Since brown algae is extremely chlorine-resistant, several other chemicals such as shock and an algaecide specifically designed for mustard algae will help get rid of the infestation. This will often result in cloudy pool water, so use clarifier to correct this problem.
Brush the walls every week during swimming season while the pump is turned off. A vacuum removes the debris that collects on the bottom. Vacuuming requires moving the vacuum head over the debris on the bottom of the pool until the bottom appears clean.
If you shocked your pool water and it turned brown you probably have metals. Oxidized iron usually turns a brown or rusty color in the water. Use the No-Drain Metal Stain Eliminator Kit to reduce, sequester, and eliminate the metals to clear up your water and prevent recurrence or staining of your pool surface.
If your pool is looking brown, and murky, try adding a Flocculant such as the Vitalyse Fast Floc. Perfect to use after rainstorms this concentrated formula binds dirt and mud particles together and drops them to the bottom of the pool floor where they can easily be vacuumed.
Shock the pool to oxidise the iron out of solution and into floating sediment. Then add flocculant to cause all the particles to lump together and sink to the bottom. This we do with the pump off at night as the sun causes currents that disturb the settling process. This lasts 8 hours.
Depending on the type of surface in your pool, you can use a brush to scrap it clean with or without water in it. If the pool has a soft vinyl liner, you will use a rubber or nylon brush to keep it clean. If the pool has a concrete floor and walls, a stiff and course brush will do the trick.
Brown-colored algae is actually a form of yellow or mustard algae, and not a separate strain of its own. The extremely rare mustard algae forms in pools with poor chemical balance and in shaded areas that get little sun.
Use A Pool Vacuum
Brushing down the pool walls loosens the dirt so it can either float and be filtered out, or sink to the bottom of the pool. To get rid of all the sediment on the pool floor, you vacuum it up!
Using a Pool Vacuum
To clean that troublesome dirt off the bottom of your pool, you'll need to find yourself a pool vacuum. The water that you suck out of the pool should be forced through a filter before being put back into the pool. Be aware that if your pool is very dirty, this may clog the filter.
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.
STEP 1: Attach vacuum head to the pole. STEP 2: Attach vacuum hose to the vacuum head on the end of the pole. STEP 3: Submerge vacuum hose and head into the pool. STEP 4: Push air out of the hose by feeding it down through the water, or just simply hold one end over a pool return while filtering to fill it with water.
ONCE YOUR VACUUM IS SET UP:
Water is now being taken out of the pool. If you have more than one skimmer, slowly close the valves. Ensure that the valve to the skimmer that the vacuum hose is connected to, is fully open. Slowly close the Main Drain valve about halfway, this is the optimal setting for vacuuming.
Rule out the obvious causes of poor vacuum first. Make sure the water level in the pool is sufficient and air is not being sucked in through skimmer inlets. Add water to the pool to submerge the skimmers if necessary. Verify that the pump strainer basket and the skimmers are free of debris that may obstruct water flow.
Recovering Pool Water
Adjust the pH levels as well as the water hardness. Use pool shock until the dark green water turns blue-grey. Make sure the filter is running throughout until the water becomes clear. Use a clarifier and flocculant to coagulate and drop particles to the bottom of the pool.
Scrub your pool walls with a heavy-duty scrub brush. Even if you can't see any mold there, scrub around the walls of the pool as thoroughly as you can. Pay special attention to shaded areas, such as behind pool ladders. Clean in and around your skimmer and return jets as well, and backwash your pool filter.
Q: I keep getting this fine black silt on the bottom of my pool, I've vacuumed it and hours later it's back again! A: We see this a lot during the season. This is caused by fine debris suspended in the water and much like dust in the air you don't see it until it settles on your furniture.
Copper in particular is the most problematic metal in a swimming pool, and it will turn to light green when chlorine is added. When any heavy metal is oxidized by chlorine, your swimming pool water, and parts will discolor as a result of metal stain.
Soda ash, also known as sodium carbonate, is pool chemical that has high alkalinity and a pH between 11.3- 11.7. The purpose of soda ash is to raise the pH in your pool while also raising your alkalinity levels.
You normally need 6 quarts of bleach per 10,000 gallons of water, so to kill algae, you might want to increase this to 8 quarts ( 2 gallons) per 10,000 gallons. If the pool water is very green and cloudy, consider doubling the basic dosage. Just remember to stay out of the water until the chlorine drops to safe levels.