One of the sweet benefits of owning a pool is that it has an almost magical ability to introduce regular fitness into your life. But what happens if you have a pool, you’re ready to work your entire body, and you can’t swim in your swimming pool because it has turned yellow? A yellow pool kills the pool fun!
Yellow pool doesn’t necessarily mean you have a mustard-colored pool due to algae. It only means your pool is infested with yellow algae which develops when you have an unbalanced pool water chemistry. This usually happens due to filter and pump problems or environmental factors.
If your pool filtration system only runs for a few hours every day, it cannot clean the entire pool. Also, if your pool is constantly exposed to heavy rains combined with sunlight, your pool chemistry gets ruined. All of these provide the right environment for algae growth, a culprit in making your pool yellow.
Why is my pool yellow?
When your pool has an altered pH level, there’s a chance that algae are thriving around the corner. And yellow algae are the class of algae that can be found in almost any wetland habitat, like in your swimming pool.
With yellow algae, the color can be yellow-green or even brown. These are commonly mistaken as dirt or sand. They cling on pool surfaces, such as the walls or bottom of the pool, making your pool yellow. They also persist on pool lights, wall fittings, ladders, and filters.
What does yellow algae look like in a pool?
Yellow algae grow in shaded areas like the bottom or sides of your pool. To identify them, you will see a ‘dirt’ clinging to the walls, but the pool water around it isn’t cloudy. It only gets muddy after brushing this supposed “dirt.”
Yellow algae also have a dry, powdery surface easily confused as pool stains. But unlike stain, yellow algae disappears with a few brush strokes or fades after sprinkling or scattering granular chlorine over it. Lastly, unlike green algae, they do not float in the water and are not slimy as opposed to black algae.
Is it OK to swim even if your pool is yellow?
No. Whether mild or severe, literally no one recommends swimming in a yellow pool. Yellow algae attract harmful bacteria like E. Coli to feed on them. Overgrowth of algae in your swimming pool harbors harmful bacteria that harm swimmers.
Accidentally ingesting water with bacteria and algae can cause fever, diarrhea, and other symptoms associated with having an infection. Also, it can cause rashes and breaks in the skin, which can expose you to more severe conditions later on. For that reason, you need a yellow algae treatment for pool as soon as you discover them in your pool.
How to get rid of yellow algae in pool?
Step 1: Laundry your bathing suits that algae are possibly clinging to life.
Step 2: Wipe down your pool toys, ladders, wall fittings with chlorine-based cleaner using a cloth.
Step 3: Before doing a pool shock, throw your bulky swimming pool gears in the pool to disinfect your pool water and swimming pool equipment simultaneously.
Step 4: Do a good brushing and vacuuming around the pool area.
Step 5: Test the balance of your pool water.
Step 6: Repeat the steps until you get the right pool water chemistry.
What is the best yellow algae remover?
Understanding what causes algae growth is essential to preventing and controlling it because yellow algae can be caused by several factors like poor filtration, out-of-balance water, low or inconsistent chlorine levels, or poor water circulation. Thus, If you’re trying to get rid of algae quickly and prevent it from returning, choose the right product based on these aspects on top of your pool type, your budget, and your specific algaecide needs.
Here’s a quick yellow algae removal tips and buying guides:
1. Clean your pool filter because the last thing you want is a dirty filter adding algae spores back into your yellow pool.
2. Shock your pool with a chlorine level of between 10 ppm and 30 ppm to make sure you remove yellow stains on pool wall. Sustain it for 8 to 24 hours, depending on the product’s instruction of use.
3. Choose an algaecide containing 60% polyquaternium WSCP, an active ingredient that effectively removes all algae spots in pool, hot tubs, and spas.
4. Use a non-foaming algae killer if you don’t want to worry about purchasing a foam-stopper after. It is also not metallic or corrosive, meaning it won’t damage your pool’s finish or equipment.
Not all swimming situations are safe, and some can land you in the emergency room if you’re an irresponsible pool owner. You must remember that a yellow pool problem is no joke at all. It’s critical to address this algal problem as soon as possible because yellow algae or mustard algae can certainly proliferate almost overnight.
Read also Ozonators for Pools is the Trend Now