5 Things to Know About Pool Phosphates and Chlorine

High phosphates alone won’t cause algae if your chlorine is working. Phosphates are food for algae, but adequate chlorine keeps algae from eating.

Check your free chlorine before buying phosphate remover. If chlorine drops overnight, that is your real problem, not phosphates.

Only lower phosphates if chlorine is stable and algae still appears. Use a lanthanum-based phosphate remover and follow the label exactly.

Expect to clean your filter after using phosphate remover. It creates a fine white precipitate that must be caught by the filter.

Most pool stores push phosphate tests to sell you remover. Phosphates are rarely the root cause of algae. Keep chlorine stable instead.