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A Guide to Algaecide
Having a nice, shiny swimming pool to jump into during the summer months is the ultimate treat! A lot goes into keeping your pool looking spotless, and most of the work consists of keeping those pesky algae away.
It’s something always worth mentioning – maintaining the chemical balance of chlorine in your pool will prevent the majority of algae from forming. However, if you’ve tried everything and still experience algae issues, you may consider an algaecide.
But what are algaecides, exactly? Here, we look at what role they play in keeping your pool clean, how to use them and whether they’re the right choice for your pool.
You may know algae as the murky green substance that appears in unclean pools. However, there’s more to these things than meets the eye. Algae are actually incredibly complex life forms that can be found in various locations in and out of water. In a sense, they most closely relate to plants, as they tend to need only light and water to survive, making swimming pools a prime destination.
The most common form is green or blue-green algae, which is what you’ll be dealing with in most circumstances. However, there can be different strains of algae with varying properties. These include:
If you have black algae in your swimming pool, this can be a more significant issue, and common algaecides can prove ineffective. Specialist algaecides for black algae are available, or you can speak to a specialist about the best way to remove them from your pool.
As you can guess from the name, an algaecide is a chemical designed to combat the development of algae in a swimming pool. Algaecides are usually sold as liquids.
How algaecides work can depend on the product. Many of them use copper as the primary mechanism, which attaches itself to and destroys live algae in the pool.
H3: What’s the Difference Between Algaecide and Shock Treatments?
One of the biggest misconceptions when it comes to algaecides is that they work as an algae destroyer. These products actually function more as preventers. Chlorine shock, on the other hand, is most effective when a deep clean is required, such as when dealing with algae build-up.
Adding chlorine shock to a swimming pool and following up with cleaning is often the best method of removing unwanted algae from a swimming pool. For more information, check out our in-depth guide to swimming pool shock treatments.
While shock treatments are useful for dealing with breakouts, if you want to prevent algae in the first place, adding an algaecide is something to consider.
As you may have guessed from reading above, chlorine shock and algaecide don’t always go well together. Algaecide is most effective when the pool has been cleaned and balanced, as shock treatments and even some debris, such as leaves, can kill algaecides. Make sure your pool is cleaned and prepared as if it was ready for use before adding algaecide.
Once the pool has been prepared, follow the instructions on your product. The majority of algaecides will ask you to put a certain amount into the water where the filter pumps are located, to ensure an even spread.
As mentioned at the top of this guide, maintaining the right chemical balance in a swimming pool is usually enough to stop most algae breakouts. Check out our guide on what chemicals you need for a swimming pool.
If you keep on top of the basics, you shouldn’t necessarily need an algaecide. Furthermore, if you have algae build-up, shocking the pool can be a more effective method of cleaning.
However, there are some locations and environments that can lead to algae forming, even when excellent pool hygiene is maintained. If you’re struggling to contain algae, then adding some algaecide when the pool is clean can be helpful.
We hope that this guide will help you make the right decisions when it comes to water treatment systems for your pool. If you have any further questions, reach out to us on social media or get in contact directly, where our dedicated pool team will be happy to help!
