New to the forum. I am a new pool owner. Just bought a house with in ground pool. I have black algae. I have a pool company that is helping me, but this seems like a daunting task. I just bought a new pool robot vacuum. My concern is they are telling me to throw everything out. I don't mind throwing out the floats and toys, but the vacuum was expensive. Any ideas on how to handle? I appreciate any help.
Black Algae in Salt Water Pool
- Thread starter Brad1218
- Start date
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,260
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Welcome to TFP.
This is our process for dealing with Black Algae - Trouble Free Pool
I have never heard of throwing out all the pool stuff. I would give the cleaner a bath in a strong chlorine solution and scrub all of its surfaces. You might want to replace the filters and basket where the algae can adhere to.
As our article says black algae does not adhere to fiberglass or vinyl surfaces.
This is our process for dealing with Black Algae - Trouble Free Pool
I have never heard of throwing out all the pool stuff. I would give the cleaner a bath in a strong chlorine solution and scrub all of its surfaces. You might want to replace the filters and basket where the algae can adhere to.
As our article says black algae does not adhere to fiberglass or vinyl surfaces.
Any idea how long to wait before swimming after putting in Leslie's Black Algae formula? I called Leslies and they said 4 hours, but she didn't seem sure. It doesn't say on the bottle.
Welcome to the forum
Please don't put anything in your pool just yet.......and for sure DO NOT throw anything out.......that's just foolish.
Pool Stores are infamous for selling you stuff that won't work. How do you know you have black algae.....it is VERY often misdiagnosed. Can you post a pic?
Please don't put anything in your pool just yet.......and for sure DO NOT throw anything out.......that's just foolish.
Pool Stores are infamous for selling you stuff that won't work. How do you know you have black algae.....it is VERY often misdiagnosed. Can you post a pic?
That stuff is pretty much just copper. So to answer your question, no time at all before swimming really, though make sure to stock up on that shampoo made to get the green out of hair.
Though, you know, I really would not recommend putting a copper product in to the pool for any reason. Or listening to Leslie's. Or a pool company telling you that you have to throw away everything because of black algae (you don't). It sounds like you might be getting taken for a ride, I'm afraid. Like Dave said, can you share a picture so we can even confirm that you are dealing with black algae? We have seen a lot of time and money sunken in to the wrong things before.
Though, you know, I really would not recommend putting a copper product in to the pool for any reason. Or listening to Leslie's. Or a pool company telling you that you have to throw away everything because of black algae (you don't). It sounds like you might be getting taken for a ride, I'm afraid. Like Dave said, can you share a picture so we can even confirm that you are dealing with black algae? We have seen a lot of time and money sunken in to the wrong things before.
I hired a guy who I have known for a little while now to help me with it. He seems like a good guy. Said it was Black Algae. We put that stuff in the pool and it has cleared up a lot. I put it in Tuesday morning and it has got better each day. It's not completely gone though. The guy I hired cleaned my filter and said he got the algae out. Pic attached. I am using test strips and it keeps saying I have no chlorine in the pool. I have plenty of salt. My cell was just cleaned and we shocked it the last two days. The pic is from when I first started.
Attachments
I can try. A lot of it is gone. I was feeling halfway decent that it was working. I also seem to be having trouble with my chlorine level. I have plenty of salt in my pool. My system seems to be working. I am not sure why my chlorine is low.
Black algae is actually a bacteria called cyanobacteria. Cyan is a blue-green color.
Black algae is actually a dark blue-green bacteria that looks like black mold.
If you scrape some up and smear it on a white paper towel, it should look like blue-green mold. If nothing scrapes off, it's probably not black algae.
Try putting vitamin C on various parts of the plaster to see if you get a reaction.
Black algae is actually a dark blue-green bacteria that looks like black mold.
If you scrape some up and smear it on a white paper towel, it should look like blue-green mold. If nothing scrapes off, it's probably not black algae.
Try putting vitamin C on various parts of the plaster to see if you get a reaction.
Please read "The "ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" up in Pool School. You will learn that you have algae in your pool and it is consuming your chlorine.
Like JamesW said, that's not black algae. There's a lot to learn on this forum about how to manage your pool. We can help but it will take your willingness to learn and to stay out of the pool store and away from poor advice.
Are we sure that black algae is Cyanobacteria? It's strikes me as having characteristics more similar to Audouinella. Cyanobacteria should be able to be nuked easily by chlorine or (expensively) via antibiotics.
Thoughts?
Multiple references indicate that black algae is cyanobacteria.
However, there are many varieties of things that grow in pools that get lumped into a few simple groups.
It's likely that things are misidentified often.
So, you would really need a laboratory analysis to determine exactly what is growing in the water.
In any case, the process is basically the same, SLAM until it's gone.
However, there are many varieties of things that grow in pools that get lumped into a few simple groups.
It's likely that things are misidentified often.
So, you would really need a laboratory analysis to determine exactly what is growing in the water.
In any case, the process is basically the same, SLAM until it's gone.
I think multiple references are wrong.
Interestingly, I read that copper treatment is effective against pool black spot - this is also consistent with the algae species I mentioned above which can also be treated with copper effectively.
Although surely adding copper to a pool would create copper problems??
With the pump turned off for a few days, say over winter, could the pool floor be dosed with sufficient granular chlorine such that it sits directly on the algae? Followed by a good brushing this shouldn't be that hard to remove surely? As you mention it just needs to be nuked with chlorine.
You can start a separate thread if you want to discuss what black algae is.
Copper is effective against most algae, but it has its own problems that make it unsuitable for pool use in my opinion.
Putting chlorine directly on black algae can kill it but you can damage the pool surface with direct contact with solid chlorine chemicals.
Copper is effective against most algae, but it has its own problems that make it unsuitable for pool use in my opinion.
Putting chlorine directly on black algae can kill it but you can damage the pool surface with direct contact with solid chlorine chemicals.
Solid chlorine chemicals (regular granulated chlorine) would that be ok on a paler coloured pebblecrete finish?