BioGuard Algae All 60 | Non-Foaming Pool Algaecide

SKU: 23060BIO
$40.99

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Description

BioGuard Algae All 60 is a 60% polymeric quat algaecide — the highest concentration of polyquat in the BioGuard line — and it's the product BioGuard specifically recommends for pools with attached spas or jetted returns.

That recommendation comes down to one property. Ordinary quaternary ammonium algaecides are notorious for foaming, and a pool with a spillover, a waterfall, or jetted returns turns a quat dose into a persistent head of foam that can last for days. Algae All 60 uses a polymeric quat rather than a simple one, and polymeric quats deliver the same algae control without the foaming. If your installation has any real aeration, this is the difference between an algaecide you can use and one you can't.

It's also non-staining and contains no metals — no copper, no silver. That matters more than most people realize: metal-based algaecides are genuinely effective, but they carry a real risk of staining plaster and other surfaces when pH drifts low or when metals are already present in the fill water. A metal-free algaecide removes that risk entirely, which makes it the safer choice on light-colored plaster and for anyone on well water.

The formula is effective on all types of algae and, unusually, works across all pH ranges. Most pool chemistry loses effectiveness as pH drifts — chlorine in particular becomes dramatically weaker above 7.8. Algae All 60 doesn't have that problem, so it keeps working through the pH swings that happen in real-world pool operation. It also won't affect pH itself, so dosing doesn't trigger a rebalancing job.

Dosing is scaled to the situation, from a light maintenance dose every five to seven days up to a heavier initial treatment when algae is already present. Swimmers can return 15 minutes after application.

Pro Tip: If your pool has an attached spa, spillover, waterfall, or jetted returns, this is the algaecide to use — and BioGuard says so specifically. A standard quat algaecide in an aerated pool produces a head of foam that can persist for days and looks alarming enough that most owners assume something has gone wrong. Polymeric quats deliver the same algae control without it. The premium over a basic quat algaecide buys you the ability to actually run your water features after dosing, which on a pool built around a spillover is not a small thing.

Brand

BioGuard®

What's in the Box
  • 1 x BioGuard Algae All 60, 1 quart (32 fl oz) bottle
  • Full manufacturer label with dosing rates, pre-treatment checklist, and safety information

At the maintenance rate of 2–4 fl oz per 10,000 gallons every 5–7 days, one quart covers roughly two to four months on a 10,000-gallon pool. An initial treatment for light algae growth uses about half the bottle on that same pool.

Key Features

60% Polymeric Quat

The highest polyquat concentration in the BioGuard line, delivering strong algae control from a comparatively small maintenance dose.

Non-Foaming

Polymeric quat chemistry avoids the persistent foam that simple quat algaecides produce — the reason this is the recommended choice for aerated installations.

Recommended for Pools With Attached Spas or Jetted Returns

BioGuard specifies this product for installations with spillovers, waterfalls, spas, and jetted returns, where foaming would otherwise be a constant problem.

Non-Staining and Metal-Free

Contains no copper or other metals, so there's no risk of the surface staining that metal-based algaecides can cause when pH runs low or metals are present in the fill water.

Effective on All Types of Algae

Works against green, mustard, and black algae — including the two types that routinely survive an adequate chlorine residual.

Works in All pH Ranges

Maintains effectiveness across the pH spectrum rather than fading as pH drifts, which is unusual and genuinely useful in real-world operation.

Will Not Affect pH

No rebalancing needed after application, so algae control doesn't cascade into a chemistry correction.

15-Minute Swim Return

Swimmers can return to the water 15 minutes after application at the treatment rates.

For Chlorine and Bromine Pools

Compatible with both sanitizer programs and every common pool surface.

How It Works

The active ingredient is a polymeric quaternary ammonium compound at 60% — poly[oxyethylene(dimethyliminio)ethylene(dimethyliminio)ethylene dichloride], usually shortened to polyquat or PolyQuat 60.

Quats attack algae physically rather than metabolically. Each molecule carries a positive charge on one end and a long fatty tail on the other. Algae cell walls carry a negative surface charge, so the charged end is drawn straight to the cell and the tail inserts itself into the membrane. Enough molecules embedded and the membrane fails structurally — the cell leaks its contents and dies.

Because that's a mechanical failure rather than a poisoning, algae doesn't develop resistance to quats the way it can to some other treatments. And because the mechanism doesn't depend on photosynthesis being active, the residual keeps working in shaded corners and overnight.

The polymeric structure is what distinguishes this product from a basic quat. Simple quats are short single molecules and they're aggressive surfactants — lowering the water's surface tension enough that agitation produces foam that doesn't clear. Polymeric quats link those units into long chains. The algae-killing charge is preserved, but the molecule is far too large to behave as an effective foaming surfactant. Same result, no foam.

The pH independence follows from the same mechanism. Chlorine's effectiveness swings dramatically with pH because the ratio of hypochlorous acid to hypochlorite ion is pH-governed. A quat's charge-and-membrane attack doesn't depend on that equilibrium at all, so it performs consistently whether the pool reads 7.2 or 8.0.

One limitation worth planning around: chlorine degrades quats. Free chlorine oxidizes quaternary ammonium compounds, so algaecide added into a heavily shocked pool is partly destroyed before it can establish a residual. That's why the pre-treatment checklist calls for adjusting chlorine to 1–3 ppm before dosing.

And a scope note: Algae All 60 is an algaecide, not a sanitizer. It provides no disinfection and doesn't replace chlorine or bromine. It also isn't a shock — an established bloom needs oxidizing chemistry alongside it.

Pro Tip: Don't add algaecide and shock at the same time. High free chlorine oxidizes quats, so dosing both together means paying for algaecide that gets destroyed before it does anything — and BioGuard's own pre-treatment checklist makes this explicit by calling for chlorine at 1–3 ppm before you apply. Shock first, let the pool circulate, and add Algae All 60 once free chlorine has come back down into that range. The same logic applies in reverse after clearing a bloom: the shock does the killing, and the algaecide goes in afterward to hold the ground you just took.

Directions for Use

Dosage Reference

  • Light algae growth, initial dose: 11–17 fl oz per 10,000 gallons
  • Freshly cleaned and filled pool, initial dose: 6–11 fl oz per 10,000 gallons
  • Maintenance: 2–4 fl oz per 10,000 gallons every 5 to 7 days

Pre-Treatment Checklist

  1. Ensure all equipment is working properly.
  2. Backwash the filter system following your equipment manufacturer's directions.
  3. Adjust the pH to between 7.2 and 7.6.
  4. In chlorinated systems, add stabilizer to establish a minimum stabilizer level of 30–40 ppm to reduce the degradative effects of sunlight upon the chlorine residual.
  5. Check for metals, and if present add a stain and scale inhibitor to prevent staining of the pool surface due to metals.
  6. Adjust chlorine residual to 1–3 ppm. When using other products as outlined in the directions for this product, always follow the directions on those products.

Standard Application

  1. For pools having light algae growth, pour the initial dose of 11–17 fl oz per 10,000 gallons of water directly into the pool.
  2. Remove settled algae debris by cleaning.
  3. For treatment of a freshly cleaned and filled pool, pour the initial dose of 6–11 fl oz per 10,000 gallons of water directly into the pool.
  4. Additions of 2–4 fl oz per 10,000 gallons should be made every 5 to 7 days after initial treatment for maintenance.
  5. Wait at least 15 minutes after application before entering the pool.

Staying on Schedule

  • Keep the 5–7 day maintenance interval through the entire swim season — a skipped stretch in peak heat is where most algae problems begin
  • Add an extra maintenance dose after heavy bather loads or prolonged rainfall, both of which dilute and consume the residual faster
  • Apply after shocking rather than at the same time, once free chlorine is back at 1–3 ppm
  • Brush pool surfaces regularly, especially shaded corners, steps, and behind ladders where algae establishes first

Storage and Handling

  • Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area, out of direct sunlight and protected from freezing
  • Keep the container tightly closed and clearly labeled
  • Store separately from sanitizers, acids, and oxidizers
  • Keep out of reach of children and pets
  • Read and follow all label precautions, first aid, and disposal directions before use

Pro Tip: Prevention costs a fraction of remediation, and the label numbers show it plainly. Maintenance runs 2–4 fl oz per 10,000 gallons every 5 to 7 days. Treating a pool that already has light algae growth takes 11–17 fl oz — four to five times the product in a single application, plus the cleaning to remove settled debris, plus whatever shock the situation calls for. And "light algae growth" is the cheap end of that scale; an established bloom costs considerably more in product, time, and days the pool sits unusable. Put the maintenance dose on a recurring reminder next to your weekly shock and treat them as one routine.

Specifications
  • Brand: BioGuard
  • Product Type: Polymeric quat algaecide and algae preventative
  • Form: Liquid
  • Volume: 1 quart (32 fl oz)
  • Manufacturer Part Number: 23060BIO
  • Active Ingredient: Poly[oxyethylene(dimethyliminio)ethylene(dimethyliminio)ethylene dichloride], 60%
  • Other Ingredients: 40%
  • Metal Content: None — contains no copper or other metals
  • Algae Types Controlled: All types
  • Foaming: Non-foaming
  • Staining: Non-staining
  • pH Range: Effective in all pH ranges
  • Effect on pH: None
  • Light Algae Initial Dose: 11–17 fl oz per 10,000 gallons
  • Fresh Fill Initial Dose: 6–11 fl oz per 10,000 gallons
  • Maintenance Dose: 2–4 fl oz per 10,000 gallons every 5–7 days
  • Swim Return: 15 minutes after application
  • Pre-Treatment pH: 7.2–7.6
  • Pre-Treatment Stabilizer: 30–40 ppm minimum in chlorinated systems
  • Pre-Treatment Chlorine: 1–3 ppm
  • Recommended For: Pools with attached spas or jetted returns
  • Sanitizer Compatibility: Chlorine and bromine pools
  • Suitable Surfaces: Plaster, gunite, vinyl liner, fiberglass, painted
  • Not A Substitute For: Sanitizer, shock, or brushing
  • Shipping Classification: DOT-regulated — ground shipping only
Compatibility

Installation Types

  • Pools with attached spas — the manufacturer's specific recommendation
  • Pools with jetted returns — also specifically recommended
  • Pools with spillovers, waterfalls, and other water features
  • Standard in-ground and above-ground pools

Pool Surfaces

  • Plaster and gunite — the metal-free formula is a meaningful advantage on light-colored plaster
  • Vinyl liner
  • Fiberglass
  • Painted surfaces
  • Sand, cartridge, and DE filtration

Sanitizer Programs

  • Chlorine pools — the intended application
  • Bromine pools — the intended application
  • Salt chlorine generator pools — compatible; a salt pool is a chlorine pool
  • Mineral system pools — compatible, and a good pairing since this product adds no metals of its own

Choosing Among BioGuard's Algaecides

  • Algae All 60 — 60% polyquat, metal-free, non-foaming, works at any pH. Best for pools with attached spas, spillovers, or jetted returns, and for light-colored plaster where staining risk matters. This product.
  • A copper-based algaecide — reaches mustard and black algae through a metabolic mechanism chlorine can't match, and some are approved for use during shock. Strongest on stubborn established growth, but carries staining risk in the wrong conditions.
  • A dual-action polyquat-plus-copper algaecide — two mechanisms at once, good at penetrating mature colonies.
  • A basic quat algaecide — lowest cost per season for pure prevention, but foams and is weaker against mustard and black algae.

What It Does Not Do

  • Not a sanitizer. Provides no disinfection and maintains no sanitizer residual.
  • Not a shock or oxidizer. Clearing an established bloom needs a shock treatment as well.
  • Not a substitute for brushing. Mature algae must be physically disturbed for any treatment to reach it.
  • Not for spas or hot tubs. This is a pool product dosed per 10,000 gallons.

Important Handling Cautions

  • Never mix with other chemicals. Add products separately with circulation between additions.
  • Do not add alongside shock. High free chlorine degrades the active ingredient.
  • Check for metals before treating and add a stain and scale inhibitor if any are present.

Most products purchased from our online shop within the last 30 days are eligible for return. Please review our return policy to see the list of items that cannot be returned.

Some major items that are non-returnable:

  • Gift cards
  • Electronics
  • Pumps / Motors
  • Hot Tubs
  • Closeouts
  • Fireplaces
  • Electric Fireplaces
  • Massage Chairs
  • See return policy below for full list of non-returnables.

BioGuard® Brand FAQs

What is the BioGuard 3-Step Care System?

It's the brand's core program for traditional chlorine pools, and it reduces routine care to three jobs.Step 1, sanitize— SilkGuard Complete® tabs or sticks maintain a continuous chlorine residual that kills bacteria and controls algae between applications.Step 2, shock— Smart Shock® is applied weekly to oxidize the organic waste bathers leave behind, break apart chloramines, and restore clarity.Step 3, prevent— Algae Complete® stops algae before it establishes rather than fighting it after it blooms. The system works in pools of any size and surface type that circulate 10 to 24 hours per day.

What's the difference between BioGuard and SpaGuard?

They're sister brands from the same water-care company.BioGuard is the swimming pool line. SpaGuard is the spa and hot tub line.The split isn't marketing — pool dosing is calculated for tens of thousands of gallons at ambient temperature, while spa dosing is calculated for a few hundred gallons at 100°F. Pool packaging makes accurate spa measurement nearly impossible, and a pool-sized dose in a hot tub is a serious overdose. Match the product line to the vessel.

Which BioGuard program is right for my pool?

Equipment usually decides it. Pools running a standard chlorinator, feeder, or skimmer application belong on the3-Step Care System. Pools with a salt chlorine generator should be on thesalt pool programs— Mineral Springs® or SaltScapes® — which are formulated around the specific scale, balance, and cell-care demands of a generator. Owners who want no chlorine or bromine in the water at all use BioGuard'snon-chlorine biguanide program, which is a fully separate chemistry with its own sanitizer, oxidizer, and algaecide.

Can I mix BioGuard products with chemicals from other brands?

Basic balancers are chemically generic and generally interchangeable — alkalinity increaser is sodium bicarbonate no matter whose label is on the bucket. The real risk sits withsanitizer programs and specialty additives. Never introduce chlorine or bromine into a biguanide pool; the two chemistries destroy each other and produce cloudy water, gummy filter fouling, and a collapsed sanitizer residual. Also avoid stacking algaecides and clarifiers from different brands, since overlapping actives can cause foaming or staining. And regardless of brand, never combine two products in the same bucket, scoop, or feeder — always add them separately with circulation running between.

What is SilkGuard Technology?

SilkGuard® is a conditioning technology built into BioGuard's chlorinating tabs and sticks. It softens the feel of the water against skin and helps protect pool surfaces and equipment from scale formation, so the sanitizer is doing two jobs at once. SilkGuard Complete® products also carrySunShield® Technology, which shields free chlorine from ultraviolet breakdown. UV loss is the largest single drain on chlorine in an outdoor pool during summer, so protecting the residual directly reduces how much sanitizer you consume over a season.

Do BioGuard products work with salt chlorine generators?

Yes. A salt pool is still a chlorine pool — the generator simply produces the chlorine on site instead of you adding it from a bucket. Salt pools still need balancing, weekly oxidation, algae prevention, and scale protection, and they have one extra demand a standard pool doesn't: the generator cell itself accumulates scale and needs periodic cleaning. BioGuard's salt-specific programs are built around exactly those requirements.Do not skip testing on a salt pool— the automation controls chlorine production, not water balance.

About BioGuard®

BioGuard is a professional swimming pool care line built on a simple premise: pool chemicals work better as a program than as a shelf of unrelated purchases. Most water problems homeowners fight through the summer aren't caused by a bad product. They're caused by good products working against each other, applied out of sequence, in water whose balance was never corrected in the first place. BioGuard's entire approach is organized around fixing that — matched products, a defined order of operations, and a diagnostic process behind the recommendation.

The brand sits under the KIK Consumer Products umbrella alongside its spa counterpart, SpaGuard, and it covers the full range of pool water care: sanitizers, shocks, algaecides, balancers, water enhancers, surface cleaners and problem solvers, salt pool products, and off-season closing chemistry.

Three Programs, One Philosophy

  • Traditional Chlorine — the 3-Step Care System — Sanitize, shock, prevent. SilkGuard Complete® tabs and sticks handle daily sanitation, Smart Shock® handles weekly oxidation and clarity, and Algae Complete® handles algae prevention. Suitable for pools of any size and surface type running 10 to 24 hours of circulation per day.
  • Salt Pools — Purpose-built chemistry for pools with a chlorine generator, including the Mineral Springs® and SaltScapes® programs. Salt pools still generate chlorine, and they still need balancing, scale protection, and cell care — these products are formulated for that specific equipment set.
  • Non-Chlorine Pools — A complete biguanide-based program for owners who want no chlorine and no bromine in the water at all, with its own dedicated sanitizer, oxidizer, and algaecide.

Formulation Technologies

Two proprietary technologies show up across the chlorine line and explain a lot of the brand's reputation. SilkGuard® Technology conditions the water so it feels noticeably softer against skin while also helping protect pool surfaces and equipment from scale. SunShield® Technology protects free chlorine from ultraviolet breakdown, which is the single largest source of chlorine loss in an outdoor pool during summer — sanitizer that survives the afternoon is sanitizer you don't have to replace.

Diagnosis, Not Guesswork

BioGuard is sold through trained specialty dealers rather than mass-market channels, and the brand backs that network with the ALEX® water analysis system. ALEX reads a full water sample — sanitizer, pH, total alkalinity, calcium hardness, cyanuric acid, metals, and more — and returns a sequenced correction plan rather than a generic product suggestion. That distinction matters more than it sounds. Cloudy water has at least six common causes, and the fix for a filtration problem is nothing like the fix for a high-pH problem or a phosphate problem. Testing tells you which one you actually have.