Green algae is by far the most common type of fresh water algae. It can grow both on the pool surface, resembling a green, slimy stain, and also suspended in the pool water, causing the water to appear to have a green tint.
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.
However green algae is by far the easiest algae to prevent and kill. High doses of chlorine usually quickly kill the algae and the process can be accelerated by the addition of a good algaecide—to make your customer happier, faster.
Mustard algae looks like sand in the bottom of the pool. Get rid of it by aggressively brushing the algae and adding Algaecide 60. If the pool is full of algae, add a flocculant (floc) to the water and vacuum up the coagulated algae that settles on the bottom of the pool.
Pool algae can be caused by poor filtration, out-of-balance water, low or inconsistent chlorine levels, or poor water circulation. Green, dark green, yellowish green and blue-green algae are the most common. Green algae are slimy.
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.
"Shocking" the pool with a large dose of chlorine is the most effective way to kill the existing algae and bring your pool back to sanitary conditions. This usually works within 1–3 days, but can take up to a week if pool conditions are poor.
It's important to note that you should not try to vacuum green pool water until you have removed any and all organic debris using a pool net, and have added the proper chemicals to the water, and done proper brushing so that the green algae has visibly settled to the bottom of your swimming pool.
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.
The only thing that kills algae is CHLORINE (or your sanitizing product, or one of the copper-based algaecides on the market). You need to raise the level of your chlorine – shock the pool – and maintain that high level until all the algae is dead. This may take 3 to 4 days. RUN THE FILTER 24 HOURS A DAY.
Green water is most often a sign of algae, not necessarily bacteria, but different pools have different bacteria that can affect the water. If the pH balance of the water isn't in the right place, it will allow bacteria to flourish, leading to further discoloration.
Knowing how to lower pH in a pool keeps it comfortable for swimming. It protects your pool filters, pumps and liners from damage. Water with a high pH level reduces chlorine's effectiveness. This can lead to other problems like cloudy water and algae buildup.
Algae and cyanobacteria can form blooms
Blooms can look like foam, scum, mats, or paint on the surface of the water. A bloom can change the color of the water to green, blue, brown, red, or another color.
Over time a birdbath can slowly have algae grow in it. However, copper pennies in bird bath may help you solve this problem. Copper has biostatic properties that makes it incompatible with algae. Due to this, a basin, bird bath, container, bathroom sinks, or copper sinks will not trigger algae growth.
The presence of too much algaecide can lead to a foamy pool water. Small bubbles will begin to be produced as the water is pushed through the return jet and back into the pool. Do not confuse these bubbles and foam with another common problem, which is air in your pool lines.
What happens if too much shock is added? You cannot overshock a swimming pool or add too much. Adding too much shock or overshocking your pool will kill off algae. The negative of adding too much shock is it will upset the chemical balance of your pool.
Light Green or Teal Pool Water:
This means there's a low amount of algae in your water and you won't have to use a hefty amount of chlorine shock. In this case, you should double shock your swimming pool water. To double shock, you will need to add 2 pounds for every 10,000 gallons of water.
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.
Pools can immediately turn green after shocking when they have metals like copper or iron in the water. These metals oxidize when exposed to high levels of chlorine which makes the pool water turn green. Metals in the water are caused by some algaecides and using well water.
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.
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.
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.