Hot weather means more algae blooms

Algae blooms are not a unique subject matter to readers of this website. During last spring’s heavy rains we wrote about how excess moisture and materials can cause algae to bloom. While that remains true, excess moisture isn’t the only thing that can prompt algae blooms. Hot weather like we’ve seen recently can be a catalyst, too.

Despite the weather being dry (and very hot) we’ve gotten reports of algae accumulating in the pools of customers. So why is this happening?

How heat causes algae blooms

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So why is the algae blooming in this heat? If you’re looking for something to blame, just look straight up in the sky. Be sure to put on sunglasses though, as the sun is the primary culprit in the recent algae blooms. The strength of the sun, and the heat that it generates, eats up the chlorine in the pool. With the amount of chlorine lessened, dirt and phosphates can morph into algae and turn pool water murky and give it green, yellow, even dark colors. The hotter the air and the stronger the sun, the more likely that this event will happen.

So how can you minimize the effects of the sun and heat on algae blooms? The best way to do this is to pump up the amount of cynaric acid in your water. Cynaric acid serves as a stabilizer that protects disinfectants such as chlorine and allows them to do their work in keeping your pool clean and swim ready. Cynaric acid pretty much keeps everything in tip-top shape, serving the same purpose that sulfites do in wine and allowing chlorine to do to water what pasteurization does to milk.

Like anything else, too much cynaric acid can be harmful and skew the readings when it comes to the water’s calcium content and alkalinity. But if you find the right balance, you’ll keep algae blooms at bay. Monitor your chlorine levels on your IntelliChem or ScreenLogic and when they get low, increase the cynaric acid before adding more chlorine. A little water chemistry can keep the algae at bay and your pool looking beautiful.

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