Mix two gallons of water, two cups of oxygen bleach, and one cup of borax. Stir the recipe until everything dissolves. Add ¼ cup of dish soap and stir.
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. Simply use the borax to scrub away algae that's sticking to your pool walls, then use the brush to dislodge it. Follow up by vacuuming up or scooping out the free-floating algae.
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.
Bleach is great for killing algae (and other organisms that may lurk in your tanks) and for keeping it from coming back.
Amy Caner agreed: "Definitely white vinegar. Easiest and most effective way to get rid of it." Lindsey Hall added: “I use white vinegar diluted with water to remove algae from my fence and it doesn't even take the paint off."
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.
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.
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.
If you have an algae problem, your best friend is white vinegar. 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.
Another chemical-free solution that you can consider is a mixture of baking soda, water and vinegar. Add two parts of white vinegar to one part of water and three heaped spoons of baking soda. Dip a scrubbing brush into the mixture and apply it to the algae stains on your furniture. Leave it for about ten minutes.
A rule of thumb is 1.5 lbs. of baking soda per 10,000 gallons of water will raise alkalinity by about 10 ppm. If your pool's pH tested below 7.2, add 3-4 pounds of baking soda. If you're new to adding pool chemicals, start by adding only one-half or three-fourths of the recommended amount.
Apply a mustard algaecide following the label directions. Allow the water to circulate for 24 hours. Use a pool vacuum or backwash the pool again to remove the remaining dead algae. In persistent cases, brush the pool and apply algaecide once more after two to four days.
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!
Some of the known types of fish to eat algae are blennies and tangs, but along with fish there are snails, crabs, and sea urchins who also eat algae. These species are known to eat red slime algae, green film algae, hair algae, diatoms, cyanobacteria, brown film algae, detritus, and microalgae.
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.
Sodium Percarbonate is an excellent killer of bacteria, fungi, various viruses and mold, so it can be used as a very effective agent for removing algae and moss.
StoneCare4U Essential Algae Remover is a safe and easy way to remove algae from any 'hard' external surface. Its biodegradable formula can be used on a multitude of outdoor surfaces including paving, walls and roof tiles.
Clean the area or surface regularly and use a specialist green stain remover, such as our Green Growth Remover, which helps prevents regrowth and delays it coming back. Good drainage and air circulation. Don't place your favourite pine wood planter in a dark, shady corner. Move your patio furniture around regularly.