Today we’re going to talk about the ultimate fear of many pool owners in Australia: Algae! While algae can be prevented by a proper pool maintenance routine, there will be times when algae will just pop up and just take over our pool, with the worst-case scenario being a green and swampy pool!

We’ve talked about pool algae in detail before in our Ultimate Guide to Pool Algae here and now, we’re going to talk about the different types of pool chemicals that are used for prevention and cure! You may be asking yourself, “Do I need to read both articles?” nope! If you want a better understanding of how algae forms and what to do about them, then you can dive into the Ultimate guide to pool algae article. But if you just want to grab the right pool chemical for treatment then you’ll only need this guide!

The first chemical we’re featuring today is the Lo-Chlor Black Spot Algaecide. This is first and foremost because black spot algae is probably the toughest type of algae to deal with. Shocking the pool and copious amounts of scrubbing take out black spot algae, but chances are, it will be back in a few days or weeks because of the deep rooted, well, roots of the algae still lurking beneath your pool’s surface. Using a specialized black spot removal chemica l like the Lo-Chlor Black Spot Algae killer will not only make the removal of visible black spot algae easier, but it will kill off all of the invisible roots as well!

P.S. If you’re using an Ioniser or the Nature2 system, then you may need a more specialized chemical like the Black Spot 900

The next chemical we have on the list of algae removers is the Lo-Chlor Pool Algaecide. While it may sound like a generic algaecide (it’s not!) this one is actually for treatment of green algae, your most common pool algae. The reason why we’re featuring this is because the Lo-Chlor algaecide can be used the whole year round both as treatment AND cure! Regular dosing with the Lo-Chlor algaecide can and will prevent any significant outbreaks in your pool!

Next up, we have the Lo-Chlor Miraclear Algaecide. This is basically the same as the Lo-Chlor Algaecide, but with an added clarifier component! This eliminates the need for an additional clarifier to be added to your pool for sparkling pool water!

We have a couple of variants when it comes to phosphate removal. As a quick recap, phosphates are algae food, and no food means that algae will starve, which brings us to our aptly named Lo-Chlor Starver chemicals! The two variants available, your regular Starver M and the super-concentrated Starver X. For phosphate levels below 2PPM, the Starver M is the recommended phosphate remover and a weekly dosage of 250ml for every 50,000L of pool water is more than enough to keep your pool phosphate-free so that your algaecides can kill off any algae easily.

If your phosphate levels are above 2PPM then an initial dosage of 1L of Starver X is needed to quickly bring those levels down before proceeding with a regular maintenance regimen of the Starver M.

Whether you’ve closed your pool over the winter or if you’re using a heat pump to extend your swimming season, the Lo-Chlor Winteriser algaecide has been specifically formulated to last for at least 3 months to prevent any algae blooms over the winter. For sure you can use the regular algaecide over the winter, but why would you want to? The winteriser algaecide from Lo-Chlor is a single dose! I mean, if you enjoy adding algaecide on a monthly basis over the winter then sure, but if you just want a single dose and be done with it then the Lo-Chlor winteriser algaecide is the way to go!

We’ve obviously saved the best for last when it comes to algae prevention and removal. The Tropiclear Algaecide kills off all types of algae, from green algae, blackspot, mustard, and even pink algae with ease! This was originally developed for the harsh climates of Queensland, but it’s quickly becoming the benchmark of what an algaecide should be! Because of its potency, there are some special precautions that should be taken when using the Tropiclear:

• Do not superchlorinate/shock the pool 48 hours before AND after using the Lo-Chlor Tropiclear algaecide
• Do NOT use the Tropiclear if you’re using an ioniser or the Nature2 system, if you do, then a combination of the Miraclear Algaecide and the Black Spot 900 is the way to go.
• After using the Tropiclear, check your phosphate levels and treat with the appropriate Starver chemical to prevent future outbreaks
• The best pH range to use the Tropiclear: 7.0 to 7.2
• If you’re using a salt chlorinator, gas bubbles may form, but this is only temporary and will dissipate within a week. No need to panic.

As you can see, there's a specific chemical for each specific need! Getting the right one for the job not only makes treating and curing algae an ease, but it also saves you money in the long term since you're not going to be wasting any chemical on treatments that don't work!