Use a pool brush to vigorously scrub any pool surfaces covered in algae, including the walls, floors and steps. Apply a green algaecide according to the directions on the label. Let the water circulate for 24 hours, then brush the pool surfaces again. Vacuum or backwash to remove any remaining dead algae.
Chlorine is still one of the most effective killers of algae so doing a super-chlorination of 10-20 ppm of chlorine can go a long way towards wiping out the algae. Liquid chlorine is an ideal shock for algae because it is fast acting and does not add cyanuric acid (CYA) or calcium to the water.
Scrub your pool walls with a pool brush to loosen algae stuck on the surface. Reduce your pool's pH with sodium bisulfate until the levels are between 7.2–7.6. Apply 0.7 oz (20 g) of chlorine shock treatment for every 500 US gal (1,900 L) of water in your pool. Run your filter for 8 hours to circulate the treatment.
Use White Vinegar to Remove Algae
White vinegar can quickly kill algae but is not harmful to birds, insects and the majority of plants. Use a mixture of one part water to one part white vinegar to spray down the area and kill the algae. Rinse the surface algae off the concrete with a water hose.
TIP 5: USE BLEACH OR VINEGAR
Oxidized bleach immediately starts to kill algae cells once it comes into contact with it. Bleach, however, should not be your first option, especially if the area you plan to rid of algae is near plants or grass.
When added to water containing algae, H2O2 breaks down into water and oxygen, releasing free oxygen radicals in the process. These free oxygen radicals can then react with and destroy the cell walls and membranes of algae cells, causing them to die off.
Adding shock to your pool super-chlorinates your water. And this extra dose of sanitizer will kill algae growth. The more serious your pool algae problem, the more shock you'll need. We recommend using calcium hypochlorite shock, or cal-hypo shock, as an effective algae treatment.
There are a lot of reasons why algae keep returning to pools. The most common of these reasons are: Low levels of chlorine or chlorine getting burned up too fast before it gets the opportunity to kill the algae.
Use a pool brush to vigorously scrub any pool surfaces covered in algae, including the walls, floors and steps. Apply a green algaecide according to the directions on the label. Let the water circulate for 24 hours, then brush the pool surfaces again. Vacuum or backwash to remove any remaining dead algae.
Does baking soda kill algae in pools? Only algaecides can "kill" algae in pool water. However, baking soda can help clear up algae. Use both so you can restore sparkly, clean water!
Hardware stores and home centers sell products designed to kill moss and algae, but you can save money by using inexpensive chlorine bleach or a non-creamy hand dishwashing detergent, such as Dawn.
Blue/Green Algae
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.
Scrub the black algae away with a good, stiff pool brush. This will help break down the protective layer and make it easier to treat. Break a chlorine tablet in half and rub it directly onto the affected areas. The chlorine treatment will kill the algae's roots and prevent it from coming back.
Most often, the remedy for a green pool is to shock it. To properly clear green pool water, you'll need to clean the pool tiles, filters, and equipment thoroughly, add shock and algaecides, and rebalance your pool water. The entire process to fix a green pool usually takes a few days.
Pools can immediately turn green after shocking when they have metals like copper in the water. These metals oxidise when exposed to high levels of chlorine which makes the pool water turn green. Adding a metal control product such as Zodiac Metal Remover will help to restore the pool water.
Pool water might be green after shocking for various reasons, such as metals in the water, algae growth, or using too much algaecide. You can prevent your pool from turning green again by cleaning your pool filtration system or vacuuming the pool manually. The pool filter needs to run for up to 24 hours after shocking.
Once algae gets into your pool water, they can turn into an algae bloom if you have nitrates, out-of-balance chemicals, warm temperatures, sunlight, carbon dioxide, or phosphates. Poor water circulation, poor filtration, and not sanitising your pool will also contribute to rapid growth.
Shock Your Pool
Shocking is the process of adding chemicals to your pool to raise chlorine levels and kill bacteria and algae. We recommend using a calcium hypochlorite shock to treat your algae problems.
When temperatures reach below 40°F algae growth is stopped, but it can still survive and become dormant over the winter. Pool algae will come back to life weeks before you decide to open your pool.
In the case of blue-green algae: Use 1.5 to a maximum of 2.5 ml of the 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide per gallon of water. In the case of green algae: 20.25 ml to a maximum of 32.5 ml of the 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide per 13 gallons of water.
You can use a bleach and water solution made with Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach for cleaning algae and mold from exterior sealed non-porous surfaces like stucco and painted wood, siding, tile, brick and patio stone. In some cases, bleach and water are all that's needed to clean away mold and algae.
Our experience with using hydrogen peroxide to create a natural swimming pool. After we initially shocked our pool with the hydrogen peroxide, the levels stayed above 50 ppm until about 10 days later. We noticed to maintain correct levels, we have had to add roughly 1/2 gallon every week.