Clean with swimming pool vacuums

Responsible swimmers all employ the use of some sort of swimming pool filter to keep dirt, leaves and other debris to a minimum. But, despite filters, swimming pool vacuums, skimmers, chemicals and other swimming pool cleaning equipment, persistent algae can still gain a foothold in the cleanest pools.

If algae has gotten out of control in your in-ground or above-ground, start the eradication process with a shock treatment. Because green algae is the most common swimming pool care hassle, we'll refer to it in our instructions for algae cleanup.

First, prepare the water and all surfaces for treatment by scrubbing and brushing to loosen algae. Use skimmers or swimming pool vacuums to remove as much loose algae from the water as possible. Next, shock the water with a high chlorine concentration to kill the existing algae. A typical shock dosage is 1 lb. of granules per 7,500 gallons - which should be dissolved in a bucket of water before it's poured in - but always follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Only when algae is completely dead can you begin the cleanup and recovery process and enjoy the water once again.

Be sure to have the filtration system running at the time the shock chemical is added and keep it running around the clock until a frequently cleaned swimming pool filter no longer shows green algae. (Dead algae turns gray or white). A continued finding of green algae in the filtration system could necessitate a second round of shock chemicals. Note: Don't neglect to thoroughly clean out the filtration system; otherwise, live algae growing deep within the system could repopulate the water with sheets of green slime in no time at all.