Black Algae Problem

Algae problems in swimming pool water.
Green (cloudy) water or slimy pool walls.
Black algae. Mustard algae. Pink or white pool mold.
the taxidermist
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Location: AZ

Black Algae Problem

Postby the taxidermist » Mon 18 Oct, 2010 20:24

Ok so I had my pool drained then acid washed last march... Not long after I started seeing black algae in various places on the plaster. Im not sure if that caused the problem or not. Well right now Im trying to remove it, I didnt have much luck while the pool was filled, right now I have drained it halfway. Im scraping and rubbing pucks on the plaster. Im not sure if this is going to help or not, its hard work and toxic! So my question is, am I wasting my time or not, and if so how can I remove this crap??? Wire brushing stinks ; ( can I use a sander with a fine fine grit?

Any help would be AWESOME! thanks in advance everyone!


the taxidermist
I'm new here
I'm new here
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon 18 Oct, 2010 20:18
Location: AZ

Black Algae Problem

Postby the taxidermist » Mon 18 Oct, 2010 20:44

any thoughts on pressure washing the plaster? then adding water to shock to make a paste that can be applied to the surface?
spc
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My Pool: http://www.swimmingpool-cleaning.com
Location: Dallas

Black Algae Problem

Postby spc » Mon 25 Oct, 2010 16:30

Since you acid washed recently I'm not sure you'll need to power wash it again. How old is the plaster?

The black algae grows roots into the plaster and is extremely difficult to get rid of, especially in older plaster. The 'heads' of the algae form a chemical resistant layer, but you can help to keep it from getting worse. Look for a good black algae killer, most should have between 3-6% 'copper as elemental' (you'll find that info on the front of the bottle), scrub the heads with your wire brush, add the appropriate dosage and follow the instructions from there. You'll want to keep adding maintenance doses as well to keep it at bay.

I've scrubbed a chlorine tablet directly on the area after brushing and adding algaecide, but I wore gloves and a mask. You may want to add water to the pool so the chlorine can activate more quickly and penetrate better (it doesn't do much in its dry state). I didn't see any immediate problems but that doesn't mean it won't cause any :wave:

Redirect your return jets so they're all facing the same direction, you're looking for a good rotation. You can angle them down or up a bit depending on where the algae is (up might be good for the fall so the jets will help move leaves to the skimmers). Experiment a little bit, most of the time algae forms in these areas due to poor circulation. Easy fix!

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