Black Algae Treatment Questions

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Armyofone

New member
Jun 23, 2024
1
FL
My pool has a bunch of black algae and would like to know if this is how to best proceed with shocking it. I've never dealt with it so bad and have only used liquid chlorine. I'm looking for the most effective, cost efficient way to do this.
I've heard hypo cal 73 granular is the way to go. Can someone please confirm?
If that's correct, I would do this several hours after adjusting PH with muriatic acid?

Would I get the same results if I used 68% hypo cal and used an extra bag or two? Trying to save money if possible.

Would adding chlorine tablets help or would it just be a waste?

Also I should get a separate algaecide, clarifier, flocculent given the condition of the pool?

If yes, could you please provide some recommendations?

I heard copper algaecide is the way to go. Can someone please confirm and recommend one?

I have a 10,000 gallon in ground pool with a cartridge filter.

Thanks for all your help in advance!
 
Do not add cal-hypo, do not add extra cal-hypo, do not add tablets, do not add algaecide, clarifier or flocculent. For sure, do not add copper algaecide.

How are you testing your water? I would get a proper test kit now! We need your results to help with advice. Link-->Test Kits Compared

@Katodude is our resident Black Algae expert...let's get him on the case.
 
None of that stuff you listed will help or work.

Get in the pool with a mask, and snorkel and a weak pressure washer. Hit all the black algae with the pressure washer. Just be careful not to damage the plaster.

Then get the strongest LC you can find and dump it over the spots that you just removed the BA. Let the concentrated stuff wash over it. If you can get to some spots, buy a 1 gallon pump sprayer and fill it with the LC. Then get in the pool and spray those spots.
 
First, get a good test kit with a drop test for chlorine. You are going to need it to properly measure the high FC you are going to be aiming for. Otherwise you are guessing just like the pool store does.

I tried the pressure washer but wound up propelling myself around the pool like a Gemini astronaut. I have also tried most of the ideas in the OP with mostly poor results. I have been fighting black mold for 10 years or so.

About a month ago I found this site and realized the SLAM could serve two purposes for me, dealing with the algae load, and if I scrubbed the walls as often as I could, and going over the problem spots with an SS brush. The pool has never looked this good. I can barely make out where the black mold was.

I'm probably wrong, but the liquid chlorine seems to pack a punch that I never got out of cal-hypo.
 
I thought I did, but can't find it. I scraped off a bit of one of the bumps and smeared it on white paper and it was greenish black. The spots were distinct small raised clumps of something. Where the worst spots that had been around for a few years the plaster is rough as though the surface eroded away. Maybe it wasn't black mold but it was tenacious and wouldn't respond to anything I was sold to treat it. It grew back quickly each time I treated it. I once had it pretty cleaned up with bags and bags of shock, but it came right back when the FC came back down to what I had been indoctrinated to believe was the maximum it should be.

Here is a picture of the side of the pool where the mold was the worst. It is between 2 and 3 feet below the water and zoomed in close. The black spots were in those rough holes. Each time the "black" mold outbreak got out of control there were more of the holes in the plaster.

I love the TFP Clear water that made the picture even possible. For scale the image shows about 3" x 6".

20240627_213207.png
 
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