I think what I have is black algae. It appears as small black spots or dark black areas within the texture of the pool walls. I've been fighting it for over a year now. And despite fairly constant attention it has at times been very bad, appearing as large areas (many square feet) where the pool wall is gray instead of white (gray because I can brush the darkest black of it away). Phosphate remover helped and I thought I had it defeated over the winter. I had the chlorine levels off the chart for a full month. Then summer came and it's back in full force. It does not come off with a wire brush, but I can get in there with a pressure washer and painstakingly remove most of it. Since I can only fully remove it a square inch at a time, I'm sure I never totally get all of it.
I'm to the point where I suspect the only realistic option is to do something like fully drain the pool, apply some nasty chemicals, maybe let it dry out for a long time? I hope there's some other option. Looking around the internet makes it seem like I'm the only person who has ever had it so bad.
I'm to the point where I suspect the only realistic option is to do something like fully drain the pool, apply some nasty chemicals, maybe let it dry out for a long time? I hope there's some other option. Looking around the internet makes it seem like I'm the only person who has ever had it so bad.
