As unattractive and discomforting as algae is when you see it in your pool, you should know that algae is always in your water waiting to feed on phosphates or nitrates and bloom, even though it is the smallest of it.
Different factors make algae get into your pool; it could get in from your water source, if you have trees around your pool, or if you have not considered washing the pool thoroughly.
Although it might be present in a small amount in the water and you cannot see them, once the chlorine level of the water drops and phosphate or nitrogen gets high, they start feeding and growing massively and rapidly.
Can you swim in a pool with algae?
Swimming can be done as an exercise to calm your nerves and muscles. The sight of algae in pool water should scare you from even entering the pool.
However, swimming in a pool with algae is not a bad idea, because algae has no effect on the human body. What should disturb you is the bacteria that feeds on algae. If they get into any opening in your body, they can lead to infections, reactions, and different ailments. In summary, you should not even consider swimming in a pool that has algae blooming all over it.
How does a pool get algae?
Many people tend to get agitated once they see even the smallest of algae in the pool, and they start pouring different chemicals to kill them.
The honest fact is that it is inevitable for algae to be found in your pool because they are mainly prone to living and growing in water and trees, so let’s say the source of your water is a well or tap, you should be rest assured that algae is present.
In the water, they tend to thrive in water that is rich in phosphate and nitrate, and because tap, well, and rainwater contain phosphate, algae will surely be found in them.
Another way it gets into the pool is when you have trees around the location of your pool. Wind can blow particles of the algae into the pool or even leaves from the tree might get in there by introducing algae into the water.
Does high pH in a pool cause algae?
Many times, what your pool needs is just sanitizers like chlorine, which is honestly the best option to kill and prevent organisms from growing in them.
Let us say the pH of a pool is high, and as we know, high pH affects and changes the chemistry of water. The chlorine, which should be present to sanitize the water and kill unnecessary and unwanted organisms, starts to decline because the high pH has affected it, giving enough room for algae and other organisms to thrive and do well in the water.
Does high alkalinity cause algae?
The yellow-green color of your pool indicates that algae is present in the pool and also shows that the chemistry of the water has been changed and affected.
When the pool starts showing signs of the presence of algae, check for chlorine, phosphates, nitrates, pH, and, of course, the alkalinity levels of the water. High alkalinity affects the pool and gives room for the growth and blooming of organisms like algae. In other words, algae will do just fine in water with a high alkalinity.
Does low alkalinity cause algae?
The alkalinity level of your pool water should fall between 80 and 120 parts per million. When you test the water and the alkalinity level is lower than 80 parts per million, it is considered that your pool alkalinity level is low and needs an urgent increase. This is because low alkalinity in turn affects the pH level of a pool and vice versa.
Low alkalinity reduces the sanitization power of chlorine, which kills algae, so the little harmless algae in your pool water may just be getting ready to bloom in a few days. Always test for the alkalinity of the pool. To avoid costs, adjust alkalinity Up or Alkalinity Down when necessary.
How quickly does algae grow in a pool?
You might wake up in the morning with algae everywhere in the pool, wondering why since the pool was clear at night without any signs of algae.
Well, algae in water depends on the level of phosphates available and the chlorine level because they feed on phosphates to grow and chlorine is responsible for killing them.
Chlorine serves as a sanitizer for the pool; it helps to fight living organisms found in the water. Organisms like algae feed off of phosphates to grow, so when this algae gets into the water, the chlorine loses its power to fight the organisms. Therefore, phosphates indirectly affect chlorine, making it unable to do its work, especially when it is very high.
When the phosphate level is very high, it takes about 2 to 3 days for algae to grow and cover your pool water. They grow, bloom, and multiply very fast.
Does a green pool always mean algae?
This is a very tricky one; it is well known that algae changes the color of pool water to green, especially when there are no sanitizers to prevent it.
But the fact that they make pool water green does not always mean that whenever your pool is green it is because of algae. Your pool might be green even with high chlorine and no algae because the filtration system is not used regularly, especially after treating the pool.
The filtration system should be on for at least 6 hours every day, even when the water is not in use.
Can too much chlorine cause algae?
As it is normally said, too much of everything is bad. Chemicals should be carefully measured before being applied in the pool, because when you try to treat one thing, you do not want to affect the other important factors like pH, alkalinity, nitrate level, etc.
However, chlorine acts as a sanitizer for the pool water. Too much chlorine will not cause algae in the pool. It will rather kill and eliminate even the tiniest algae, as it will not be able to survive or hide anywhere.
Why did my pool turn green after I added chlorine?
Metals like copper and iron are mainly found in wells and rainwater. If that was the source of your water, you just successfully introduced them into the pool.
When you add chlorine to sanitize the water, these metals oxidize and react with the chlorine to produce a green color in the pool.
Another reason your pool might have turned green is because you did not turn the filter system on. Every day, your filter should be left on for at least 6 hours, even when you have not used the pool.
How do I stop algae from growing in my pool?
When you start seeing algae growing in the pool, then the presence of phosphate and nitrate is confirmed because these algae feed on phosphate for growth.
The best and fastest thing to do to stop algae is either reduce the phosphate level or add chlorine to sanitize the pool, but it is preferable to do both.
You can also use an algaecide in the pool and a clarifier to improve the clarity of the pool.
Does chlorine stop algae?
Algaecide is mainly used to stop algae in a pool, but when testing the pool, make sure you test the chlorine level of the pool because chlorine serves as a pool water sanitizer.
Therefore, chlorine can go a long way to stop algae from growing because it kills unwanted organisms that grow in the pool. This is why the chlorine level should always be kept in check.
Can you vacuum algae out of a pool?
Before using the algaecide to remove algae from the pool, you should have brushed and cleaned the pool wall, steps, and floor, and removed leaves and other debris.
After using the algaecide, you can then vacuum and backwash the pool to remove the sediments and remaining algae that are in areas where the algaecide could not affect them, while making sure the filter is on.
Do pool covers prevent algae?
As tempting as it may be to cover your pool that already has algae in it, you should not do it, but rather look for effective ways that suit your budget and remove this algae.
Nevertheless, using a cover for a pool that is free from algae can be a very effective way to prevent algae growth. Since algae gets into the pool through leaves, debris, and wind blowing particles of it from trees around it, when you cover the pool, they will not be able to enter the water. However, make sure that the water chemistry is balanced and that the filter is used every day.
