There are hundreds of species of algae. A good number of these organisms are plants. Some are classified in a special class that is neither animal nor plant.
Algae live in water, like swimming pools, and come in all manner of sizes and shapes. They are shades of brown, red, golden brown, and even green. Like any other plant, algae are comprised of building blocks called cells. These cells are visible under a microscope and they have green chlorophyll that captures the sun and turn it into food via photosynthesis.
Common Pool Algae and Scientific Name
There are three main types of algae found in a swimming pool. These are the general categories and not specific species. These algae are:
1. Green algae/ Plantae
These algae are generally classified into three main scientific forms.
- Mesostigmatophyceae – This is a basal form of green algae and has two spices.
- Chlorokybophyceae – It is a species of green algae and often found in alpine places.
- Chlorophyta – This is a taxon of the green algae and is often called chlorophytes.
- Charophyta – It is a division of fresh water green algae.
General, the green algae found in a pool is the chlorophyta, which is a division of viridiplantae (plant) kingdom. This alga has green chlorophyll a as well as b.
2. Mustard/Yellow/Yellow-Green Algae (Xanthophyceae)
This alga is found in the kingdom of chromalveolata. It features chlorophyll a as well as c, but not b. Once common yellow algae found in a pool is the pleurochloris prenoidosa.
3. Black Algae/ Cynobacteria
This is not really an alga but a bacterium that doesn’t has nuclei. This alga is often known as blue-green algae, but the one found in a swimming pool appears black until when it’s put on a white paper where it appears blue-green.
These organisms have phycocyanin as opposed to chlorophyll which helps in photosynthesis. A common black alga in the swimming pool is the phormodiaceae.
Life Cycle
Having looked at what is the scientific name for algae, it is only logical we look at their life cycle. The majority of algae usually divide when reproducing. They usually split into half to become two independent algae.
Other species have female and male reproductive parts. Algae in swimming pools can produce cells (spores) that can survive the toughest of conditions for decades – even when there is no water for years.
Benefits of Algae
Can algae really be of any benefit? Not when in your swimming pool. However, when in the right places, algae act as food for rotifers, seed shrimp, copepods, flatworms, protozoa, water fleas, and other aquatic animals. The also pump energy into a swimming pool and add oxygen (they produce oxygen when making food).
Conclusion
You can easily get rid of all types of algae from your swimming pool when you use the right products. Also, ensure that your pool’s chemistry is well-balanced to prevent their development. And knowing the type of algae in your pool can make it easier to eradicate them.
