Salt Water Intex Swimming Pool System (Pool Size 18x48)..Algae Problem..

by Kim Brewer
(New Brunswick, Canada)

We set up our pool the other day and got all the pumps working correctly. The next morning I noticed that the swimming pool was plastered with green algae.

I poured the directed amount of saltwater pool algaecide into the pool hoping that this will solve the problem.

How long does this process take and what else can we do?

Thank you kindly

Yours truly

Kim Brewer

Thanks for your question Kim

The best thing you can use that will kill green pool algae is pool chlorine. Algaecides are for preventative maintenance only, not to get rid of green pool water. Once you have swimming pool algae, the best thing you can do is to shock your pool.

You can go here for those links. It wasn't mentioned how many gallons your pool is, but there's a chlorine chart to give you how much pool shock you need.

Adjust Your Swimming Pool Chlorine..Chemistry..Salt Water Maintenance..Inground

Swimming Pool Shock..How To.. Calcium Hypochlorite..Chlorine..Care..Maintenance

Remove Swimming Pool Algae..Green..Chemistry..Care..

I would highly recommend you get a Taylor Reagent FAS-DPD K-2006 test kit. It's the one I use and the most preferred by pool professionals.

Water Testing Kit..FAQ..Chemistry Testing..Procedures..Balance..Swimming..

With a salt water pool, you probably have some kind of chlorine generator or cell. Be sure to turn that off before shocking the pool.

Salt Water Swimming Pools..Chlorinator..Maintenance Guide

You need to bring the chlorine up to a minimum of 10ppm - 12ppm. I normally go a little over, to 15ppm, because if you don't hit the pool algae hard, it will come back.

Go a little over just to be sure you hit the mark.

The above links will give you all you need to get your pool back in shape.

After you shock the pool you might notice the chlorine is gone within a day or so. This is normal as the algae has soaked up all the pool chlorine. You'll want to initially keep your chlorine level up around 5ppm - 8ppm to ensure the pool algae doesn't some back. Once the green pool water is gone, you can go back to a normal chlorine level of 1.5ppm - 3.5ppm.

Keep your cyanuric acid level between 20ppm - 40ppm. The FAS-DPD kit has that test.

Hope this helps and let me know the progress you make. Other pool owners will have the same issue.

Best of luck

Robert