| Test your water | | | | When shocking the pool with chlorine you must only |
| The only reason black algae has entered your pool is | | | | use calcium hypochlorite or sodium hypochlorite. These |
| because of your lack of chlorine. To prevent black | | | | 2 products are strictly chlorine and nothing else. You |
| algae from sneaking up on you you must constantly | | | | will need to know what size your pool is and follow the |
| check your water quality every day. You should be | | | | manufacturers directions to do this effectively. It is also |
| doing this anyway. You need to test for chlorine, ph, | | | | a good idea to add your shock dose closest to the |
| alkalinity, calcium hardness, stabilizer, etc. You may only | | | | most affected areas. |
| be able to test for a small amount of these things | | | | Brush the walls |
| from your home test kit. I do recommend you take a | | | | Because blackspot algae forms a protective barrier |
| water Sample to your local pool store and get it | | | | around itself you need to brush the affected areas |
| professionally tested. Any decent pool store will be | | | | really hard with a stiff brush. So that the added |
| offering free water tests anyway. | | | | chemicals (chlorine and Algaecide) can do the job. |
| Adjust your water | | | | Circulate water better |
| Once you know what your water is like you can then | | | | Blackspot usually turns up in areas where there is lack |
| add the chemicals to adjust your pool to the correct | | | | of water circulation. Do your best to direct your water |
| levels. I can't go into whole lot of details in this article | | | | return jets in a way that moves the most amount of |
| but I will tell you what your levels should be. I'm going to | | | | water around. I find that if you direct the jets to make |
| give you ballpark figures. This will depend on what type | | | | the pool whirlpool the water around is the best way to |
| of surface your pool has, but you can use these | | | | go. |
| figures below. | | | | Attack black algae head-on |
| Chlorine 2.0-4.0pH 7.4-7.8 | | | | Like I said before...blackspot algae forms a protective |
| Total Alkalinity 80-120 | | | | barrier around itself. So you will have to regularly brush |
| Calcium Hardness 200-500 | | | | off the top of the algae and add your chlorine while it |
| Stabilizer 50-80 | | | | is exposed. Another great tip is to sprinkle chlorine |
| Add an algaecide | | | | granules directly onto the affected areas and let it sit |
| Blackspot algae is very chlorine resistant. You need to | | | | and burn off the black spot. You can also rub a |
| add an algaecide to the water to offer another angle | | | | chlorine tablet onto the blackspot after you have |
| of attack. AAlgaecides are specifically designed to kill | | | | brushed it. Make sure you wear gloves. |
| and prevent algae. So it's a good idea to have an | | | | Rinse and repeat |
| Algaecide in the water at all times. If you haven't got | | | | Just keep testing and adjusting the water, scrubbing |
| an Algaecide in the water now, you'd better put one in | | | | the blackspot and adding chlorine as close as you can |
| right away. Find one that is copper-based as they are | | | | get. And you will eventually get rid of it! And don't |
| usually the best ones to use. For best results pour the | | | | worry...It will go, but it will depend how bad the algae is |
| Algaecide directly on to the affected areas. | | | | as to how fast it will go. Water balance and scrubbing |
| Shock the pool... | | | | are the best thing you can do in this case. |