Preventing Green Water Caused By Heavy Metals
Note: The photo above is just a sample of the types of metal-pre filters available in the market
It goes without saying that if we want to prevent green water caused by metals is to prevent metals from entering your pool water in the first place! Now depending on the source of the metal contamination in your pool, the prevention method may be different.
Note: When were talking about pre-filtering your water for metals, were not talking about those vortex-type pre-filters but pre-filters designed to remove metals from your pool water without the use of chemicals.
You Shocked Your Pool
When dealing with pool water chemicals, its important to follow dosing and handling instructions to a T. That being said, you can sometimes bend the dosing rules slightly and use more of a chemical than is advised. Pool shock is one of those chemicals. Most shock labels instruct you to use 1lb of shock per 10,000 gallons of pool water. This is a great standard to follow if youre shocking as a precaution, like after a big pool party or storm. But if youre trying to kill pool algae, you can go crazy with shock.
OK, dont go crazy, but you can certainly add more shock than is recommended on the label when at war with algae. If you still have a green pool after your first round of shock, add more! Fully ridding your pool of algae may require 3x or 4x the regular amount of shock to get the job done. The shock will not only kill the algae, but it will also clear up your pool water, bringing it back to its normal blue color. Remember to shock your pool in the evening, so the sun doesnt evaporate it right out of the water.
You Didnt Brush Thoroughly
Like a toothbrush is to healthy teeth, a pool brush is to a healthy pool.
From algae, to pollen and other organic debris, your pool walls might still have stuff stuck to them thats causing the green water.
This will be especially present in the pools dead spots. These are areas where the circulation system doesnt quite reach, allowing for pollutants to build up.
When it comes to pool brushes, make sure you have the correct one for your specific pool finish. Steel bristle brushes are ideal for hard surfaces like plaster or concrete, while softer bristles work well for finishes like tile.
The last thing you want to do is scratch your finish or have an inadequate cleaning tool!
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Abc Can Keep Your Pool Looking And Working Great
Not only does a green swimming pool look uninviting, it can also be a difficult and time-consuming process to figure out the right blend of steps and chemicals to fix the problem. For many of us, testing pool water, handling chemicals and keeping up with regular pool maintenance is just too much to take on. The pool professionals at ABC Home & Commercial Services can make your life easier by providing regular maintenance as well as troubleshooting any problems that may crop up on occasion, such as water turning green overnight. Well ensure that your pools chemical levels remain in balance so that algae is never able to bloom. Leave the hard work to us, so you can spend your time enjoying your pool.
Reasons Why Your Pool Is Still Green Or Cloudy After Shocking
Nothing beats going for a dip in your pool on a beautiful summer day. You go to your backyard only to be greeted with a pool that looks like its been on a week-long bender.
Thats right. Youve got a green pool! 🙁
Unfortunately this is a scenario that occurs more often than not. Previously we have talked aboutHow to Fix a Green Pool where we covered the following steps to clear up your water.
Note: If you want to quickly clear sweat and urine contamination and swim on the same day, consider using OxyFresh, a non-chlorine shock treatment that makes your pool swim-ready in as little as 15 minutes!
But for some reason sometimes the pool is still green or cloudy even after shocking. Why?!
First of all, dont worry, sometimes pools turn green after shocking. But provided you have added enough shock to your pool, here are the most common reasons why you pool is still green and how you can fix it:
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Vacuum And Brush The Pool
If your filter is struggling to clear a green pool due to algae, jump in with a helping hand. Grab a pool brush and brush the pool surfaces in one direction. You can then vacuum the pool to help remove particles of the spores from your pool. Once the algae is removed from the pool surfaces, your filtration system should be able to do the rest of the work in cleaning and clearing your pool.
How Long Should I Run The Pool Pump Am I Filtering My Pool Enough
Always run the pump when shocking the pool and allow it to circulate for 24 hours. The water should then be a blue or cloudy blue color.
Test the water 24 hours after shocking and start adjusting pH and alkalinity levels. The chlorine will still be elevated, but over a few days, it should stabilize. You could add sodium thiosulfate to lower the chlorine level, but I do not recommend this because adding too much can cause the chlorine level to seesaw back and forth.
After the shocking process is complete and you are back to normal operation, you need to set your timer, so the pool is filtered for a long enough time each day to deal with any algae or debris. How long to run the pump depends on the turnover rate: the time it takes for the circulation system to move the entire volume of water in the pool through the filter equipment.
During the hot summer months, an average-size residential pool that is in use should be filtered for a minimum of eight hours. During the cold season , or when no one is using the pool, the filter time can be cut in half. But the pool water does need to be filtered whether it is being used or not.
This article is accurate and true to the best of the authors knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.
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You Didnt Shock Properly
Did you shock the pool with the proper amount of shock?
Its pretty hard to screw up shocking a pool, but if your calculations are wrong, you may have under-shocked the pool.
Keep in mind that green pools usually need a few rounds of shocking to get them back under control. Shock dosages are usually 1 bag per 10,000 gallons of pool water.
Its recommended to use granular calcium hypochlorite shock, or a large dose of sodium hypochlorite if thats your chlorine of choice.
Why Do Pools Go Green
So youve got your pool up and running and everythings looking good, then one day you look out and notice that your pool water is green. What happened? Today we will look at what causes pool water to turn green, how to troubleshoot to find the reason why the pool went green, and how to get the water clear again.
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Make Sure Your Water Level Is Correct
Many pools automatically drain excess water on their own, but if yours does not youll need to remove some water to get back to the proper level before you start rebalancing the chemicals. You can open the drain, backwash the sand filter, or follow whatever the proper procedure is for your installation to get the water back down to around the center of the skimmer float.
How To Get Rid Of Green Water In A Swimming Pool
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It’s never fun to pull back your pool cover and see that the water has turned green and swampy. That means algae has temporarily taken over, and you’ll need to thoroughly clean and treat your pool before you can start swimming. Read on to learn how to get rid of the dreaded green water.
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Is My Pool Being Filtered Enough How Long Should I Use The Pump For
A pool filter should run continuously for 24 hours after a shock treatment has been added to help remove the cloudiness. If everything works properly and the cloudiness of the pool is reduced so the water is now clear, this is when you would determine how long to run a filter. The length will be determined by outside temperate and the turnover rate of the pool pump.
Since algae grow faster during warmer temperatures a pump will need to run longer during summer months and shorter during winter months when the algae grow slower. Regardless of the season pool water should still be filtered even if it is not being used.
The turnover rate is a measurement of how long it takes for the circulation system to move all of the water in the pool through filter equipment. These can be affected by the size of the pool as well as the gallons per minute rating of your pool pump.
Size Your Pools Pump And Filters
Having an undersized pool filter and pump can lead to a green pool. While filters collect debris, pumps circulate water in the pool. Since numerous variables go into choosing the proper size of pump and filter for your pool, an experienced pool professional is your best bet for getting good advice that will work for your pool.
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What Happened To Your Pool Water
While its easy to assume that its algae that are causing the green water, we must remember that we started off with a crystal clear pool and we just shocked it. The first thing we should always do when we have green pool water is to test our chlorine levels. Yes, we just shocked the pool so we can assume that your chlorine will be at its proper levels. And if this is the case then there are a couple of culprits that we can turn our attention to.
Add Shock To The Pool
If using dissolved granular shock, make your way around the perimeter of the pool and slowly pour the solution into the water. What this allows for is the power of the return jets to circulate it quickly. If using liquid chlorine, pour it around the perimeter of the deep end of the pool, and close to the surface to avoid it splashing up.
In some cases with granular shock, you may end up with undissolved granules on the walls of the pool, or at the waterline. Take out a pool brush and remove them pronto. These little granular buggers can damage the liner/finish if left to their own devices.
Also, make sure your pump and filter are running all night. This ensures the pool shock will be fully distributed in the water to destroy all contaminants.
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Pool Filled With Well Water
We just talked about the copper in copper-based algaecides oxidizing and turning green. There is another way you can get metals, like copper or iron, in your pool water. And that is your water source.
Well or bore water often contains much higher levels of metals than water from your city supply. As well as metals, well water can contain minerals like magnesium, sodium and calcium. It can also contain nitrates and nitrites, as well as heavy metals like copper and lead.
If your pool water is from a well or bore then its likely it contains some metals and they may have oxidized after you added pool shock and turned the pool green.
How to Fix:
You may be able to use a metal control product again. One that chelates the metals or a metal sequestrant. In addition to this, you may need a metal removal product or to even partially drain your pool and fill it with water that contains fewer metals.
Second Step: Do The Water Test
If your pool is green, but chlorine is high, dont be too concerned. The most important test to take if your pools still green after shocking is the pH level. Buy a kit or a test strip and test the pH because it will indicate whether you need to add other chemicals.
A high pH means your water is alkaline and cloudy, especially after the shock. In this case, add hydrochloric acid to the water to neutralize the basic water elements. Ideally, the pH levels should be low. Even with salt water pools, testing its chemical balance is just as important.
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Pool Turned Green From Copper And A Chlorine Shock
I got a text from a customer in the Northeast that just finished plastering a pool the week before. The text had a picture in it of a green pool, and it read:
“Pool we plastered last Thursday. Water immediately turned yellow when we added 2.5 gallons of liquid chlorine, after we added 1 quart of algaecide. Any thoughts?”
My first thought was algae when I saw the color of the pool. But that thought lasted all of about 15 seconds. This was a brand new pool. The next most plausible explanation was the pool turned green from copper. Why? Because we have encountered copper before and it was the reason for a pool turning green.
Your Cya Or Ph Level Is Out Of Whack
Chlorine stabilizer protects chlorine in the pool from the suns UV rays. UV light destroys or degrades unstabilised chlorine, thus making chlorine a lot less effective. To fix this you want to make sure your CYA level is 30-50 ppm before you add your pool shock. When cyanuric acid levels are too high, they can also prevent chlorine from effectively kill the nasties in the water. Theres a similar relationship between the efficacy of chlorine and the pH level of your pool. For example at a pH of 8, chlorine is only about 25% effective! Remember to test and adjust your pH level to 7.2-7.6 before shocking your pool.
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My Pool Has Been Shocked Why Is It Still Green
When pool chemicals are not properly maintained it is easy for pH levels to get out of whack quickly leading to a green pool. If you have already shocked your pool and taken pH level samples you may still need to add stabilizers or phosphate removers.
A stabilizer also is known as cyanuric acid can increase chlorine levels over time until chlorine is unable to kill off algae.
Phosphates cause algae to grow in your pool and can be brought to the water through organic particles like leaves or bugs. Since the phosphate is basically fueling the growth of algae, a phosphate remover needs to be used in order to cut off the food supply and stop algae from growing.
Give The Pool A Shock
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Troubleshooting Green Pool Water
So now that you know the possible causes of green pool water, the question becomes how to tell which one is affecting your pool. To do that requires some troubleshooting.
Step 1 Look At The Pool
The first thing to do when troubleshooting the cause of green pool water is to look at the pool itself as each potential cause of green water has subtle differences in how they make the water look. Algae will start to grow on the pool walls and bottom first. It is usually dark green will feel slimy to the touch. Algae will also stick to the pool walls and wont come off unless the walls and floor of the pool are scrubbed. As the algae bloom worsens the water will begin to look swampy consistently dark green and impossible to see more than a few inches into the water.
Like algae, pollen will first become visible on bottom of the pool. For this reason it is often mistaken for green or yellow algae. Unlike algae however, pollen does not stick to the pool surface. If you wave your hand a couple of inches over the affected area , pollen will puff up like a cloud where algae will not move. Since pollen doesnt stick to the surface of the pool, you wont often see it on the sides of the pool, where algae is commonly found stuck to the pool walls and bottom.
Step 2 Test The Pool Water
Since algae usually cannot survive in water that has a chlorine level of 1-3ppm , if your test shows that there is a chlorine residual in the water of at least 1ppm, algae is most likely not the problem.
