Thursday, March 21, 2024

How To Get Rid Of Black Mold In Pool

Treatment Of Black Algae In Pools

Black Algae Removal Process. Pro Tips!!

When I was growing up, in Central California, we had a bad case of Black Algae. It was my job to dive in the pool, first with a putty knife and later using a chlorine tablet, and while holding my breath, scrape off as many black algae heads as possible.

Part of the problem was that we never closed our pool, it stayed open year round, as all pools do in this area. But we stopped using it in the fall, and ran the filter only 4 hours / day, with small amounts of Chlorine.

Our pool guy, Bob, of Bobs Pool Service, tried everything. We had the pool drained and acid washed, pressure washed, chlorine washed, all of which removed the visible algae at least for a time. But always, the black algae would return once again. I remember Bob saying one time, Black Algae its like Herpes, once you get it, youve got it forever. Not necessarily true, as you will find if you read on.

Identifying Black Algae in a swimming pool:

1. Black or Blue-Green spots with raised heads, not Free-Floating.

2. Harbors in rough areas of the pool plaster.

3. Does not Brush off the wall easily.

4. Found in pools even with proper filtration and sanitation.

5. Dont confuse with mineral stains, some cause black stains that wont scrape off.

Where does Black Algae come from?

How to Remove Black Algae from a Swimming Pool

Rob Cox

Keep A Pool Clean Without A Filter Pump

Without a filter pump, you could still use some of the water treatment techniques for sanitizing the water, but most inflatable pools that come without a filter pump are small enough to clean with the empty and refill steps above.

To keep the pool cleaner for longer, consider some of these tips. Ive been able to go from cleaning the pool every couple days to once a week with these tips.

Skimmer Net

A skimmer net is one of the cheapest ways to keep debris out of the water. With excessive debris in the water like leaves, pine needles, and dirt, the pool walls will get slimy and grow mildew faster. This Hand Skimmer on Amazon for around 10 bucks will reduce your cleaning schedule.

Oil Sponge

This Scumbag Oil Absorbing Sponge will soak up any oil or residue left in the water from the swimmers. I only add this here because of how amazed I was watching this thing work its magic.

If you put sun tan lotion on your kids, or yourself, and then jump in the pool, all that lotion will get into the water and youll need to clean the water more often because of it. This oil sponge will soak up all those body oils and lotions to keep your water cleaner for longer.

Small Pool Chemicals

Cleaning the pool out once a week is easier for smaller pools than dealing with the chemicals and testing pH levels all the time.

Cover

Where Does Black Algae Come From

All algae can enter your pool a number of ways, but black algae tend to hitchhike on the body or bathing suit of people whove been recently swimming in a lake or the ocean.

If your pool is properly balanced and filtered, you wont necessarily get an algae bloom just because these hitchhikers have arrived. The conditions have to be right. In particular, algae love hot sunny days and tend to thrive in that climate, especially in pools with a high PH or low levels of chlorine.

Algae can also flourish if dont run your filtration system daily, its not working correctly, or if your pools filter or skimmer basket is clogged and water isnt circulating properly.

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How To Get Rid Of Pink Slime

Similar to white water mold, pink slime is also resistant to pool chemicals. It will take a complete shock and cleaning to rid your water of pink bacteria altogether.

Clean the Pool and Filter

To start, check and clean the pool filter. Its safe to assume that if pink slime is visible around your pool, its also in the filter.

Give the sides and base of your pool a good scrub with a firm brush. Like mold, this bacteria also lurks in hard to reach places, like under ladder handles and on your tiles.

Balance the Water

Check the pH levels of your water and balance it as needed. The pH levels should be between 7.2 and 7.6.

Shut Down the Pump

For the pool to properly soak the chemical treatment in, you need to shut off the pump so the water becomes stagnant.

Add a Pink Bacteria Cleaner

Search for a cleaner or algaecide that specifically kills and treats pink slime or pink bacteria. Closely follow your products instructions to determine how much you should add based on your pools volume.

Shock the Water

Youll need to triple or quadruple shock the pools water it will vary based on the size of your pool and the number of bacteria. We recommend you add three to four pounds of calcium hypochlorite for every 10,000 gallons of water. Let the shocking water set for about 24 hours.

Vacuum the Pool and Clean the Filter

Turn the Pump Back On

Now you can turn the filtration system back on and run it as you usually would.

Watch the Chlorine Levels

Is It Okay To Swim In A Pool With Black Algae

How to Kill Black Algae in Your Swimming Pool

Perhaps youre dealing with primarily black algae in your swimming pool. Is it okay to let the issue go until the algae grow more significantly?

After all, it could be the middle of summer when a problem with black algae occurs. You might have a pool party scheduled that youd prefer not to cancel.

Could a little bit of black algae hurt, or even a lot of algae?

Technically, the presence of the black algae will not cause an illness in any swimmers.

However, black algae can attract organisms that might harbor E. coli as well as other bacteria that could indeed cause illness.

Even if there was no risk of swimming in a pool that contains black algae, the presence of the algae is simply unappealing.

Once your friends and family realize that its not dirt lingering on the sides or bottom of the pool, they wouldnt be in a swimming mood anyway.

The best course of action if you have black algae in your swimming pool is to remediate it, not ignore it. It will not away on its own.

Read Also: What Does Toxic Mold Do To You

You Can See Clearly Now The Algaes Gone

Whew! Were tired after just putting all this down, so we can imagine how exhausted you must be! Itll be worth it, though, to kill the black algae in your pool and keep it from returning.

More importantly, youll be keeping your family and pets safe, and maintaining a pool thats clean, sanitary, and fun to use without any worries.

Happy Swimming!

Expose Pool To Uv Light

The cheapest source of UV light is the sun. UV rays kill microorganisms by destroying their DNA so they cannot multiply.

For outdoor pools, exposing the pool and its accessories to sunlight can kill surface molds. For indoor pools, installing a UV lamp in the filtration system is effective in sanitizing the pool.

UV light is also cost-efficient as it uses the same energy as regular light bulbs with low wattage.

Also Check: How Much Does It Cost To Get Mold Tested

Good News It Can Be Prevented Heres How:

The trick is to keep your water properly balanced and clean.

Be sure to:

  • Keep pH, alkalinity and sanitiser levels in the recommended range.
  • Run your pump and filter all day long .
  • Clean your swimming pool thoroughly and regularly by brushing it, vacuuming it and hosing it down.
  • Add pool-shock once a week .
  • Maintain your pool equipment by keeping it sanitised this includes any floats or toys that are likely to make contact with the water.

You could also shop around for some algaecide. This is a chemical formaula that attacks algae and prevents a reoccurance.

While chlorine is the all-round best method, this stuff is still worth trying. Unlike chlorine, it doesnt get affected by mineral content, water temperature, sunlight or pH levels.

How To Prevent Black Algae From Invading Your Pool

Black Algae Treatment, Get Rid of Black Algae in Your Pool

The first line of defense is to always, always wash your swimsuits, aquatic shoes, toys, anything you may have used in a natural body of water before you allow it to even touch your pool.

And just rinsing isnt enough. Everything must be washed. Its fine to put swimwear through your washing machine, but pool toys must be scrubbed with a solution of one tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water to not only clean, but sanitize them. You can also use a spray cleaner that contains bleach. Either way, rinse everything thoroughly before putting it back in the pool.

After those preventive measures, keeping your pool properly balanced and sanitized is the next step to keeping all forms of pool algae from growing.

  • Keep your alkalinity, pH, and sanitizer levels in the recommended ranges at all times.
  • Run your pump and filter for 8 to 12 hours a day, every day, all season long.
  • Keep your pool clean by regularly vacuuming and brushing it.
  • Shock your pool at least every week. More often if youre using it more often, or more people are swimming in it, or both.

Also Check: How Can You Tell If You Have Black Mold Poisoning

How Harmful Is It

Black algae thrive on the surfaces of natural bodies of water and is most common in the sweltering summer months. In the wild, cyanobacteria proliferates so much, it destroys other life forms by blocking life-giving sunlight and stealing nutrients such as oxygen. However, its growth wont get this extreme in your pool.

However, it can still hurt you. Cyanobacteria manufacture cyanotoxins, which are potent natural poisons. It can make you, your family, your pets, and anyone else who takes a dip in your backyard swimming pool deathly ill. Just swimming in black algae-infested water for even a short time can make you sick.

The virulent toxins cyanobacteria produce can cause the wholesale contamination of municipal water supplies. The risk of contracting life-threatening symptoms increases dramatically if you accidentally drink water tainted with the stuff. If you do, it can cause liver damage, paralysis, or even death.

How Often To Clean Your Patio Or Outdoor Surface

The frequency of cleaning will depend on how much mold, mildew, or moss there is and how often it comes back. Applications may need to be repeated for especially moldy areas. Other times, this could be done once a year for a spring cleaning every season. Remember, it will be worth the effort when guests come over and there will be no embarrassment from the unsightly mold.

The Spruce / Sydney Brown

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How To Recognize Black Algae

To keep you and your family safe, youre going to need to be able to identify black algae as soon as it rears its ugly head. Then, youll need to take decisive action to get rid of it.

Cyanobacteria looks like a bunch of tiny black dots or huge mold clumps with raised heads that adhere to surfaces . It may appear more blue-green than black. Youll often find black algae in areas such as along a wall, in the deep end, in a corner, or around steps or ladders. These are usually areas of your pool where the circulation is poor. This means little or no freshwater, algaecide, or sanitizer gets there.

You wont find it as much in pools with vinyl or fiberglass liners. Instead, it prefers rough surfaces such as concrete, gunite, or plaster pools because they have porous surfaces the organism can stick to. The bacteria even shoots its roots down into cracks, making it even harder to eradicate.

Check The Filter And Ph Level

Hilifebox Mold Remover Gel

Go back to the first two steps to ensure that the pool is in a better state now. Check your filter if it is working correctly or if it is clean now.

To be sure, use chemical cleaners on the filter to clear out the mold that passed through it. Lastly, test your pool waters alkalinity, pH level, and sanitizer level.

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Black Spot In Fibreglass Swimming Pools

It is very uncommon for black spot algae to form in a fibreglass pool. This is because black spot algae cannot attach to fibreglass pools surfaces because the surface is smooth and difficult to penetrate. For this reason, black spot is not able to get properly embedded in your pool as it does in pebble pools. Although black spots may look exactly like black spot algae, most times it is not an algae but mineral and metal deposits in the form of black dots. The picture shows what black spot algae in a fibreglass pool can look like.

Black spots in fibreglass pools are either osmosis or mineral deposits from pool salts or algaecides. These spots can be usually be removed with our stain treatment products. So dont be fooled, it is very likely that an algaecide designed to kill black spots will do absolutely nothing at all to remove the spots. This is because the spots are not algae. In fact, treating these spots with an algaecide will make them worse!

Brush Your Pool Again And Again

Brush your pool at least 3 to 4 times a week, concentrating on where you first spotted the algae. Remember, black algae has deep roots that can be embedded into your pool walls. It may look like its gone, but its probably still there. Just keep brushing. Continue brushing for several days after you see it starting to dissipate.

This is, however, not a guarantee. Black algae is relentless and could continue to infect your water. If it does, you know how to kill it, just be more aggressive next time. Perhaps consider an additional dose of acid and chlorine and constant brushing.

Donât forget to use some Black Spot Remover to make sure that the not only does the black algae brush off easier, but they stay off as well.

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Why Pool Decks Turn Green And Black

What is that green and black stuff growing on my pool deck? This is a question pool owners often ask. This article will help you identify and remove pool deck discoloration, as well as minimize the likelihood of future discoloration.

Biological Growth Types

The majority of unsightly green and black spots on pool decks are the result of biological growths in the form of algae, molds, lichens and mosses, and plants such as ivy and grasses. Lets take a look at each:

Removal of Biological Growth

Regardless of the type of biological growth, removal requires the use of biocide cleaning chemicals, such as peroxide, bleach, or other biocides. Here is a basic cleaning procedure that is recommended to remove these growths. Be sure to carefully read the directions on chemicals and take all necessary precautions. Wear gloves and protective clothing. A mask is recommended, since some mold and algae can emit spores that can be harmful to your respiratory system.

Algae is best removed when it is dry since the spores are more likely to become airborne when wet. Allow the surface to fully dry, or expedite the drying process with a fan. Remove as much algae as possible by scraping or scrubbing with a stiff broom or brush.

A pressure washer can be used to remove the remaining biological growth, but there are a few additional precautions and recommendations:

  • Do not use high pressure. Test the pressure in a non-conspicuous area to make sure you are not damaging the stone or masonry.
  • Prevention

    For Stains At The Water Line:

    Easiest and Best Black Algae removal from pool

    Wet & Forget will remove mold, mildew or algae stains without harming your pools vinyl liner. To clean, lower the water level of the pool until the whole stain is exposed to the air.

    Allow the affected are to dry completely. Spray the stained area with a solution of 1 part Wet & Forget and 5 parts water. Allow 4 to 5 hours for the surface to dry completely, and then raise the pools water to the desired level.

    Because Wet & Forget is a gentle, nearly pH-neutral product, any overspray will not change your pools pH.

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    What Is Green Algae

    And how do you tell it apart from moss, mold, and mildew?

    Algae is a slimy, green film that grows on wood in wet, dark conditions. Moss is also green and grows in similar conditions, but is soft and fuzzy to the touch. Mold is a fungus that appears on wood as greenish-black streaks. Untreated, mold spores can pose a health risk to people and pets when inhaled.

    While algae, moss, and mold are different, they are all equally harmful to your deck and should be treated right away.

    What If Its Not Hot Tub Mold

    White water mold is pretty distinctive in its look, but there are a few other water issues you might confuse it with:

    • Scum.Hot tub scum gives the water an oily look and feel, and you may notice deposits of it building up at the waterline. Scum comes in lovely shades such as brown, green and aqua. These colors tint the tub due to water issues ranging from high metal content, to ineffective sanitizers or compromised filters.
    • Calcium scaling.Hot tub scale is a condition that leaves a chalky, white residue on the tubs surfaces. This is due to a high level of calcium in the water, which at some point falls out of solution. At times, the calcium can flake off the surfaces and float in the tub, which can be mistaken for white water mold. Fixing these water issues usually requires draining and full cleaning of the spa.
    • Algae blooms.Algae is brought on by a highly contaminated environment. If the sanitizer is no longer adequate, and enough time passes, algae is sure to form in your hot tub. You can help prevent it by adding an algaecide to your tub every week. If the algae problem is substantial, you should fully drain and scrub the tub to remove it.

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