Algae Types in 60 Seconds: Green, Yellow, and Black
Not all algae is the same problem wearing different colors. Green algae is the one everybody knows, and it moves fast. After heat, rain, or a busy swim weekend, the whole pool can cloud up overnight. The good news is it brushes right off the walls, and a proper shock usually knocks it out.
Yellow algae is the mustard color, and it plays a sneakier trick. It clings to shady walls and steps like dust, and it brushes away easy. But skip the stronger treatment this one needs, and it will creep right back in a day or two. And it travels, so wash the brushes, poles, and pool toys well, or you will seed it right back in.
Black Algae: The Stubborn One
Black algae is the stubborn one. Those dark spots are only the heads, and the roots dig down into the plaster. Scrubbing the heads off with a wire brush is part of the cure.
One rule covers all three: brush first, then treat, because algae grows under a protective film. When spots keep coming back, same place every time, that is your tell. Match the fix to the color, and the pool stops fighting you.
Key Takeaways
Green algae moves fast after heat, rain, or a busy swim weekend and can cloud the whole pool overnight, but it brushes right off the walls and a proper shock usually knocks it out.
Yellow (mustard) algae clings to shady walls and steps like dust; it brushes away easy but creeps back in a day or two without its own stronger treatment.
Yellow algae travels, so brushes, poles, and pool toys need washing too, or it gets seeded right back in.
Black algae's dark spots are only the heads; the roots dig down into the plaster, and scrubbing the heads off with a wire brush is part of the cure.
One rule covers all three: brush first, then treat, because algae grows under a protective film; spots that keep coming back in the same place are the tell.
Comments