What it is & what it looks like:
a naturally occurring single-cell plant form
colors range from green to blue-green to black to yellow-green (mustard)
some species form a heavy, protective slime coating providing the algae with an unusually high level of protection against chlorine
is very resilient against halogen-based (chlorine, bromine) & non-halogen sanitizers or germicides
can remain a contaminant even after treatment
some algae will attach itself to the pool surface, allowing it to re-contaminate long after it appears that it has been destroyed (includes pool toys, floats, ladders, steps, fountains, automatic pool cleaner parts, skimmer baskets, weirs, directional fittings, garden hoses, etc.) small quantities can lead to a re-establishment of the problem
caused by improper water & pool maintenance, environment, poor circulation
prefers areas that are "dark" (not exposed to direct sunlight) & with "slow moving" water
certain strains of algae have "mutated" & therefore need to be treated much more aggressively than in the past
algae will almost always occur when pool water is allowed to go "out of balance"

Prevention:
Prevention of any type of algae is preferred over treatment. Follow these steps to help prevent algae:
1. Physically brush & clean ALL Pool surfaces weekly, including ladder steps (especially underneath each step) & rails
2. Expose ALL pool surfaces to as much sunlight as possible (sunlight & UV are natural oxidizers)
3. Remove the lid from the skimmer to allow sunlight into the basket for several hours each day ** INGROUND POOLS MUST USE EXTREME CAUTION in doing this in order to avoid a person falling into or otherwise injuring themselves due to an open skimmer.
4. Regularly add oxidizing chemicals into the skimmer to purge & clean the filtration lines of any bio-film* Download a FREE brochure to learn about shocking.
5. When adding make-up water from the garden hose, allow the water to run for 2 to 3 minutes before putting the hose into the pool.
6. Regularly clean pool toys & floats (use Stow Away)
7. Regularly clean pool solar blanket (use Stow Away)
8. Chemically clean pool filter every 4 to 6 weeks (use Strip Kwik, Kleen It or SoftSwim® Filter Cleaner)
9. Add regular Maintenance dosages of "Shock" & Algicide every 2 to 3 weeks as prescribed
10. Use Optimizer Plus® as a preventative measure
11. Use products like Natural Chemistry Phos Free or Pool Perfect with Phos Free take away one of the important "foods" for algae growth.
11. Run the filter a minimum of 12 hours daily to prevent "dead spots" in the pool
12. Remember to clean & rinse the brushes, hoses & vacuums that you use to clean the pool 13. Leave as much of your pool equipment exposed to the sun
14. Keep the water balanced at all times. Recheck after heavy usage or rain or large "top-offs" of new water. Water balance refers to Free Available Sanitizer level, pH, Total Alkalinity, Calcium Hardness.

Treatment:
Treatment of algae MUST BE QUICK AND TOTAL! DON'T SKIMP!
1. Clean all pool & affected surfaces as prescribed above.
2. Physically clean & remove all visible algae
3. Add an initial dosage of algicide to the pool*
4. "Shock" the pool with a triple or quadruple dose*
5. Run filter 24 hours daily until water is clear & halogen or peroxide levels are maintained at a "higher" level*
6. Chemically clean the filter
7. Bring in a fresh water sample about 4 days later for a retest & evaluation
8. Maintain Optimizer Plus® levels
9. Maintain good water balance of pH, Total Alkalinity & Calcium Hardness

*Follow the instructions given by your pool care specialist EXPLICITLY. Failure to do so could result in harm to you and/or your pool & its components.

Download & print a FREE brochure on Algae Treatment.

If you still need help, here's how to reach us:

Telephone (during store hours): Stratford  203-377-0100
FAX: (24 hrs) 203-375-7787
Email: techhelp@parpool-spa.com

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