Now it's bad enough to discover green algae in your pool, but black algae get ready because you have some work to do and no one should swim in your pool until it's gone. The good news is, it's totally possible to kill black algae. So here is a step-by-step guide on how to get rid of black algae in your pool for good check it out. First, what is black algae and why is it in your pool when you think of algae, you probably think of something green black algae is actually a bacteria called cyanobacteria.

It's also called blue-green algae, but the bacteria can appear black. So how does this kind of algae end up in your pool? Well, someone probably slammed a natural body of water like a river lake or ocean, and they didn't wash their swimwear afterwards, bringing that black algae into your pool next is black algae, harmful? Yes, it actually can be black algae can make anyone who uses your pool sick and it gets even more severe if you accidentally drink, infected water. That's why it's important to identify black algae as soon as you see it and take immediate action to get rid of it. But what does black algae? Look like black algae looks like mold.

If you notice a bunch of tiny black dots or big clumps of mold forming on your pool surfaces, you may have black algae and it can sometimes look. Bluish green here are a few ways to recognize black algae in your pool number one. There are black or blue green spots and clumps with raised heads attached to your pool's surface. They don't float freely in the water number.

Two: it's on rough or porous surfaces, black algae, seldom forms on pools with fiberglass or vinyl liners it likes to grow in porous surfaces like concrete plaster or gunaite pools, number three: it doesn't brush off the wall very easily, with your regular pool brush or even a Metal algae brush number four: it can be scraped off the pool's surface, even though it might take some extra work. Cool stains, on the other hand, cannot be scraped off number five. It shows up, even if your pool water is balanced, sanitized and filtered because it enters your pool from an external water source. So how do you kill black algae? Treating black algae isn't the same as treating green algae.

It actually takes a lot more effort and persistence, but it is possible to kill so before you begin. You'll need the following supplies: test strips or liquid test kit, an algae brush, chemical resistant gloves, safety, goggles chlorine tablets, a telescopic pole, filter, cleaner and calcium hypochlorite shock or cal hypo shock and depending on the type of filter you have you'll need a back wash hose Filter sand de powder or a replacement filter cartridge. Okay, let's get cleaning step number one clean the filter. If you have black algae in your pool, you have black algae in your filter.

If you only have a little black algae, you can just backwash your sand or de filters or rinse your cartridge filter. However, if you have a lot of black algae use, filter cleaner rather than plain water, you may also want to completely replace the filter, medium or cartridge to get rid of any bacteria step number two test and balance the water use test strips or a liquid test Kit to test your pool water focus on alkalinity, ph and sanitizer, your alkalinity should be between 100 and 150 parts per million, with 125 parts per million being ideal. Your ph should be between 7.4 and 7.6, with 7.5 being ideal, and your chlorine should be between 1 and 3 parts per million or the proper range of whatever type of sanitizer that you use adjust your levels before. Moving on to the next step, which is step, number three brush the pool and i mean brush the pool like you've, never brushed before brushing black algae loosens it from the pool surfaces and puts it into the water where chlorine will be able to kill it.

Use a stainless steel, bristled algae brush to get into those cracks and crevices, and really dig out that algae. If you have a fiberglass or vinyl liner pool, you want to use a nylon bristled brush, but you're gon na have to use twice as much elbow grease step. Number four scrub: the black algae spots, no matter how? Well, you just brushed your pool. You'll, probably still see some black algae spots.

You'll have to scrub those by hand. We recommend using chlorine tablets to scrub the remaining algae patches. This only works in concrete plaster or gunai pools. Do not do this on a fiberglass or vinyl liner pool.

Not only are you scrubbing off the algae you're also applying chlorine, which can start killing the bacteria first you're going to want to put on chemical resistant gloves and wear protective eye. Wear two break a three chlorine tablet in half and three hold it firmly and scrub the black algae with the broken edge. Don't worry if you don't get every speck of black algae off the pool surfaces, because next you're going to step number five? Yes, brush the pool again, there is a lot of brushing in your future. I am sorry, so give the pool another pass with the brush real quick before we continue.

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So because you're watching this video, you can go to swimuniversity.com pool and use the promo code. Video step number six quadruple shock the pool now that you've brushed as much black algae off as you can. You need to kill everything, that's floating in the water and a regular dose of shock won't kill black algae. So we highly recommend using calcium hypochlorite shock.

Follow the manufacturer's instructions to determine the correct dose or your pool's volume and then multiply that by four for a quadruple shock check out our pool calculator video if you need help figuring out your pools of volume and here's a tip place. All of your pool maintenance equipment, you've used in the shallow end of your pool to sanitize it during the shocking process and remember to shock your pool at dusk or at night. If you shock your pool during the day, the sun's going to eat up. Most of that chlorine and it won't do its job correctly, step number seven run.

The pump run the pump for 24 hours to disperse the shock and kill all that black algae. We may come back to cloudy water, but that's gon na be normal step number eight. Yes, you guessed it brush the pool during that 24-hour period, while the chlorine level is at an all-time high. You want to brush the surfaces, ideally three to four times to get any remaining black algae off the walls and floor and into that extra chlorinated water step.

Number: nine clean the filter, the first time, you've cleaned your filter was to remove any live bacteria. When you ran the pump after shocking the filter probably accumulated bits of dying black algae like it's supposed to so now, simply backwash your sand or de filter or rinse. Your cartridge filter and to be on the safe side, you can use a filter cleaner step. Number 10 shock the pool again, if necessary.

If you still see any remnants of black algae in your pool. After doing all of those steps you're going to want to shock it again, this time you can just use a double dose step. Number 11 run the pump again. You can run the pump for eight to twelve hours, but to be on the safe side.

We recommend running it for another 24 hours, step number 12 brush the pool yep. I know you saw that one coming brushing is really the only way to get rid of all the bacteria off your pool surfaces, so you want to make sure it doesn't come back. So do not skip the brushing step, number 13 test and balance the water. After all, that work, your pool should finally be free of black algae test, the water and add the appropriate chemicals as needed to bring all the levels back where they should be step.

Number 14: keep an eye out for stragglers over the next couple of weeks, keep a close eye on your pool for any signs of black algae returning, even with all that shocking and brushing, you may have missed a bit of bacteria that will start to grow again. If you do see a small spot reappear brush, it off scrub, the spot with a broken chlorine tablet and then give your pool another normal dose of shock. Finally, how do you prevent black algae in the future? The first line of defense is to always wash your swimsuits floats shoes, toys and anything that you may have used in a natural body of water before it goes back into your pool. Swimwear should be washed in a washing machine and all pool toys must be scrubbed and sanitized.

You can use a spray cleaner that contains bleach or dilute a tablespoon of bleach into a gallon of water and be sure to keep your pool properly balanced and sanitized to prevent any future algae growth. That means keep your alkalinity ph and sanitizer levels in the recommended ranges at all times run your pump and filter at least 8 to 12 hours a day, all season, long, regularly vacuum and brush your pool shock. Your pool at least every week keep your pool equipment clean, including skimmers, hoses ladders, steps the diving board, slides solar blankets and your safety cover and make sure anyone using your pool rinses off first, if not they'll, be the ones doing all the scrubbing and brushing. If that black algae comes back mark my words and that's it, that's the long process of how to get rid of black algae in your pool.

Good luck! If there's a pool care topic you'd like us to cover in a future video. Please leave a comment to let us know and hit the like button below. If you found this video helpful. If you want to learn more about pool maintenance and troubleshooting subscribe to our channel for more videos like this one and check out the pool care handbook and video course at swimuniversity.com pool, don't forget to enter the promo code, video to get 10 off.

That's it thanks again and happy swimming.