DIY Tips

Prevent algae before it occurs

12 October 2014

Summer is finally on its way! While pool owners all over the nation rejoice that they can soon enjoy increased sunshine and daylight hours around their pool, you may also be wary of the potential problems this change in temperature can cause.

Prevent algae before it occurs

Warmer weather can drive growth in the nasties in your pool, particularly algal blooms! Prevention is better than a cure, so here’s our handy hints for preventing an algae growth before it occurs.

Keep it clean
It may seem basic, but keeping your pool clean and free of dirt and debris really is one of the first steps to preventing algae growth. These things bring in phosphates, nasties that provide food for algae and encourage them to multiply.
Fish out bigger bits of plant material with a good old fashioned scoop, and let your filter remove the finer particles.

Circulation is key
Keeping your pool water properly circulating is a strong prevention technique to use against algae. Algae often occurs when pool water becomes stagnant. Prevent this by running your pump for at least a four hours a day, and ensure your filter is efficiently removing dirt and debris.

That’s shocking
Shocking your pool every few weeks is a good way to prevent any problems from getting out of hand. This raises the levels of sanitiser to extreme levels for a short period of time, which kills any potentially harmful bacteria in your pool water. This can stop an algal bloom from beginning in the first place.

Regular treatment
Treating your pool with regular doses of algaecide works to prevent algal spores from progressing into full on blooms that take over your whole pool and are hard to get rid of! Stock up on your preferred algaecide treatment and keep it handy so you never have an excuse to skip a treatment.

Watch it

Although some algae seems to spring up overnight, keep an eye on your pool for any changes in colour, or cloudiness, as this can be a key indicator that something isn’t right in your pool. It also doesn’t hurt to check the water balance for pH issues or mineral imbalances; these things can spur on algal growth.

 

Other articles in this edition:

Spring clean your pool

Bright, sporty and daring

Cool pools

A leafy problem

Explore More Stories

GET THE BEST PUMP FOR YOUR POOL WITH SWIMART’S PRODUCT GUIDE
BE WATER SMART THIS SUMMER WITH SWIMART’S TOP 6 TIPS
Get the best pump for your pool with Swimart’s product guide. Includes energy saving models that reduce power bills.
Replace your old halogen pool light with Britestream LEDs and slash your power consumption by 85%! Now 20% off RRP at Swimart.
Here’s how to pep up your pool after a long hot summer or prolonged periods of rain.