What Is Brown Algae
Brown algae blooms are a common problem in shaded areas of your pool. This is especially true when it’s hot and if you have several overcast days. Brown algae is actually a form of yellow or mustard algae. It’s not as common as those types of algae, but it can still pose a bad problem for pool owners. It can also happen when the chemicals are not properly balanced. Combine hot weather and an improperly balanced pool and you might be fighting a brown algae problem.
Poor Ph Balance In The Water
There are three things you need to check here, apart from the pH value: the alkalinity, cyanuric, and calcium levels. When was the last time the water levels were tested in the swimming pool?
A high pH value in the water indicates greater alkalinity, which, when coupled with the lower chlorine levels, could usually cause algae growth. You need to make sure these levels are balanced accordingly, because certain minerals, like calcium, actively work to combat the growth of algae in a swimming pool.
Vacuum The Pool To Waste Mode
Use the waste mode when vacuuming your pool. As much mustard algae as possible should be vacuumed from the pool. It is possible for mustard algae to grow in your pools filter, so be sure to put it in the in-mode waste.
Due to algaes ability to cling to cleaners and grids in the filter, removing it from the pool becomes more difficult.
After vacuuming your pool, refill it with fresh water to replace the water that was removed.
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Clean Or Replace Your Filter
If all has gone to plan, your pool water should now have been turned over at least once through your filtration system.
As a result, the filter is going to be clogged with all that dead algae as well as the usual stuff a filter has to deal with.
While your water should be virtually back to normal in terms of clarity, the filter itself is going to be clogged with all that dead algae as well as the usual debris a pool filter has to deal with.
Not only can this potentially reintroduce algae spores back into the water, but a clogged filter also inhibits circulation and prevents it from working at full capacity
so this is a good time to clean your filter, or possibly even replace it.
If you have a sand filter or DE filter, you can either backwash it or replace the filter media depending on how badly compromised it is.
If you have the cartridge filter, simply hosing it down likely wont be enough to get rid of every last bit of algae. Instead, soak it in a filter cleaning solution for several hours before hosing down, or just replace the entire thing.
Take Care Of Your Pump
Algae likes to grow in stagnant water, so you need to make sure your swimming pools water is always circulating.
Clogged or under-performing pumps will create an optimum environment for algae to get comfortable.
At least twice a week, you should check and clean your skimmers and pump strainers.
> > Read: How to troubleshoot your pool pump
Its a good idea to give them a good rinse-off outside the pool to wash away any spores that are too small to see.
Sand or D.E. filters need to be backwashed regularly, and there are some cleaning solutions made just for this purpose for a little extra cleaning power.
Always run your pump around 10 hours a day during heavy swim season to keep the water moving.
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Routine Maintenance To Keep Algae Away
How To Shock Your Swimming Pool
Shocking your pool water is an essential step in keeping it clean. Also referred to as super-chlorinating, shocking is when you add three to five times your normal amount of chlorine or other pool cleaning chemical for a short period of time.
This helps pool owners to remove kill bacteria, organic substances and ineffective chlorine amounts. We recommend that you shock your pool weekly to prevent algae from infecting your pool.
Tips For Shocking Your Swimming Pool
Heres some tips and tricks that we found about how to make shocking swimming pool that little bit easier:
- Do it after dark: This will prevent the suns rays from affecting the chemicals that you are using to clean your pool water
- Prepare your chemical solution in a bucket next to the filter you are going to pour it into so that you dont have to wobble around with a big bucket of chemicals
- Do readings after applying your chemicals and before reentering the pool to ensure that you have added enough cleaning solution
- ALWAYS wear gloves when handling hazardous chemicals
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Why & How Does Algae Grow In My Pool
Algae spores are constantly making their way into your pool either through environmental elements like wind and rain, through swimsuits, or objects that were recently in the ocean and through people dragging them in.
Once the spores reach the water, ideal environments then cause them to bloom and reproduce.
Several factors, some unavoidable, contribute to the overgrowth of algae:
- Low chlorine levels
Repeat Offender Try Algaecide
Despite its name, algaecide doesnt hold a candle to pool shock when it comes to actually killing a major algae infestation. Its much better as a preventative measure, and if you have a recurring algae problem, its an effective chemical to add to your pool after youve cleaned and shocked. Just add a dose of algaecide after your chlorine falls below 5 ppm, and give your pool an extra scrub to make sure any algae too small to see is detached. The algaecide will make sure any microscopic remaining algae is long gone, and your pool is back to inhabiting humans, and humans onlyand maybe the occasional swimming dog.
Want an easier maintenance routineand more comfortable swim? For the lowest, safest, and most consistent chemical levels, make a smooth transition with the Salt Ways Eco Friendly Salt Chlorine Generator. Its ultra-reliable and comes with a lifetime warranty.
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How Long Does It Take For Algaecide To Dissipate
If you add too much algaecide, foam appears, but note that it will dissipate over time. The algaecide will slowly fade due to chlorine, so you can shock the pool with higher chlorine levels to speed up the process. Dont worry: even if you do not do this, the algaecide will disappear in about a week, or two at the most.
Mcgrayel Algatec 10064 Super Algaecide
McGrayel is the perfect pool maintenance that does not affect the sanitizer, water pH, or filter pump. You can swim immediately after use.
The product kills instead of starving algae and prevents algae growth because of the active ingredient called biostatic inhibitors.
It kills most pool algae within 8-24 hours, including pink, yellow, and blue algae. The model gets rid of the black algae within 7-10 days.
You can use this product for every pool structure and does not affect sodium bromide in the water.
Besides, it features another ingredient called ethylene dichloride and provides dual clarifiers properties.
The model works in a synergic way with chlorine to provide you with a clean pool fast.
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Category Four Yellow Algae
Mustard algae likes to stick to your pool walls in shaded areas. Its difficult to get rid of once it takes hold, and it forms in sheets. You could spend weeks trying to get rid of it because its so easy to re-contaminate your pool. Small pockets can cling to pool toys, cleaning equipment, or inside the pool filter, and it is resistant to chlorine.
Vacuum Your Pool Manually
Automatic or robotic pool cleaners arent well suited for cleaning algae. Youll need to manually vacuum your pool on your filters Waste setting. This allows you to bypass your filter, preventing contaminated, algae-filled water from recirculating back into your pool.
When you vacuum your pool manually, pay special attention to areas with algae. And be sure to refill your pools water as you vacuum, maintaining your water level at least halfway up the skimmer. If you want to learn how to properly vacuum your pool, check out our guide on how to use a manual pool vacuum.
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Why Is Algae Bad For My Pool
There are a few reasons why algae can be bad for your pool. First, it can make the water look dirty and uninviting. Second, it can clog filters and other pool equipment, making it more difficult to keep your pool clean. Finally, some types of algae can produce toxins that can be harmful to humans and animals.
How To Treat Green Algae
Green algae is the most common type of algae youre likely to encounter in your swimming pool. This type of algae forms free-floating clouds that make the water appear murky, with a greenish tinge. Green algae also sticks to the pool floor and walls, making them slippery. Green algae is the easiest type of algae to treat and prevent.
To remove green algae from your pool, follow these steps:
- Use a pool water test kit to test your pool for chlorine, stabilizer, and pH level.
- Add a pool shock product to boost any residual chlorine in the pool. Follow the label directions carefully.
- Use a pool brush to vigorously scrub any pool surfaces covered in algae, including the walls, floors, and steps.
- Apply a green algaecide according to the directions on the label.
- Let the water circulate for 24 hours, then brush the pool surfaces again.
- Vacuum or backwash to remove any remaining dead algae.
Once youve performed these steps, test your pool water again to make sure all levels are within the ideal range:
- Free chlorine
- pH
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The Different Types Of Pool Algae
There are many types of pool algae, each with its own unique characteristics. The most common types are:
Green algae: The most common type of pool algae, green algae can range in color from bright green to dark green. Green algae typically grow in areas with high levels of nutrients, such as near the water line or in areas where debris has accumulated.
Black algae: A less common type of pool algae, black algae is usually found in cool, shady areas of the pool. Black algae can be difficult to remove once it gets a foothold, so its important to take preventive measures to keep it from growing in the first place.
Yellow algae: Yellow algae is a type of green algae that usually grows in areas with high levels of chlorine. Yellow algae can be difficult to remove once it gets a foothold, so its important to take preventive measures to keep it from growing in the first place.
Pink algae: Pink algae is a type of green algae that usually grows in areas with high levels of nutrients. Pink algae can be difficult to remove once it gets a foothold, so its important to take preventive measures to keep it from growing in the first place.
If you suspect that you have pool algae, its important to take action immediately. The longer you wait, the more difficult it will be to remove. There are a few different methods you can use to get rid of pool algae, such as:
How To Kill Brown Algae In Your Pool
Yuck!! The bad news is you have brown algae in your pool. It clings to the pool surface and is one of the more difficult types of algae to get rid of. Believe it or not, brown algae is a strain of yellow or mustard algae. It’s not all that common, but can creep into your life when you least expect it!! It can normally be found in shaded areas that get little sun. This is a very ugly kind of algae that will make your pool very uninviting, especially when you have a big party the next day. Killing it will takes a little time, energy, and effort. But believe me, it can be done.
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Bring The Ph Value To The Optimal Level:
Next thing you should check the pools pH value. If the pool is full of algae, the pH value is often out of whack.
To check this, you can use the special test kits that I recommend:
The pH value should ideally be between 7.0 and 7.4. If the value is too high or too low, you need to first bring it back up to the optimal level with the help of chemicals.
If the pH value is too low, you need to use sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate to raise the pH levels. If it is too high, you must use muriatic acid to lower the pH levels.
Test Your Pool Water Again
Make sure your water chemistry is balanced and your chlorine level is back to normal before anyone gets back into the water. Adjust your alkalinity, pH, and chlorine levels as needed. You may also want to test your cyanuric acid and calcium hardness levels since youve removed water from your pool and replaced it with fresh water.
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What Causes Algae Problems
Algae spores constantly enter the pool, brought in by wind, rain or even contaminated swimsuits or pool cleaning tools. When conditions are right, an algae bloom can occur in a matter of hours. These conditions include out of balance water, warm temperatures, sunlight and presence of nitrates, phosphates and/or carbon dioxide. A lack of good circulation, filtration and sanitation is usually a contributing or the primary cause of pool algae.
Algae are a living aquatic creature that multiplies rapidly on warm, sunny days. Containing chlorophyll, algae utilizes photosynthesis to grow. That is, they take in carbon dioxide and expend oxygen as a byproduct. Algae can grow in the shade or sun, but most pool algae strains need some light to grow.
Algae need food to survive, and in a swimming pool there is no shortage of tasty food for algae. Nearly every contaminant or windblown speck of dust can feed pool algae. In pools with high bather count, or pools with high levels of debris or dissolved solids, algae has a smorgasbord of nutritious food. Even the dead cellular remains of previous algae blooms provide sustenance to future generations of pool algae.
Algae are always present in swimming pools, even clean and blue pools, at a microscopic size. It waits patiently for the opportunity to bloom â when the chlorine level dips and the pH rises or the pump or filter is not operating effectively.
How Is Algae Prevented
Proper chemical balance and sanitizer levels will prevent many opportunities for algae to bloom. High pH and low chlorine can give algae a great start. Using cyanuric acid to protect your chlorine from the sun has the added effect of suppressing chlorine activity, giving algae opportunity to bloom, unless chlorine levels are increased.
General cleanliness of the pool is also important. Organic material and bacteria contribute to algae growth. Regular brushing of seemingly clean pools is not only good exercise for you, but prevents dirt from harboring in the pores of the plaster, which is a good start for an algae colony.
Using specialty chemicals or algaecides is recommended to provide a back up to normal sanitation and filtration processes and is necessary for many pools. These chemicals are described below: âProper Filtrationâ is a term we throw around a lot, and it refers to quantity and quality of filtration. Most pool filters should run for a minimum of 12 hours per day, or longer if the pool filter is undersized or the filter media is old and not as effective as it once was. Poor circulation can also play a role, especially for larger pools with inadequate plumbing or pump size. Using an automatic pool cleaner can help circulation immensely.
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But Why Did I Get Algae In The First Place
This is a tough one, because again: it could just have been a microscopic piece of algae on a swimsuit or pool toy that gets your pool growing. But good sanitizer levels, proper circulation, precise chemical balance, and consistently removed debris? These are sure to do a little damage against algae. Theres also more you can do, like some specific routine maintenance measures and a tiny bit of algaecide.
What Is The Strongest Algaecide
The most potent algaecide can easily remove yellow or mustard algae and often contains sodium bromide.
Most of the copper-based products will work for other types of organisms.
The most potent algaecide should be the one that removes all the organism in your facility and make it crystal clear.
Can I Put Shock and Algaecide in the Pool at the Same Time?
Shocking and adding pool algaecide is an effective process for removing algae from the swimming pool.
However, you should not shock and add the algaecide at the same time because they become ineffective when they mix.
That means algaecide and chlorine become useless when they come together and will not kill or prevent pool algae.
You should shock your pool and then add the algaecide when the chlorine level gets to 5 PPM.
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