As I previously mentioned in my list of pool care essentials, having a thermometer to track your pool temperature is important because algae loves to grow in hotter temperatures––generally 85 degrees or above.
Much like the veggies in your garden, when the water is cold algae won't grow. Algae is not happy if the water is below 50 degrees. The winter kit chemicals dissipate after a few weeks, but they help keep your chemicals balanced and the pool clear until your water turns into a popsicle.
1. Under what conditions do algae grow best? Algae grow best when they receive 10 -15 hours of sunlight a day and the temperature stays between 60-80° F.
A living plant organism, algae can appear suddenly. It can clog filters, reduce water circulation and lower the effectiveness of your pool chemicals. Factors like low chlorine levels, heavy rains and high heat can cause algae to flourish and make matters worse.
Green Algae
First signs of it appear in small clusters on pool steps or lurking in corners. It's at this stage that you should start to attack it — green algae can grow quickly in 24 hours or less.
Algae can be very slippery, causing swimmers to fall resulting in bumps, bruises, cuts and even broken bones. Don't try to swim in a pool that's full of algae. Besides causing injuries, an algae infested pool creates a higher risk of drowning for those who are not expert swimmers or those who fall unconscious.
This algae is difficult to get rid of and won't be killed by any normal dose of a sanitiser such as chlorine or an algaecide. You need to kill it by super shocking your swimming pool (a high dose of chlorine and acid) or else you'll be battling with it all season long!
This is a common misconception, and many believe it's okay to pee in the pool. But when you think for a moment, it doesn't even make sense. Yes, chlorine and other pool chemicals will act as disinfectants and kill certain bacteria and algae. ... This is created by a chemical reaction between chlorine and urine.
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.
Algae growth is stopped at temperatures below 40° F, but some algae can continue to survive, and like weeds in a lawn, can go dormant over the winter, coming back to life in early spring, weeks before you open the pool.
Warmer temperatures prevent water from mixing, allowing algae to grow thicker and faster. Warmer water is easier for small organisms to move through and allows algae to float to the surface faster. Algal blooms absorb sunlight, making water even warmer and promoting more blooms.
Algae will be in any pool without chlorine in it. With cold water, it just does not multiply quickly. But once your water gets much above 50F, it will start. Above 60F, it will bloom.
It is best to close your pool when the temperature of the water is consistently below 60 degrees. Once the water temperature drops below 60 degrees, microorganisms and algae cannot grow and become dormant for the winter season.
When the levels are properly balanced, chlorine will keep the algae at bay, but the water will slowly begin to turn green as the algae take over if there's not enough. But be careful—adding too much chlorine in pool water can cause those metals to oxidize and turn the pool a different shade of green.
Green discoloration in a swimming pool is caused by the growth of algae, a type of green aquatic plant that floats on the surface of water. Algae usually flourishes in warm water but can still take over your pool in winter if given half a chance.
Best swimming pool algaecide for all pools
For an all-purpose swimming pool algaecide, we recommend Kem-Tek 60% Algaecide Concentrate. This pool and spa algaecide contains 60% of its active ingredient, polyquaternium WSCP. It's effective at removing most types of algae and preventing them from returning.
A nylon or rubber brush is the correct choice for scrubbing the sides of a soft-sided above-ground pool. A large pool brush makes quick work of the job, but you may need a smaller brush to clean corners. Once the particles have been removed from the sides of the pool, turn your filter back on and agitate the water.
The use of baking soda in pools can spot treat algae
No one ever wants to see algae build up in their swimming pool. It can turn any backyard pool murky green or cause unsightly black spots on the walls and floor of any swimming pool.
As you submerge in water, hydrostatic pressure drives up your blood pressure a bit, enough to trigger your kidneys to respond by stepping up their filtration game and increase urine output.
The pre-swim shower helps minimize the irritating, smelly substances formed in pool water when impurities introduced on the bodies of swimmers combine with chlorine. Many people identify that smell as the smell of chlorine.
How to address urine in swimming pools. Urine is sterile, so there should be nothing for chlorine to "kill". Instead, urine must be oxidized. One chemical in urine is particularly difficult to oxidize: urea, or uric acid.
Set up your waste line and vacuum the pool to waste getting the algae and debris out of the pool. Don't let the water level get too low during this process, if it gets more than 6 inches below the tile, stop. Turn the system off and refill the pool and repeat until the whole pool is vacuumed.
You will not lose water this way. Vacuum your pool just as you would vacuum your living room, picking up debris or algae as you go. Once you have finished vacuuming, turn off your pump.
Pool water turns green because of algae in the water. Algae can grow rapidly, particularly when it's warm like Summer, which is why it can surprise you overnight. This generally comes down to an imbalance or lack of chlorine in the water.