How is it that you can seemingly look at your pool in the morning and it looks fine and when you get home in the afternoon, all you see is algae. How did that happen? The swimming pool contractors from Imperial Pools, Inc. in Decatur, Illinois have tips on how to get rid of swimming pool algae, but it is a sometimes grueling task filled with copious amounts of chlorine.
Algae can be slimy, green, brown or even a yellow residue that can take over your swimming pool without your even being aware of what was going on beneath the surface of the water. Algae is a one-celled plant that takes the form of myriad colors and leaves a slimy look to the water and makes it not only unappealing to swim in, but also unhealthy.
When algae take in your swimming pool, it may be time to call on the services of a swimming pool professional because it can take several times of shocking the water and deep and thorough cleaning of the pool as well as the filter and equipment. If one spore is left behind it can work its gross magic and bloom again when you’re least expecting it.
Algae is more likely to take hold in a concrete pool because of its rough surface. Algae can grab hold of the rough spaces and thwart efforts to clean or vacuum it up. All it takes is a warm day, a pool cover, the filter not running often enough and improperly balanced chemicals or a combination of those to cause the bloom.
How to get rid of swimming pool algae
What is the best way to address algae? By ensuring it doesn’t grow in the first place. How do you do that?
- Be diligent about sanitation and cleaning. Even if you are fastidious about the cleaning, and you keep the pool water clean and the chemicals in balance – algae still happens! Algae causing spores could be carried in from the water use used to fill the pool and can even be carried in on the wind.
- Keep the pool steps and the beach entry clean and vacuumed because algae grows best in warm water and because it’s shallow there, it’s easy for the it to grow. here heats up faster than deeper water and the warmth is what the algae needs to thrive. Pool steps are a favorite breeding ground for spores so pay special attention to them when you’re performing your maintenance.
- Run the pool pump and filter as long as your pool contractor recommends to ensure the water is properly circulated and that the chemicals are properly dispersed to the help prevent algae growth.
Algae can be hard to remove and even if you brush or scrub it away, you still need to ensure the water is clean because one errant spore could lead to bloom.
If algae blooms, even if you’re doing your best to keep it clean, you may want to add an algaecide or leave the cleaning to a swimming pool service professional.