A lesson in Algae, tis the season!
 
With warm...okay lets face it, HOT weather approaching the Dallas area, it's time to think about algae.
 
While there are 21,000 known kinds of algae only 3 categories grow in pools and spas but these three categories include 40 to 50 specific kinds of algae.
 
The three categories include Cyanophyta - blue green algae that looks black, Chlorophyta - green algae that looks green and Phaeophyta - brown algae that looks yellow and is commonly referred to a "mustard algae."
 
Algae is a type of plant and needs a food source and light to survive.  Algae will produce food through photosynthesis as long as there is light.
 
The negatives of algae in the pool environment are that it's slippery, harbors harmful organisms (even though it won't make you sick on it's own, it's the bacteria that it harbors that can), causing cloudy water is unsafe if you could not see a child at the bottom of the pool, raises pH of water, creates a high demand for chlorine, and makes water look very uninviting.
 
Chlorine is the best way to kill algae is to poison it and the most common way to do that in a pool and spa is with chlorine.  Keeping a pool circulation, filtering, brushed, vacuumed, and with balanced chemistry should keep it free of algae.  It's very important especially here in the Dallas area to run the pool long enough each day, we recommend a good 9 hours per day in the summer and try to cover the hottest part of the day like maybe 9 or 10 am until 6 pm. 
 
Then keep in mind that many changes in the pool environment can cause a need for shocking, or rebalancing chemistry to ensure that algae does not grow.  This may be extra swimmers (a pool party), fertilizing the lawn, mowing the lawn, new landscaping, windstorms, heavy rains, mud slides, painting the house, construction, brush fires, or changes in chemicals being used in the pool.  Some of these items will introduce the phosphates that the algae will feed on and start to grow.  As a pool service company we ask that clients notify us of changes like these or if they are having a big pool party so that we can make sure the chemical balance is able to handle the changes and is reregulated.
 
Once the pool has algae a process needs to be followed to get the pool back in shape.  This usually involves several days of removing debris, a good shock treatment, brushing, vacuuming, and testing until the chemistry is perfected and the pool is clear. (See green pools)
 

Texas Oasis Pool Service & Repair
9720 Coit Rd. Ste 220146
Plano, TX 75025
214-532-7971
Fax: 214-407-8044
www.texasoasispoolservice.com