Algae Solutions Headquarters

The most common type of pool algae, green algae thrives in warm, sunny, and stagnant water, especially when sanitizer levels are low. It’s green or blue-green in color and typically grows on pool walls, steps, and other surfaces. Green algae is the easiest type to kill.

Pro Tip: Brush your pool before adding chemicals to expose the algae’s roots and make treatment more effective.

Visit our blog for step-by-step guidance on removing green algae!

The cousin of green algae, yellow, or mustard algae, typically grows in shaded areas of the pool and enters the water via airborne spores or ground contamination. It’s often mistaken for sand, dirt, or pollen due to its yellow color and grainy texture. Yellow algae is chlorine-resistant, hard to kill, and can cause serious pool surface staining if not treated quickly.

Pro Tip: Brush the affected areas to loosen the algae’s hold on your pool surfaces and push it out into the water. Use a wire-bristled brush on plaster, gunite, or concrete pool surfaces. If you have a vinyl-lined, pebble, or quartz pool, use a softer nylon brush.

Visit our blog for step-by-step guidance on removing yellow algae!

The most persistent and difficult type of algae to kill, black algae is technically not an algae, but a form of bacteria. Black algae generally comes from natural bodies of water like lakes or rivers and thrives in pebble, plaster, and gunite pools where it can take root in the surface. It typically appears as dark, dime-sized spots on the pool floor and walls.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Black algae produces cyanotoxins that can be very harmful. NEVER swim in a pool with any visible black algae.

Pro Tip: Brushing to remove the protective outer layer is key to killing black algae. Use a wire-bristled brush or a chlorine tab holder on plaster, gunite, or concrete pool surfaces. If you have a vinyl-lined, pebble, or quartz pool, use a softer nylon brush.

Visit our blog for step-by-step guidance on removing black algae!

When it comes to pool algae, preventing it in the first place is always the easier and less-expensive route. Being proactive with your pool maintenance and water testing is key to keeping your water clean and blue. Incorporating these products into your pool care routine will save you time and money in the long run.

Pro Tip: Once the phosphate level is at or below 100 ppb, use Leslie’s Perfect Weekly to help keep problem-causing phosphates under control. Add one capful per 8,000 gallons of water each week to your pool skimmer with the pump running.