What Causes Red Algae in Swimming Pools?

Swimming Pool

Red algae exists. However, chances are very good that the red algae that can sometimes be found in swimming pools isn’t red algae at all. This is because the overwhelming majority of red algae species can be found in saltwater settings. Meanwhile, just 5 percent of red algae species can be found in freshwater settings and just two red algae species can be found in terrestrial settings. Instead, if people see red algae in their swimming pools, chances are very good that the red algae is some kind of bacteria. Speaking of which, interested individuals should keep that last point in mind. Figuring out what a particular animal is supposed to be can be hard enough for people who lack the relevant expertise and experience. Unfortunately, figuring out the species of bacteria responsible for red algae is much more challenging, particularly since interested individuals will need the relevant expertise, experience, and equipment. As such, people should never make any assumptions about what red algae can and can’t do to them. If they are lucky, coming into contact with the bacteria won’t have too much of an effect on them; if they are unlucky, well, their life experience should have provided them with plenty of examples of how bacteria can make humans miserable or worse. When it comes to bacterial outbreaks, it is best to err on the side of caution.

What Causes Red Algae in Swimming Pools?

As for how red algae happens in swimming pools, there is a wide range of potential explanations for a wide range of bacteria. For example, humans carry a wide range of bacteria on our skin. As a result, it is possible that a swimmer brought the bacteria into the swimming pool where they proceeded to flourish under the conditions of the swimming pool. Similarly, bacteria can make their way into a swimming pool by clinging to the surfaces of items, with pool toys and accessories being particularly common examples. On top of this, it is even possible for the weather to send bacteria into swimming pools, which happens because bacteria are absolutely everywhere. Of course, bacteria shouldn’t be able to flourish in swimming pools under normal conditions. After all, they aren’t exactly rare, meaning that the people behind swimming pools have put plenty of thought into how to prevent them from becoming a problem. Unfortunately, it is very much possible for swimming pools to either have their chemicals out of balance or experience some other issue that makes it possible for red algae to show up.

Why Is Red Algae in Swimming Pools Such a Huge Issue?

There are numerous reasons why red algae in swimming pools should be considered a huge issue. For starters, it is very unpleasant-looking. Red algae can grow on pretty much any surface in a swimming pool so long as the conditions are right for the relevant bacteria, which won’t exactly make for something that people will want to either look at or come into contact with. On top of that, they can make the water itself take on a reddish tint. Something that can be very unpleasant as well because our instincts will be screaming at us that water isn’t supposed to look that way. Combined, this means that red algae can make a swimming pool pretty much unusable for most people. As for people who are willing to use a swimming pool under such conditions anyways, there are a number of serious health issues that can show up. First, the bacteria can produce toxins, which can cause the skin to redden as well as show other signs of skin irritation with sufficient exposure. Second, when people choose to swim in red algae-infested waters, they make it much easier for the bacteria to breach their body’s natural defenses than otherwise possible. For example, they might swallow the bacteria, which can cause issues such as nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Similarly, they might get the bacteria into their eyes, their nose, and other parts of their body where that bacteria might be able to carve out metaphorical footholds for themselves. Something that can lead to bacterial infections. In extreme cases, it isn’t unknown for people to develop respiratory problems and other serious medical problems because of their exposure to bacteria. If they are particularly unlucky, they could wind up with life-long issues or worse because of it.

What Can You Do About This?

People have options for getting rid of red algae on their own. The general recommendation seems to be running the filters on a 24/7 basis while backwashing twice daily. Other suggestions include scrubbing the surfaces that have red algae clinging to their surface, using bleach to clean pool toys, pool accessories, and other items that have come into contact with the red algae-infested waters, restoring the chemical balance that is supposed to exist in the swimming pool, and using chlorine to clean the swimming pool. Some of these steps are simple and straightforward. Others, not so much. As a result, interested individuals might want to call in a swimming pool professional to handle the whole process. As always, interested individuals can find a list of swimming pool professionals in their area by using Google or some other search engine. After which, they should reduce their full list of options by picking out the swimming pool professionals that specialize in whatever kind of swimming pool that they have on hand. Yes, chances are good that most swimming pool professionals can handle a wide range of swimming pools that exist in a wide range of settings. However, if they have a choice, they might as well as go with the specialists. Once interested individuals have a suitable list of specialists, they should then use a combination of reviews and testimonials to see which ones consistently offer the best results to their clients. It would be a huge inconvenience if they have to call in a second set of swimming pool professionals to solve the issue. On top of that, it would be unnecessarily expensive as well. Due to that, it is best to make sure that everything gets done the first time around.

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