I've got a similar thing going on with my steps harboring algae. I finished SLAMing last week, and in the process, pulled the Confer steps (something like this) out. I took the feet off, and they were definitely very green inside. I suspect the inside of the rest of the stairs is green too. I drilled some additional holes in it to try and get the rest of the water out, and there were definitely some green chunks coming out, including some mixed in with the sand. I tried spraying out the inside of the feet, but couldn't get all the green out, so I've kind of abandoned using those. I left the steps out of the pool for about two days, and patched the holes with silicone caulk to try and keep the green water in the steps. I hit them again with the power washer to get all the green off that I could see, and put them back.
So at this point, I've got some very floaty steps that might also be an algae colony. Are they worth trying to salvage at this point? How would I even do that? If I replace them, is there a way to avoid having another set become an algae trap? It seems like all the models I've seen would hold water in that doesn't get enough circulation. Or is that not a problem if the pool water stays balanced, and you winterize them in a specific way?
So at this point, I've got some very floaty steps that might also be an algae colony. Are they worth trying to salvage at this point? How would I even do that? If I replace them, is there a way to avoid having another set become an algae trap? It seems like all the models I've seen would hold water in that doesn't get enough circulation. Or is that not a problem if the pool water stays balanced, and you winterize them in a specific way?