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All About Algae
There are more than 20,000 known types
of algae. Fortunately, only a small percentage finds its way
into backyard pools. Your mission lies in keeping the microscopic
invaders from colonizing and producing fully formed blooms.
How to prevent Algae:
Practice good chemistry maintenance. Keep
the water balanced. Keep the pool clean with regular vacuuming.
Brush the walls, paying particular attention to corners, steps
and light niches. Maintain a clean filter and keep it running
as long as possible, particularly during hot weather. Use algaecide
weekly as a preventative measure.
Black algae:
Sometimes known as blue-green algae, it
appears in pools as sporadically scattered black splotches and
has become the bane of the service industry. This strain attaches
itself to pool walls (primarily plaster) and sends roots deep
into the finish. Couple that with the fact that it has a slippery,
protective, gelatinous sheath making it highly impervious to
chemical treatment, and you have a formidable foe. This insidious
strain can resist most chlorine shock treatment (surviving even
40 ppm, well beyond mush shock treatments) and holds its own
against most algaecides.
The best way to deal with black algae involves a combination
of chemicals and elbow grease. You will have to scrape and brush
hard to remove the protective sheath and leave it vulnerable
to chlorine.
Green algae:
Probably the most common kind of algae,
this, too, sports a gelatinous sheath protecting it from most
chemical attacks. Unlike black algae, it doesn't attach itself
to walls, however. Green algae causes the pea-soup green water
look of the neglected pool. However, because this strain floats
freely in the water, chlorine shock treatments can effectively
eradicate it when used in conjunction with lots of brushing vacuuming
and filter cleaning. Make sure that the pool has plenty of circulation
and filtration time as well.
Mustard algae:
This strain, also referred to as yellow
algae, is a more advanced form than green or black algae in terms
of its cellular structure. It will also appear on walls and in
shaded areas of the pool, but employ caution when it comes to
cleaning it out. If you attempt to brush yellow algae, it can
flocculate and spread throughout the pool, making a bad problem
worse. Aggressive chemical treatment can help, as well as increasing
the pool's filtration time. Numerous algaecides that specifically
target mustard algae exist today. You may try several approaches
until you find the one that's right for your situation.
Pink algae:
Sometimes known as pink slime, it usually
shows up at the waterline of the pool, distinguished as a pink,
orange or reddish ring around the circumference. Actually a fungus
rather than an algae, it can also show up around underwater lights,
ladders and other fixtures. Resistant to chlorine, techs can
best remove it by brushing and vacuuming.
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