Steps
- Test your water The only reason black algae has entered your pool is because of your lack of chlorine. To prevent black algae from sneaking up on you you must constantly check your water quality every day. You should be doing this anyway. You need to test for chlorine, ph, alkalinity, calcium hardness, stabilizer, etc. You may only be able to test for a small amount of these things from your home test kit. It is recommended that you take a water sample to your local pool store and get it professionally tested. Any decent pool store will be offering free water tests anyway.
- Adjust your water Once you know what your water is like you can then add the chemicals to adjust your pool to the correct levels. This will depend on what type of surface your pool has, but you can use these figures below. Chlorine 2.0-4.0, pH 7.4-7.8, Total Alkalinity 80-120, Calcium Hardness 200-500, Stabilizer 50-80
- Add an algaecide Blackspot algae is very chlorine resistant. You need to add an algaecide to the water to offer another angle of attack. Algaecides are specifically designed to kill and prevent algae. So it?s a good idea to have an Algaecide in the water at all times. If you haven?t got an Algaecide in the water now, you?d better put one in right away. Find one that is copper-based as they are usually the best ones to use. For best results pour the Algaecide directly on to the affected areas.
- Shock the pool When shocking the pool with chlorine you must only use calcium hypochlorite or sodium hypochlorite. These 2 products are strictly chlorine and nothing else. You will need to know what size your pool is and follow the manufacturers directions to do this effectively. It is also a good idea to add your shock dose closest to the most affected areas.
- Brush the walls Because blackspot algae forms a protective barrier around itself you need to brush the affected areas really hard with a stiff brush. So that the added chemicals (chlorine and Algaecide) can do the job.
- Circulate water better Blackspot usually turns up in areas where there is lack of water circulation. Do your best to direct your water return jets in a way that moves the most amount of water around. If you direct the jets to make the pool whirlpool the water around is the best way to go.
- Attack black algae head-on As previously state, blackspot algae forms a protective barrier around itself. So you will have to regularly brush off the top of the algae and add your chlorine while it is exposed. Another great tip is to sprinkle chlorine granules directly onto the affected areas and let it sit and burn off the black spot. You can also rub a chlorine tablet onto the blackspot after you have brushed it. Make sure you wear gloves.
- Rinse and repeat Just keep testing and adjusting the water, scrubbing the blackspot and adding chlorine as close as you can get. And you will eventually get rid of it! And don?t worry?It will go, but it will depend how bad the algae is as to how fast it will go. Water balance and scrubbing are the best thing you can do in this case.
Warnings
- Always be careful with pool chemicals
- Follow manufacturers instructions
- Don't use too much copper algaecide as It may stain
Sources and Citations
- http://greenpooltips.com/blog/green-pool-tips/8-steps-to-get-rid-of-blackspot-algae-from-your-pool-forever/
Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Get Rid of Blackspot Algae in Your Swimming Pool. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.