How Do I Get Rid Of Black Algae
There are several products you can use to get rid of black algae.
1- McGrayal Algatec 10064 Super Algaecide
McGrayal Algatec 10064 Super Algaecide kills most algae types within eight to 24 hours, but because black algae is super resistant, this product can take between seven and 10 days to work.
The algaecide doesnt alter the pool waters pH level, and you can swim almost immediately after treating your pool.
The way it works is it kills the algae outright instead of starving it, the product has biostatic inhibitors that prevent regrowth.
McGrayal Algatec works on salt pools, is compatible with chlorine and does not contact bromides or metals.
2- Applied Biochemists 406303A Black Algaetrine Swimming Pool Algaecide
Applied Biochemists 406303A Black Algaetrine is specially formulated to eradicate the most stubborn black algae and can be used as part of your pool maintenance cycle.
It works on a variety of pool surfaces and kills deep-rooted cells quickly as well as serves as a growth prevention agent.
Theres no waiting time after using it, and you can swim immediately after.
3- Pool Mate 1-2190 Black Algaecide
Pool Mate 1-2190 Black Algaecide is a non-metallic algaecide for black algae and is suitable for gunite, concrete, fiberglass and vinyl pools.
The product is non-foaming, and both kills as well as prevents black algae.
To clean the black algae from the walls of your pool, you need a firm pool brush with rigid stainless steel.
How To Get Rid Of Algae In A Pool
Getting rid of algae in pool is a tough job, but it’s doable. And there’s a lot of things you can work with to remove these nasty slippery, and slimy things like using topnotch above ground robotic pool cleaner available in the market.
Test Pool Level
Prevention is better than cure. This is why you should test your pool level – a crucial step that many pool owners fail to do.
With the use of a simple test kit, you can already identify the water balance and chemistry of your pool water. Plus, you’ll know how to respond and what cleaning tools to use to help prevent algae growth.
When figuring out your test kit results, you’d want to come out with good chlorine and pH levels.
Vacuum Pool
Vacuuming the surface of your pool might sound laborious and tiring. But best believe it’s one of the best ways to remove swimming pool algae. However, you should know how to vacuum an above ground pool for better cleaning and algae removal.
Thoroughly vacuum the entire surface of your pool. Not just in places where there are algae. Vacuum everything!
Algae start small, so you can never be too sure what that speck of dust on your pool water is. It might be pool algae, and you never know.
Make sure to vacuum your pool walls, the bottom of the pool, among others. Get into the nooks and crannies to keep your pool surfaces for an algae-free pool.
Brush Pool
Whether you have a reason to brush the pool or not, stay on the safe side and brush it anyways.
Shock Method
Flocculant
Algaecide
What Causes Black Spot Algae In Pools
There are two main factors that lead to algae growth high phosphate levels and/or poor chlorination. Phosphates are believed to be the main cause behind algae growth as they form part of the food that algae need to survive. Most pool experts agree that if phosphates are removed from the water, algae will struggle to survive.
On the other hand, it is not true to say that algae will grow if there are low phosphate levels present in the water. For example, properly balanced and filtered water will not allow algae growth, even if low levels of phosphates are present in the water. Therefore, it is not necessary to constantly add expensive products to remove small amounts of phosphates. Remember, phosphate levels just need to be kept low with your water balanced and chlorinated properly.
Factors that encourage Black Spot
- Foliage near pool with Black Spot
- Constantly low chlorine levels
- Very old rough pool interiors
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How To Add Liquid Chlorine To Kill And Get Rid Of Algae
Depending the level of your Cyanuric acid in your water, raise your FC to shock level. The recommended Cyanuric acid level to avoid using much of chlorine is always 30ppm, which requires 12ppm FC shock level and FC should not go below 6ppm which is the maximum range.
Very important whichever shock level and Cyanuric acid level you choose to work with, test your FC after every hour and raise it back to the shock level when it reaches the maximum FC range, which is simply the level your FC should not go below in order to be able to kill all algae.
Cya of 40ppm will need 16ppm FC and shouldn’t go below 7ppm, Cya of 50ppm will need 20ppm FC and should not go below 8ppm, and Cya of 60ppm will need 24ppm FC and shouldn’t go below 9ppm until your water is free of algae.
Spare enough time to kill and get rid of algae because the process of testing FC and raising it back to the shock level might take a couple of days, and sometimes it may go up to a week or so depending on the algae you are fighting and how strong it has established itself in your pool.
Very high FC levels is very destructive to pool parts and if your Cyanuric acid is higher than 30ppm, you will have to lower it first by draining and refilling 1/4 to 1/2 of your pool water.
Finally, when your FC get down to 3ppm, balance all your pool chemicals starting with the pH, Cyanuric acid, TA, and CH.
Why Does Your Pool Have Black Algae
One of the most common reasons you may find black algae in your pool is because someone might have gone swimming in a lake, river, pond or ocean and did not wash their swimwear before jumping in your pool.
So remember, the next time you go floating down a river with your goggles and tube, make sure you wash off all your gear before putting it into your swimming pool.
Another way black algae can land in your pool is through airborne spores, but this is more unlikely.
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After Shocking Your Pool Should Be Cloudy Blue
After the shocking process, you would see a cloudy blue pool in the next morning. This is the exact result we want. The dead algae usually lead to the cloudy water, which turns to a light grey when its killed. Then, your filter would do the rest.
Keep your filter running 24 hours a day during the process until the pool is totally clear. You can consider your filter as a best robotic pool cleaner since you only need to use it to know whether any debris stays in your pool without using other machines. Its also safe to swim in your pool if it is cloudy. The movement in the water will help the filter clear the dead algae way.
How To Remove Algae From A Salt Water Pool
There is no huge difference between a salt water pool and swimming pool with regular chlorine. You may think it would be harmful if you add chlorine into a salt water pool. But it is not in this case.
Most saltwater systems are produced with a button or switch to allow you to super chlorinate water in the pool. However, this feature is not a replacement for chlorine shock. To oxidize your pool, you may need something stronger than super chlorination. In fact, it is still necessary to do super chlorination monthly, but it will be not effective enough to help you get rid of algae. In order to clean up algae in your pool, you have to use the conventional shock which is considered as the best pool cleaner and shock your pool weekly.
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Test And Adjust The Water Chemistry
The next step is to adjust the water chemistry. Black algae is usually removed by adding a high dose of calcium Hypochlorite Shock to the pool water.
But before you can Shock the pool, the water chemistry has to be at the right level. If not, the calcium Hypochlorite will not work.
You can test all these levels using a pool test strip or pool water testing kit. Ensure the pool chemistry is within the ideal range before going on with the task.
pH Levels
The pH level of the pool water should be between 7.4 and 7.6 on the pH scale. You can adjust the pH level using pool pH reducer or pH increaser.
Stabilizer Levels
Stabilizer levels should be between 30-50 ppm. Add cyanuric acid to increase this. To decrease, youll need to partially drain the pool and refill it to dilute it.
Chlorine Levels
The active chlorine level should be between 1 ppm and 5 ppm with 3-5 ppm being ideal. You can add more chlorine to increase the chlorine level of the pool.
Alkalinity Levels
The alkalinity should be between 100 ppm and 150 ppm. You can adjust the pool alkalinity using alkaline increaser or alkaline reducer.
What Actually Causes Black Algae To Surface
If youve recently swam in a lake or ocean , then youre at risk of brining black algae into a swimming pool. From bathing suits to furry canine friends, transferring the algae is easier than you realise.
Black algae love filthy water, and it doesnt matter how much you keep proper chemical balance, if your filter isnt operating well, youre at risk. Check to see if your filter is clogged.
If it is, this could easily cause built up and encourage black algae to form. Cloudy water is another major tell tale sign, as it provides an ideal ecosystem to support black algae growth.
If youre at the point where you can see black spots on the surface of the water, youre too late, its taken hold.
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C Brush Your Pool Walls
While the pool shock treatment and the algae stain removers do their thing, you will want to brush off the stains from the pool walls.
You need an ideal pool brush with stiff but safe bristles for your pool type. You have to go hard on the stains. Dont worry It can be your workout of the day.
If you have a fiberglass or vinyl swimming pool, the best brush to use is a stiff nylon brush. If your swimming pool is tiled or has concrete surfaces, then a wire pool brush is your best product.
Dont be surprised if some stains dont come off right away. Some might take days or weeks to come off.
Why Is My Pool Water Green
- If you are asking this question, it is because you have green algae in your pool.
- Green algae forms due to poor pool sanitization and poor filtration.
- This type is the easiest to get rid of compared to yellow and black algae.
- It floats freely on the surface, which makes the water look green.
- It will sometimes stick to the pool walls, but the good news is that it is easier to brush off than the yellow or black types.
- To get rid of it, you need to do a light shocking using liquid chlorine .
- You can use algaecide preventatively once a week, especially during hot and humid seasons to keep algae away.
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How To Prevent Black Algae From Invading Your Pool
The first line of defense is to always, always wash your swimsuits, aquatic shoes, toys, anything you may have used in a natural body of water before you allow it to even touch your pool.
And just rinsing isnt enough. Everything must be washed. Its fine to put swimwear through your washing machine, but pool toys must be scrubbed with a solution of one tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water to not only clean, but sanitize them. You can also use a spray cleaner that contains bleach. Either way, rinse everything thoroughly before putting it back in the pool.
After those preventive measures, keeping your pool properly balanced and sanitized is the next step to keeping all forms of pool algae from growing.
- Keep your alkalinity, pH, and sanitizer levels in the recommended ranges at all times.
- Run your pump and filter for 8 to 12 hours a day, every day, all season long.
- Keep your pool clean by regularly vacuuming and brushing it.
- Shock your pool at least every week. More often if youre using it more often, or more people are swimming in it, or both.
Rinse The Pool Filters In Pool Filter Cleaner
The first step is to clean the pool filters. Since there is black algae in the pool, chances are there will be more black algae trapped in the pool filters. So you need to clean the pool filters first.
Though pool filters can be rinsed in clean water, its better to clean the filters in pool filter cleaner. This is because clean water alone is not enough to get rid of black algae in the pool filters.
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Preventing Black Algae Infections
As you may have realized, the most efficient way to take care of black algae infestations is to prevent them from ever happening in the first place! While you cant always prevent the spread of the black algae bacteria, if you keep your pool at set parameters that discourage black algae growth, you can save yourself enormous trouble.
The first thing you can do to help prevent black algae formation is to discourage black algae spores from ever reaching your pool. When your pool is not in use, cover it thoroughly to prevent airborne spores from landing in your pool.
Never swim in your pool with swimsuits that were just in a lake or the ocean! Black algae spores are plentiful in nature, and they often hitch a ride on swimsuits and find their way into your pool. Make sure to wash and sanitize any swimsuits thoroughly before wearing them into your pool .
Additionally, keep in mind that pets that have been in contact with natural water sources can also act as carriers. For this reason, you should consider not allowing your pets into your pool at all.
Finally, the more you stay on top of your pools chemistry, the less likely you will have a black algae infestation break out. As with any organism, the more regulated your pools aquatic environment is, such as pH, alkalinity, and chlorine levels, the less likely outside bodies are to thrive there. A robust and functional filter that you run often can reduce risks too.
Questions? Let me know and Ill be happy to help.
Scrub The Black Patches With Chlorine Tablets
Put your gloves on and break a chlorine tablet into two. Then use one half to scrub the black patches on the pool surface.
What you are doing is directly rubbing chlorine on the black algae spots. This will stop the roots inside the pool frame from growing.
You can also use a chlorine tablet holder to do this. Its a holder that fits on the end of a pool pole and is designed to hold regular chlorine tablets. That way you can scrub without getting wet!
Heres a chlorine tablet holder:
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Theres Black Algae In My Pool: What Can I Do
Having a pool at home is an amazing way to enjoy your backyard, entertain guests and cool off. Unfortunately, the environment around swimming pools also provides a breeding ground for the kinds of guests you dont want, such as algae. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to get rid of algae and keep it from coming back to your pool in the future.
One of the most frustrating invaders in swimming pools is black algae. This type of algae is also known as blue-green algae. Despite its name, black algae is actually a type of bacteria that looks like black or dark blue-green mold. Not only can black algae make your pool look dirty and uninviting, but it can also be dangerous for anyone who gets in your pool. Swimming in or accidentally drinking pool water thats infected with black algae can lead to serious health issues like liver damage.
The first step in fighting back against black algae is to make sure thats truly what youre dealing with. The best way to do this is to contact a pool professional. These pros have the training and experience to figure out what is growing in your pool. Also, they have the specialized tools and products needed to eliminate black algae and deal with any other pool issues youre facing.
If you would like to try to tackle the issue on your own, there are some signs you can look for that might indicate you have black algae in your pool:
Contact Us To Get Rid Of Black Algae
As you can tell from this article, having black algae in your pool is not something to mess around with! Getting help from our experts at Prestige Pools can save you a lot of time and worry. Let us take care of the problem and give you peace of mind for the health of your family, friends, and pets. Call us at or contact us through our easy-to-use form below.
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