The Scary Film That Keeps Everyone Out of the Water

Jesse the Pool Guy

Chapter 5

By Bob Deakin

As biofilms go, I loved The Wolf of Wall Street, and Oppenheimer was intriguing too. But a swimming pool biofilm is a picture no one wants to see. This invisible, slimy coating is the scary film that keeps everyone out of the water.

Biofilms affect chlorine consumption and water balance, cause staining and scaling, and generally mess with your pool. It’s not green like algae. That would be easy.

But neglect breeds a paradise of ecosystems, especially in a pool. Biofilms are a stealthy pest that lurk beneath. They create an invisible, slippery surface that most pool owners don’t notice. 

But not Jesse the pool guy.

The Spawn of the Villain

When your pool is not maintained, bacteria concentrate in the biofilms attached to the walls, plumbing, and everything wet. Biofilm also forms on your teeth, regardless of how often you brush or how many Monster Energys you drink. A coral reef is the best example of a biofilm left alone.

“Most biofilms are not easily reachable, cleanable, or removable,” says Ron Parrs, who hosts a YouTube show for ParPools.com. “What about the plumbing lines, the light niche, or inside the returns?”

Biofilms typically have a pH of 1.0 and serve as an attachable base for white water mold, pink slime, and black algae. Pools can have hundreds of feet of piping, so there’s opportunity for advancement.

The Scary Film That Keeps Everyone Out of the Water

Once a biofilm begins to colonize, it forms an exopolysaccharide (EPS) film - the slippery coating on your pool -  to protect itself. If it keeps growing, it will separate and spread. The film is also a sponge for chemicals, bewildering whoever balances the water.

Homeowner Frankie Cabrera waited for Jesse to describe the mysterious, invisible slime. It’s so slippery, he won’t let his children in.

“Look at it. It’s like grease,” he pleads, in tears. “I’ve tried everything.”

Jesse steps into the pool and feels all around. It’s a first-time visit, so he assesses the chemical levels and diagnoses the issue. Another pool service shocked the pool and added a biguanide to kill bacteria, but left it at that.

“Biofilms are monsters,” Jesse says. “They absorb chlorine. Chemicals like Promaquicil or SoftSwim don’t help as they adhere to biofilm and reinforce it.”

You Can Only Hope to Contain It

Biofilms love pools more than actors in L.A. You don’t get rid of them; you make their lives miserable so they leave. It’s a slow form of chemical torture, but eventually they give in. 

Some experts recommend, among others, Aquafinesse Pool Water Care tablets to loosen the organic and inorganic debris. To treat 15 to 20 thousand gallons, drop two tabs into your skimmer for the first week, then one after that for a few weeks. Brush, vacuum, balance, and let your pump do its job.

How to Make it Safe to Go Back in the Water

Now that the biofilm’s components are on the ropes, you need a product to consume it. Naturally Pure Enzyme Cleaner and Phosphate Control is one. It induces catalytic oxidation once the mechanical and chemical removers do their job. It’ll take time, but you’ll have a swimming pool instead of a Slip N Slide.

There are other options for attacking biofilms, but Jesse the pool guy will take care of it, and make it safe to go back in the water.

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