Black Algae Cleanup – Before and After!

We consider black algae to be the black plague of swimming pools; if it gets into an old, cracked plaster pool, it’s virtually impossible to get rid of. If you find black algae in your pool, it needs to be treated ASAP. The summer heat and humidity of the monsoon season makes algae grow explosively—it can take over a pool in a matter of days.

Black algae feels like a slimy, mossy raised surface. When you scrape it with your fingernail or a wire brush, the surface of it comes off, leaving a dark stain. This surface must be removed to kill the algae, which is one of the reasons black algae is so difficult to get rid of.

1. The simplest solution for treating black algae on a tile line is to rub a chlorine tab over the algae’s surface, and then wire brush the algae after the chlorine has killed it.

2. Regular wire brushing over any black algae spots is very important for preventing further growth.

3. Call the office if the problem gets out of hand—we treat small outbreaks of black algae using an algaecide and by raising the chlorine level of the pool at the same time. If the problem persists or worsens, we chlorine wash the pool, which usually does the trick. We can’t guarantee that a chlorine wash will remove stains caused by black algae, but it usually stops the outbreak.