Algae in a Fountain

Empty Fountain

• In order to get the fountain completely clean, it is important to empty as much water from it as possible before attempting to remove the algae. For small fountains, this can be as simple as tipping the fountain over to remove the water. Larger fountains can be drained and a wet/dry vacuum used to remove any remaining water.

Scrubbing

• A number of commercial cleaners are available to remove algae from a fountain. White vinegar also works well. Any cleaner, however, will still require some elbow grease to remove the algae. Use a scrub brush to clean away the algae, taking care not to scratch or damage the surface of the fountain. If you use a cleaner, test it on a small spot to make sure it does not harm the fountain's finish before using it on the rest of the fountain.

Rinsing

• It sounds simple, but rinsing away all the cleaner and debris from scrubbing is a vital part of cleaning algae from a fountain. Spray the fountain with clean water until the debris is removed and the water runs clear. Then spray the fountain again to make sure that all of the cleaner is rinsed away. If the cleaner is not thoroughly rinsed, it could foam up and create bubbles and overflow once the fountain is refilled and turned on again.

Clean Pump

• Not only is it important to remove algae from the fountain itself, but also from the pump. Algae buildup can wear the pump out, and it also releases algae back into the fountain where it will build up again quickly. Use a toothbrush or small scrub brush to clean dirt and algae off of the pump. Also, clean the tubing connected to the pump by scrubbing the outside and running clean water through the inside of the tubes.