Preventing algae is the main purpose of using an algaecide: it kills algae, but it is better to use it as a preventive measure against starting algae and growing in the pool. Algaecide should be added after every shock treatment. Sometimes it’s necessary to add it first if your pool is already green. How long after adding algaecide can you shock?
While shocking and adding algaecide is effective in getting rid of algae, it should not be done together. When you mix chlorine and algaecide, it renders both of them useless. You should first shock the pool and wait for the chlorine level to become normal (1-3 ppm), after 24 hrs or so, and then add an algaecide.
Algaecide should be added to your pool water once per week along with shocking your pool with chlorine as a regular maintenance program for preventive measures against algae blooming in the pool water. Algaecide should be added after every shock treatment.
How Long After Adding Algaecide Can You Shock
Normally how long the algaecide takes to treat the swimming pool all depends on how much algae is in the pool. It is critical to understand that using pool shock and algaecide together can cause bad chemical reactions if the necessary precautions are not taken. Since your chlorine levels will not return to normal right after you shock your pool, most pool supply stores recommend waiting at least 24 hours to add algaecide.
Algaecide should always be added after Shock. Shock is considered complete only when your pool loses less than 1 ppm of chlorine overnight. Add algaecide only after the chlorine level has dropped to 5 ppm or less. High levels of chlorine make the active ingredients of algaecide ineffective.
Algae are extremely small living organisms. Algae are not bacteria or from the animal kingdom. Algae are extremely small aquatic plants, capable of photosynthesis. Algae reproduce using spores. Algae spores are in the atmosphere all the time. They move around with the wind currents.
When it rains, the algae spores in the atmosphere can attach themselves to the raindrops. This is one of the ways algae can enter your pool because of rain. The rain also brings phosphates, nitrates, and organic matter with it, which are nutrients for algae.
Which Chemical Do You Add First Algaecide or Shock?
You should first shock/super chlorinate your pool to levels above 5 ppm-scrub the walls & floor of your pool then wait for the chlorine levels to fall below 5 PPM. When they do, add algaecide to your pool..…………………………………………………. Read more
After You Add Algaecide to Pool Water
After adding Algaecide to your pool take advantage of the time the Algaecide needs to work by cleaning and scrubbing the pool walls and floors.
Algaecide can kill algae, but it is best used as a preventative measure. Its main advantage is that it does not change the pH of the water, but at the same time, it prevents algae from growing and developing in your pool. What’s more, the algaecide works in tandem with a chlorine sanitizer to keep pH levels balanced.
You do not need to wait for your pool to go green before you Shock it. In fact, you should Shock your pool every week. Under no circumstances should you wait longer than two weeks. But what about Algaecide?
It is best to wait at least 24 hours after adding the algaecide aftershock. This is enough time for the algaecide to be fully dissipated and become effective. More importantly, the chlorine level would have dropped to below 4 ppm.
Adding Algaecide with Pool Filter on
Add the algaecide around the outside edge of the pool. Turn on the pool pump and circulate the water for one hour or more. Run the pH test again. Readjust the pH if necessary to bring it into the 7.4 to 7.6 range. Circulate the water for one hour after adding chemicals. Now is the best time to scrub the pool.
- Use a telescoping pool brush and scrub the pool walls
- Pool floor
- Steps adders and fixtures like the pool light lens
- Besides cleaning the brush will help mix the algaecide throughout the pool
Pool Chemicals-Shocking-Algaecide
If you add too much algaecide, foam appears, but note that it will dissipate over time. The algaecide will slowly fade due to chlorine, so you can shock the pool with higher chlorine levels to speed up the process. Don’t worry: even if you do not do this, the algaecide will disappear in about a week, or two at the most
After you add an algaecide to your pool, you should brush the walls and floor of the pool with a nylon brush. This will help loosen any algae that are attached to surfaces and make it easier for the algaecide to kill it. You should also run your filter for at least 8 hours after adding an algaecide to help remove any dead algae from your water.
It’s important to remember that algae can come back quickly, so once you get rid of it, be sure to take steps to prevent it from coming back. This includes keeping your pool clean, running your filter regularly, and using an algaecide on a regular basis.
If you add too much algaecide, foam appears, but note that it will dissipate over time. The algaecide will slowly fade due to chlorine, so you can shock the pool with higher chlorine levels to speed up the process. Don’t worry: even if you do not do this, the algaecide will disappear in about a week, or two at the most.
Does algaecide affect alkalinity?
Algaecide does affect pool chemistry by killing algae and reducing the alkalinity level of your pool. If the alkalinity of your pool is less than 80 ppm, after shocking and adding an algaecide, you will need to ………………………………………………………… Read more
JimGalloway Author /Editor
