DARN Ladder!! Algae Culprit

[chazalicious]

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?

 

[wireform]

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?

Have this very same scenario today with one of my pools with the same questions.

 

[Windylou]

Richard, I appreciate the lightning-fast response! We have a pressure washer so I'll hit the ladder with that and then throw it in the pool. So then when we brush the pool daily during the SLAM, do we have to pull the ladder out & rescrub daily too?

Thanks also for the DE answer.

I would keep it out during the slam. Let it sit in the sun with all of those books & crannies getting most of the light. I agree, I’d start looking for something else. I just don’t see how you could keep that free of algae on a regular basis.

 

[wireform]

I would keep it out during the slam. Let it sit in the sun with all of those books & crannies getting most of the light. I agree, I’d start looking for something else. I just don’t see how you could keep that free of algae on a regular basis.

The quick answer is you can't. If it were new and you have good water circulation you stand a chance. I have my doubts the an algae infested latter can ever clean up 100%.

 

[mariane]

These are our steps: main access entry system #200400T



We've had them 13 years and no problems with algae in the nooks and crannies. We do power wash it if scrubbing doesn't work. It is stored all winter under a tarp (can't see it but it's next to the fence) and the weights are used to hold the winter cover down on the deck. They also get a good scrubbing before going into the pool.
Debris gets under the steps but I can push the brush on either side of them and it pushes the debris out.
Pouring some chlorine slowly near the steps and brushing it under the steps sounds like a good idea.

 

[chazalicious]

I'm kind of thinking I might try pulling them out again and seeing if I can completely disassemble them, and maybe empty out all the sand, spray the power washer inside as best I can, fill them with water and plug the holes, then dump in some chlorine and let it sit for a day or three. Seems like that'd kill off whatever's left in there, then I'd just need to make sure get all the water back out when I close the pool, and maybe repeat the chlorine soak before putting them back in the spring?

 

[mariane]

When we used sand bags to hold down our steps, the sand would get full of algae and cause an OCLT to fail repeatedly. That's why we switched to glued/sealed pvc pipe weighted inside with sand. No algae.

 

[kellyfair]

I have these and I use a kitchen bottle brush to scrub all the nooks and crannies. I never pull the stairs out, so last time I SLAMmed the steps got SLAMmed too.
.

 

[Katodude]

For scrubbing, maybe a long-bristled bottled brush? Do you know anybody who might have a pressure washer? That'll get in those crannies, too. And then toss it in the high FC pool to soak. Maybe attach a string to pull it back up.

+1 on the pressure washer. I would as a regular routine pull the ladder weekly and pressure wash it. Even if it is clean. I would then make a 10:1 or even 5:1 bleach concentration and put it into a spray bottle. After the pressure wash give the ladder a good spray with the solution. Wait an hour (or even less) and put it back in the pool.

 

[Karis]

This is a great idea! I’ve been brushing weekly with the bottle brush, and we left the weights out, but our pressure washer burnt out so I haven’t used that since the first big clean. So far so good on algae, but I did wonder if it’s causing any damage not weighing it down? Thoughts?

 

[mariane]

Does it move around or rock when you step on it? If it doesn't move and stays down in the water, I would think it's ok and not getting damaged.
Ours floats without weights. Doesn't even touch the bottom.

 

[Katodude]

You can buy pressure washer pretty cheap these days. I think you can get an electric one for about $100.

The bottle brush would drive me crazy. Too much time and work. Your pool is for enjoyment, figure out the best easiest way to take care of it. A quick hit with the pressure washer and then spray with the bleach solution.

 

[Karis]

It doesn't move much (just a little while we're using it) and we have a protective mat underneath, so the pool isn't getting extra wear; it's mainly the arms of the ladder that I was concerned about. The hubby isn't, so I think we'll get a new pressure washer and try Katodude's suggestion. Thanks again for everyone's participation in this invaluable forum!

 

[kellyfair]

I haven’t timed it, but I would guess that it takes me less than 5 minutes to scrub down my stairs with the brush. Would take longer than that to drag them out of the pool and set up pressure washer!

Don’t get me wrong, do what works for you.

 

[chazalicious]

I'm kind of thinking I might try pulling them out again and seeing if I can completely disassemble them, and maybe empty out all the sand, spray the power washer inside as best I can, fill them with water and plug the holes, then dump in some chlorine and let it sit for a day or three. Seems like that'd kill off whatever's left in there, then I'd just need to make sure get all the water back out when I close the pool, and maybe repeat the chlorine soak before putting them back in the spring?

Following up on this for anyone interested. I took some silicone caulk and plugged up all the holes I could, cleaned off all the algae and dirt I could get at, and put them back in the pool. After about a week, where the FC level never dropped below the minimum, I started to get a few small green patches in the pool.

I figured that was a pretty good sign the steps were the algae source, so pulled the steps back out. I disassembled them, and went to town with the power washer. Unsurprisingly, there was a ton of green visible in the two openings where the hand rails attached. The problem was that all the vertical and horizontal "rails" in the structure were hollow, and I couldn't get at most of them. I figured I didn't have anything to lose, so I basically drilled holes that let me aim the power washer down each one. I got all the sand out, and got all the green out from the inside. There were still a few small patches that I couldn't get completely off, but those are small and faint green, so I'll have to live with it.

At this point, I've got everything sitting on the deck drying out. From here, I may pop a few additional holes in them and make sure there aren't any more green spots hiding. I'd love to fill them with a chlorine solution to soak, but what with all the holes I punched, there isn't really a good way to do that. I'm hoping that if I leave them out in the sun for a day or so with no water in them, anything left in there will dry out and die off. After that, I'll reassemble, smooth out the edges of the holes I punched, drop them back in the pool, and use PVC pipes filled with sand to weigh them down. Hopefully the cleaning killed off anything living in there, and the extra holes will both allow chlorinated water to circulate inside the steps, and also make it so I can check the internals and clean out anything that does take hold.

Worst comes to worst, I replace them, which was the other option anyway. May as well try and salvage what I have. If this works, maybe I can reallocate the "new steps" money toward "new robot cleaner."

 

[jlt19]

These are our steps: main access entry system #200400T

View attachment 150335View attachment 150336
View attachment 150337 View attachment 150341
We've had them 13 years and no problems with algae in the nooks and crannies. We do power wash it if scrubbing doesn't work. It is stored all winter under a tarp (can't see it but it's next to the fence) and the weights are used to hold the winter cover down on the deck. They also get a good scrubbing before going into the pool.
Debris gets under the steps but I can push the brush on either side of them and it pushes the debris out.
Pouring some chlorine slowly near the steps and brushing it under the steps sounds like a good idea.

How do you have your weights attached to the steps?

We did something similar last fall and drilling a ton of holes in the stairs to get as much circulation in it as possible. This summer we filled old chlorine bottles with gravel and currently have them hanging with bungee cords from some of those holes. DH was supposed to build pvc pipes with rebar inside (capped) to hang them on but that's become difficult to figure out how to secure the bar.

Just curious what others have done.

 

[Windylou]

How do you have your weights attached to the steps?

We did something similar last fall and drilling a ton of holes in the stairs to get as much circulation in it as possible. This summer we filled old chlorine bottles with gravel and currently have them hanging with bungee cords from some of those holes. DH was supposed to build pvc pipes with rebar inside (capped) to hang them on but that's become difficult to figure out how to secure the bar.

Just curious what others have done.

Why rebar? I have some for my steps. I have 5 4inch wide by 2 feet pipes with concrete in them. I don’t hang them, I just put them in the bottom of my wedding cake steps.

 

[mariane]

How do you have your weights attached to the steps?

Technically they are not attached. There is a ballast tray on the bottom and the weights just sit on top on the "rack". The zip ties are for keeping the weights together so they won't roll out from under the steps.

These are our steps: main access entry system #200400T

View attachment 150336 View attachment 150337

 

[jlt19]

Why rebar? I have some for my steps. I have 5 4inch wide by 2 feet pipes with concrete in them. I don’t hang them, I just put them in the bottom of my wedding cake steps.

Just to keep the weight of the bottles from bending/breaking the PVC. We had some here and it's easier than mixing concrete.

We have the confer steps with the solid sides so somehow the weights have to get attached.

I may look to see if there's a tray attachment for the bottom though. I like that idea.

 

[mariane]

We used sand in our weights. I don't think concrete is necessary, but if it weighs more than sand, you could use less pipe.