While we love our swimming pools and are prepared for the elbow grease required to keep them blue and shiny, there are a host of lurgies which seem determined to make our lives as difficult as possible. Black algae are one of these.

Have you noticed little black spots forming on parts of your swimming pool which look a little like mould? 

You may have black algae in your pool.

What are black algae?

We are familiar with algae and have already chatted about what they are, but black algae are something completely different. 

Black alga is a single-celled organism called cyanobacteria which grow in colonies. Like regular algae, they contain chlorophyll, but they also contain other pigments which make them take on a darker hue.

They are resistant to the chemicals which we would usually use to treat algae in our pools and are pretty difficult to get rid of.

Are black algae dangerous?

Black algae are more of a nuisance than a danger, in that they are stubborn and require some serious chemical interference to get rid of. 

However, they are not as benign as your garden-variety algae because they can harbour pathogens. 

For example, E.coli is a harmful bacteria which can cause illness and is, in fact, the most common cause of sickness in swimmers. E. coli is attracted to black algae like a magnet and can hide safely from the sanitising chemicals in the water. 

Besides being unsanitary it is unsightly and we’re sure you’re eager to get rid of it.

You’re going to need to prepare for some serious chemical magic and more than a little hard work to get rid of the black algae, but what you need will vary depending on your pool setup.

We’d love to help so give us a call on 011 793-1381 and chat to our friendly team.