If your levels are off, you'll need to do a more extensive maintenance routine to balance the chemistry of the water and kill the bacteria and algae. If you're treating your pool for algae, you'll want the pH to be a little higher than you would typically want, at about 7.8. This will kill the bacteria or algae.
Control pH levels
The levels should be between 7.4-7.6. 'The pH levels of a pool must be balanced. High pH levels reduce the ability of chlorine to kill algae and other bacteria,' he adds.
Algae in a swimming pool are caused by a chemical imbalance. If the pH value is not between 7.2 and 7.6, there is a risk that algae may grow in the pool. However, algae can get into the pool even if the pH is right. For this reason, the pool has to be disinfected with chlorine or swimming pool salt, for example.
Test the water chemistry.
A normal chlorine level reading is 1-3 ppm. Normal pH levels should be between 7.4 and 7.6. If it is at 7.5, that is the ideal level for algae annihilation!
Water with a high pH level reduces chlorine's effectiveness. This can lead to other problems like cloudy water and algae buildup.
Remember that a low pH level is crucial to successfully shocking a pool. At a pH level of 8.0, over half of your shock is ineffective and wasted. At a pH level of 7.2, however, over 90% of your shock will become active algae and bacteria killers.
You'll know your pH is too high when your pool water is cloudy, there is scale build up on your pool walls and your chlorine is no longer successfully sanitizing your pool. The process of proper re-balancing your pool water alkalinity can take more than one week, so be patient with this one.
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.
For example, marine algae strains prefer pH usually around 8.2, while freshwater strains prefer pH around 7.0. Meanwhile, spirulina (Arthrospira) prefers a pH of around 10. Second, algae require carbon dioxide, for growth and pH can affect how much is available.
As algae thrive in slightly acidic water, algae growth is often the first sign your fish tank has a low pH level. With more nutrients available and accessible light, algae can spread like wildfire when pH levels drop.
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.
Barley straw is a natural way to fight algae. On contact with water, the straw starts to break down, and as it does so it releases peroxides into the water which combat algae. Available in mini bales, or as a concentrated extract of barley straw liquid, it's a natural way of chemically fighting algae.
If the pH is high, your chlorine is slow to react, and algae can begin to form, making the pool appear green or cloudy. If the pH is low, the chlorine will be “hyperactive”, reacting quickly, and dissipating out of the pool too rapidly, causing a low chlorine residual.
Clear pool water with a green tint may be from pollen, chlorine-resistant algae, or most often from a too-high pH level.
When placed in pool water, hydrochloric acid has proven to be profoundly effective at removing algae from the floors and walls of a pool while also lowering pH levels that have become harmful to your health.
A good rule of thumb is to never mix pool chemicals with each other. After adding Calcium Hypochlorite a user should always wait 24 hours before adding chemicals that would alter their pH.
Improper pH levels: Ideally, your pool should have a pH of right around 7.4. If your pH changes for some reason, it will allow algae and bacteria to thrive. Most likely, if the pH level in your pool is wrong, it will develop green water.
Siamese Algae Eaters can grow up to about 6 inches (16cm) and hence require a tank of at least 30 gallons for better results. Water temperature should be between 75°F and 79°F and a pH range of between 6.5 and 7.0.
Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate is naturally alkaline, with a pH of 8. When you add baking soda to your pool water, you will raise both the pH and the alkalinity, improving stability and clarity. Many commercial pool products for raising alkalinity utilize baking soda as their main active ingredient.
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.
Using baking soda in your pool is one of the easiest but most efficient ways to get your backyard ready for summer. This pool idea is loved by experts who recommend using this homemade remedy to increase the alkalinity and pH level of your pool – and treat black algal growth on your swimming pool wall.
When chlorine levels are too high, the water's pH will start to decrease, which can eventually lead to corrosion. However, liquid chlorine has a pH of 13 and can cause the water's pH to increase.
How Do I Adjust Pool Water pH? The basics of adjusting pool pH are: If your pool water pH is above 7.8, add an acid such as muriatic acid or sodium bisulfate. If the pH level is below 7.2, add an alkaline base such as sodium carbonate (soda ash) or sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)
Whether mild or severe, it isn't recommended. Significant amounts of swimming pool algae welcome a breeding ground of harmful bacteria that feed on algae.