Swimming pool owners will have experienced at some time the nightmare known as algae. Algae spores can enter the pool via the wind, rain, used swimsuits or dirty equipment.
For algae to grow the water is usually not balanced, with warm ambient temperatures, and the presence of nitrates and/or carbon dioxide. Usually, a lack of sufficient circulation, filtration and sanitation will assist in its growth.
If algae is allowed to get hold of your swimming pool it will clog up the pores in a filter requiring more backwashing or even replacement.
Algae comes in all shapes, sizes and colours. Green algae is the common variety most people are familiar with. Usually caused by lack of good filtration and/or sanitation it appears as spots on surfaces or as slimy sheets, sometimes covering the entire swimming pool……not for the faint hearted!
Black algae possess strong roots which will push into the plaster or tile grout and the head will appear as black or green/blue spots about the size of your little finger nail. This sort of algae can find its way into your swimming pool via someone’s swimwear if they have recently been in the sea.
Pink algae is more of a bacteria than an algae which can streak across the pool. This is a slow grower.
Yellow algae is a wall clinger! Sometimes known as mustard algae, it is usually found in the more shady side of the pool – a tough one to shift if it gets a good hold.
Prevention is better than cure
Make sure that your pool has proper chemical balance and sanitizer residuals as they will prevent the opportunity for algae to blossom. High pH and low chlorine (or other chosen sanitizer) can give algae a boost too. General cleanliness of the pool is also important. Regular brushing and vacuuming of an apparently clean pool prevents dirt from hiding in the pores of the plaster.
It really is more cost effective and easier to pay for extra chemicals and better equipment than all the time and money spent on fighting algae growth.
It’s probably the only time you don’t want to go green!
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