ALGAE 101

Algae is ubiquitous among pool owners. It is the scourge of a pool owner’s existence, the dreaded harbinger of hours of scrubbing, and often the least understood pool issue. That’s why we wanted to take a minute to talk about algae to help you become a more informed and more prepared pool owner.

Algae is a very small plant-like organism that manifests itself in pools in three primary varieties: green/blue, yellow/mustard, and black algae. Each type shows up at different times and for different reasons and comes with its own unique sets of challenges.

Green or Blue Algae

This is the most common type of algae that pool owners encounter and it usually shows up because of a lack of sanitizer or filtration of contaminants from your pool water. This algae can be found free floating or clinging to the wall but is relatively easy to get rid of. Some light scrubbing, a filter clean, and a good shock will usually take care of this issue.

Yellow or Mustard Algae

This is a somewhat more worrisome type of algae that usually occurs in more shaded areas of your pool. It has a tendency to stick to the sides of the pool in brownish-yellow spots and is very difficult to remove. Simple scrubbing and shocking do not work and algaecides even have a lackluster performance against this variety. It is usually required that your pool be super shocked in order to seriously battle this issue, otherwise it has a tendency to recur throughout the year.

Black Algae

Black Algae is the most difficult algae type to get rid of. It grows on the walls of your pool in spots and sets incredibly deep roots into the plaster that make it almost impossible to scrub off. Moderate shocking is also ineffective against black algae and instead this form of algae requires large doses of sanitizer and thorough scrubbing with a stiff brush. The good news is, black algae is fairly rare. Keep an eye out though as you will want to attack it as soon as it shows up to help lessen the severity of the battle.

It’s always best to come at a project as complicated as a swimming pool with as much information as possible! If you have any questions about algae or other items, feel free to give us a call. https://www.aquapool.com/contact-us/