It’s Spring in Louisiana. That means the dreaded yellow powder that is pollen is everywhere. On vehicles, patio furniture, windows and in our swimming pools. During Spring and Summer, it is common to find a layer of yellow pollen floating across the top of the swimming pool in Lafayette, LA. Pollen can look a lot like mustard algae, but there are differences in where it collects in the pool. Pollen will typically collect on the top and can easily be filtered out of the pool, whereas mustard algae will collect on the sides of the pool and will need to be brushed off.
Running your swimming pool filter in Lafayette, LA is the first line of defense in the fight against pollen. You don’t need to run your filter twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. A simple one hour on, one hour off should suffice, or less if you need. Skimming your swimming pool with a very fine mesh net every morning will help deal with any pollen that accumulates overnight as well. These are the simpler methods in dealing with pollen. If you find skimming and running the filter aren’t quite cutting it, adding aluminum sulfate will bind to the smaller pollen particles and make it easier for the skimmer and the filter to pick up. If the pollen has changed the chemical makeup of your pool water, shocking the pool should get it back in top shape.