Spotting algae on darker pool surfaces

[erricrice]

I'm looking into getting my pool resurfaced - my current surface is the original marcite with spider cracks on about 50% of the surface due to the previous owners keeping it drained for a few years.

I'm planning to go with one of the many Pebble-Tec surfaces, but since I've had so many problems with algae on my current surface(mainly due to the cracks) I'm taking that heavily into consideration before making a choice on color.

For that reason, I'm leaning towards one of the lighter/white colors of pebble-tec such as White Diamonds or Cool Blue (pebble-sheen). I feel like this will be just as easy to spot algae on as my current marcite surface, so that I can eradicate it early on.

Does anyone have any experience with algae on any of the darker pebble-tec colors (Turtle Bay, Black Onyx, etc) or the non-Black or white colors such as Desert Gold or Irish Mist?

I feel like the dark colors would make any type of algae hard to spot, and that the green/tan colors would make mustard algae hard to spot - leading to it being more developed and harder to get rid of when I do spot it for brushing/shocking.

Please let me know what your experiences have been with this, I'd like to make a well-informed decision before making a final choice!

 

[Starplex]

When using the TFP method, you won't have algae all that often. However, I do have a pebble pool that is a Medium Color that contains a lot of black pebbles. I do get very small areas of algae from time to time because I don't brush the pool regularly (rely only on the robot). It is more difficult to identify these small spots because they do blend in with the pebbles compared to a white plaster pool. However, once swimming in the pool with goggles on, the spots are fairly easy to see. Typically the black pebbles even when clustered will have enough plaster around them to tell the difference than a small area of algae. For example, you typically won't find all black pebbles touching each other in an area the size of a dime, however, a small green or black algae deposit the size of a dime will have a raised surface and be all consistent in one color. This will stand out and is easy to see when swimming with goggles. A little more difficult to spot from outside the pool, unless it is a large algae bloom. When I swim I usually do a round of inspection with a small hand brush and hit anything I see. Although I should probably be more proactive and actually brush the pool once a week.

 

[pooldv]

Using TFP you will spot algae long before it is visible. You will first notice that you are using a little more chlorine than normal, Then you can do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test and if it doesn't pass you can SLAM Process your pool before the water even gets cloudy or you see algae at all.