Picture this: summer has begun and your family wants to kick things off with a good old fashioned cook out. You buy the burgers, tidy the yard, and uncover the pool – only to find that your water is a green, swampy mess. Yep – you’ve got algae, my friend.
What can you do to eliminate algae? Ask the experts.
If you ask the pool experts at PoolXperts, they’ll tell you the answer is simple: shock the water, use an algaecide, and vacuum up what’s left behind. This method will work, but it’s not the only way.
Here are a few solutions that will help you eliminate any algae you may find in your pool with products you may have at home.
Black Algae
Black algae is one of the most aggravating strains around – and that’s saying something since all algae is pretty aggravating. You often find this menacing algae growing roots on your pool walls, leaving black dots that are sure to ruin your pool day.
If you encounter black algae, you’d better roll up your sleeves because you have some scrubbing to do. Grab a brush and some baking soda. Bicarbonate, the active ingredient in baking soda, is an effective spot treatment to help kill the algae and loosen it from the wall. Make sure you really get every last particle free; black algae has particularly long and stubborn roots which makes it a persistent strand. With enough scrubbing you can banish the black algae for good.
Ariel by Solar-Breeze
Mustard Algae
If you notice a brown or yellow algae settling on your pool walls or floor, it’s once again time to reach for the scrub brush. Regular cleansers often have a hard time reaching mustard algae because it tends to collect at low water levels. Fortunately, this strain of algae is far less stubborn than black algae. Good scrubbing, vacuuming, and water balancing should clear it up.
It is important to note that re-infection is very common with mustard algae. This algae can survive on pool toys like floaties or noodles, and it can even escape treatment by hiding in the pool filter. It can also live within your trusty scrub brush, undoing all your hard work! Inspect and clean all your pool supplies and accessories when you notice mustard algae.
Blue/Green Algae
Blue or green algae is the most common strain of pool algae, but it is no less difficult to clean. Green algae clings to the walls of your pool, but can also be free floating which creates murky, swamp-like film over the water. You guessed it – you’ll need the good ole’ scrub brush and some borax.
In the same way that baking soda can be a spot treatment for black algae, household borax does the same for blue and green algae. Simply use the borax to scrub away algae that’s sticking to your pool walls, then use the brush to dislodge it. Follow up by vacuuming up or scooping out the free-floating algae. You will have a much easier time once the borax has stopped the algae from blooming.
Eliminate Algae of All Types
The goal is to never have algae. Test your water regularly, keep your filter clean and in good working order, and be sure to treat your water after big pool parties. Using a floating pool skimmer and non chemical cleaner like the Solar-Breeze NX2 or newest Ariel by Solar-Breeze will remove debris from the surface of your pool before it has a chance to sink, decay, and turn into food for algae. With careful pool maintenance, algae can be one thing you do not have to worry about.
