Swimming Pool Algaecides & Algaestats

Good morning class, please take your seats. Today we take a closer look at algaecides and algaestats.

Algae-cide, draws its meaning from the Latin to kill. Algae-stat is from Greek, meaning to stand.

In practice, many pool algaecides also function as an algaestat, but not always the other way around.

Let’s look at the chemical make-up of some popular pool algaecides, and pool treatments that behave as an algaestat, controlling algae growth.

ALGAECIDES

– Used to Kill visible and active algae colonies.

Copper: Copper is a powerful disinfectant that kills and controls algae of all types. Elemental copper is suspended in a chelated formula, to keep the copper in solution. Super Algaecide is our 7% copper blend, and we also stronger mineral treatment products.

Poly Quats: Adding long polymer chains to the formula maintains protection against future algae blooms, giving our Algaecide 60 Plus and Algae Clear algaestats in addition to their algae killing properties.

Chlorine Boosters: These are salts of EDTA and ammonium sulfates. Added to the pool before shocking, monochloramines are created, killing most forms of pool algae. See Green to Clean and Yellow Out.

ALGAESTATS

– Used to Prevent algae spores from colonizing.

Quats: Quaternary Ammonium compounds are long alkyl chains that are formed from amines and chlorides. We have 10% and a 50% quaternary algaecides for economical algae prevention. In high enough doses, they can also have algaecidal properties.

Phosphate Removers: Phosphates can enter into the water from soil, rain, lawn clippings, fertilizers and are a tasty food for most algae types. Pools with repeated algae blooms can now test for Phosphates, and use products like SeaKlear phosphate remover or Phos Free.

Borates: Products that contain borate salts like potassium tetraborate wage an attack at what algae needs to survive. By removing C02 from the water, it creates a difficult environment for algae to grow.

Bromides: Products like Brom Booster or United Chemicals No Mor Problems make use of sodium bromide to act as a defense against algae blooms, with some continual periods of oxidation.

Pool Covers that block sunlight could also be considered an algaestat, as would good filtration. Chlorine is a great Algaecide, I like to say – and in sufficient dosages to reach 30 ppm, using pool shock alone, with proper pH, is a popular treatment.