Some homeowners also try to get rid of algae by using bleach. Bleach is a caustic chemical that can kill your lawn and plants. It can also rust your downspouts and cause your shingles to shed their protective granules prematurely. Using bleach on algae requires brisk scrubbing and rinsing.

Algae don’t do well if it doesn’t get light for a prolonged period of time. More complex organisms like plants and corals, can do just fine with 48 hours of absolutely no light, it’ll mess up their circadian rhythm a little bit, however, they’re not going to perish from it, but the algae will.

Yes, unless you kill the Algae spores, it will come back. You should power wash it while its empty. Power washing and draining the wash down will get the most spores out.

Algae will be killed within 24 hours of administering a dosage of shock or adding a large amount of liquid chlorine to bring your chlorine level above 10 ppm. After the initial shock keep your pool pump running for 24 hours for the best results.

Grab a brush and some baking soda. Bicarbonate, the active ingredient in baking soda, is an effective spot treatment to help kill the algae and loosen it from the wall. Make sure you really get every last particle free; black algae has particularly long and stubborn roots which makes it a persistent strand.

“Shocking” the pool with a large dose of chlorine is the most effective way to kill the existing algae and bring your pool back to sanitary conditions. This usually works within 1–3 days, but can take up to a week if pool conditions are poor.

Here are the top 7 pool algaecides on the market today.

1. Kem-Tek KTK-50-0006 Pool and Spa 60% Concentrated Algaecide.
2. In The Swim Super Pool Algaecide.
3. Clorox Pool and Spa Green Algae Eliminator.
4. PoolRX Algaecide Unit.
5. SeaKlear 90-Day Algae Prevention and Remover.
6. EasyCare 30064 PoolTec Algaecide.

Can you put too much shock in a pool? SKIMMER NOTES: It’s unlikely but it could happen. It would take a lot of shock to really make the water unsafe for swimming. The best way to make sure you’re safe to swim is to test your pool water and make sure free chlorine levels are between 1-4ppm for healthy swimming.

Method #1: Get Rid of Pool Algae by Shocking Your Pool Water

1. Sanitise your pool with a heavy treatment of chlorine, either granular or liquid.
2. Lower your pH with hydrochloric acid or pH Down Tablets.
3. Ensure the system is on and running for a 24 hour period to disperse the shock treatment around the pool.

Vinegar can also be used to rid of algae. Use a mixture of water and white vinegar to spray down the area and kill the algae.

This is perhaps the simplest, long-term solution to keeping water clean and clear. Floating plants, such as lilies and lotus, provide shade and reduce direct sunlight in the pond to control the growth of algae. Add submerged plants that release oxygen to the water, such as anacharis, hornwort and parrot’s feather.

You can use a garden hose and telescopic pole to remove the dead algae. The garden hose works like a siphon to wipe out algae and other debris from the pool bottom. Once you attached the telescopic pole with the garden hose end, connect the other end of the hose with a vacuuming port to remove the water.

Use A Pool Vacuum The most effective tool to get rid of dead algae is a pool vacuum, and there are two ways you can remove algae using a vacuum. The first method is the better (and easier) of the two, and can only be done if you have a multiport system, using either a suction-side or pressure-side vacuum.

Vacuum green algae through the Waste Method (Easiest and Safest for Equipment) The easiest way to eliminate the algae that has settled on the bottom of your pool is to bypass the filter and vacuum from the pool to waste. Set up your waste line and vacuum the pool to waste getting the algae and debris out of the pool.

You will not lose water this way. Vacuum your pool just as you would vacuum your living room, picking up debris or algae as you go.

PREVENT ALGAE FROM RETURNING The dead algae is likely too fine to be vacuumed through your sand filter, therefore owners of sand filters must vacuum on the waste setting. Cartridge filter owners can vacuum up the dead algae but need to clean the filters thoroughly after doing so.

If your pool is still green after 24 hours, there may be too much of the wrong chemicals, for example an excess of phosphate or cyanuric acid (“stabilizer”). It will take a while for the cloudiness to go away. For a sand filter, it will take a week or more.

Yellow/ Mustard algae is very resistant to even high chlorine levels and will grow and thrive in a chemically well-balanced pool. Yellow/ Mustard algae tends to brush off easily from the surface, but will show back up in the same place a few days later. This often happens in the shady part of the pool.

Scrub the black algae away with a good, stiff pool brush. This will help break down the protective layer and make it easier to treat. Break a chlorine tablet in half and rub it directly onto the affected areas. The chlorine treatment will kill the algae’s roots and prevent it from coming back.

How long will it take to clear the pool? A fiberglass pool in its worst condition can be algae-free in 24 hours. For a vinyl liner pool, the process can take 3-4 days. For a concrete pool, this can take a week or more.

During the hotter months of summer, most pools need at least 12 hours of daily filtering, while the sun is shining, to keep chlorine circulating, and to remove small particles that cloud the pool, giving algae some UV protection. Algae will return again to the pool if you are only filtering 8-10 hours per day.

After treatment for yellow algae it’s common that the pool water is cloudy or at least hazy. Adjust pH to 7.4, brush the pool daily and vacuum to waste once or twice after treatment to remove dead yellow algae. Yellow algae can be a nightmare, but a lot of chlorine will kill it – dead.

Directions for Clearing Yellow Algae Blooms*

1. Adjust the pH to between 7.4-7.6 and the alkalinity between 80-100 ppm.
2. Add 1 gallon of Liquid Chlorinating Shock or 2 bags of Granular Shock per 10,000 gallons.
3. Add 6 oz of Stop Yellow per 10,000 gallons around the pool.
4. Brush the pool walls.

Causes of Yellow Algae If the pH or alkalinity of your pool is off, that may be the culprit. Debris, phosphates, and pollen also can cause yellow algae, and you’re more likely to get algae in warmer climates or in areas with environmental and atmospheric changes.