I have heard of people talking about pink algae. What is that and how do I treat it?

Pink algae is not an algae at all, but a bacteria. Normal algaecides will not reliably work on them. We have products that are designed to assist chlorine with removal of this bacteria. Generally develops in remote places: inside the skimmer, behind the light, underneath ladder treads, around return fittings, and inside automatic pool cleaners.
To eliminate pink algae, you must superchlorinate your pool, turn off the filter, and clean it with a good filter cleaner. Let the filter soak overnight then backwash to waste. Let the chlorine level subside before using again. (Hint: a good rule of thumb is to toss into the pool the equipment that is normally used for pool maintenance, including hoses, brushes, etc. prior to superchlorinating. These need to be disinfected too).

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