My Pool has gone green. What's Happening and How Do I fix it?

Green pool water is one common problem that plenty of pool owners encounter. There really is nothing worse than opening up your pool and finding that it is green. It could be that you have been away on vacation or that you have not used your pool in a while.

The cause of your green pool water is algae. This is a micro-organism that quickly grows in warm pool water but can be easily controlled and eliminated when you use the right pool chemicals. The first step that most pool owners take is to add chlorine which is one of the best sanitizers for pool water and stops algae from growing.

You need to stay on top of the level of chlorine that your pool contains because if you neglect it you may encounter an algae bloom that will make your water become very green. The effective level of chlorine should be three parts per million (3ppm).

Shocking Your Pool

In order to destroy the algae that has taken over and turned your pool that beautiful shade of green, you will need to “shock” your pool. This is the process of “superchlorinating” the water. The best time of the day to shock your pool is in the evening or at night when the sun is down.

The reason for this is that the sun will burn off the unstabilised chlorine in the shock much quicker than normal chlorine. Daytime shocking of your pool is simply not as effective. Unless you are using a stabilised chlorine.

You will need to dissolve the chlorine shock before you add it to your pool by dissolving it in a large bucket of warm water. Fill the bucket with warm water and then add the chlorine to it to fully dissolve the shock before adding it to your pool.

By dissolving the shock in advance you will ensure that it is the most effective that it can be and also that you will not bleach your pool liner.

How Much Chlorine Is Required To Shock?

The amount of chlorine to be used is based upon how many litres of water your pool holds and the strength of chlorine used.

Which Products Should you Use?

We offer a variety of excellent products that will eliminate algae and get your water back to normal in no time at all. Each of these is excellent and will get the job done:

1. Lo Chlor Pond and Fountain Algaecide and Clarifier – this product is used in ornamental ponds and fountains and does not contain chlorine. You will need about 50 ml for every 450 litres of water. One 500 ml bottle will treat 450 litres of water.
2. Lo-Chlor Winteriser Algaecide is a good product to keep your pool free of algae through the winter. You only need to use one treatment every three months.
3. Algon's Hotzone Algecide controls heavy algae growth including black and mustard algae. http://www.ozpoolsupplies.com.au/algons-hotzone-algaecide.html
4. Lo chlor blackspot 900 algaecide is used for white plaster or tiled pools (no liner) only. The product is applied directly onto blackspots and then scrubbed with a wire brush after 24 – 36 hours.
5. Lo Chlor Miraclear Algecide suitable for most pool types and green algae

Let us know if you need advice at any time.