pool’s water for any sign of the algae recurring. You can also keep adding algaecide to the pool weekly throughout the swimming season, particularly if you have a stretch of muggy, above average temperature days.
As much of an inconvenience and eyesore as blue algae can be, it’s not normally as serious or difficult to remove as the other types of algae we will discuss in the upcoming articles in this series. Be sure to keep reading to learn about how to recognize and get rid of yellow and black pool algae. Continue with Part 2.
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