Cause #: Imbalanced Pool Chemicals
If, like me, you didnt pay attention in your school chemistry lessons, it could just be a chemical imbalance in the water.
Having too much of one chemical or not enough of another is your fast-track ticket a cloudy pool, so checking your pool chemistry for high pH, total alkalinity and chlorine levels is always a good place to start. Balance is key.
Got a cloudy pool after opening? If youve peeled back that pool cover after a long winter only to find a mist of cloud has found itself into your pool, it means you didnt winterize correctly. In that case, youd need to go through the same steps of testing and balancing Im about to go over.
Is Your pH Level Right?
The best pH level for your pool water is somewhere between 7.2 and 7.6 on the pH scale, which happens to be slightly alkaline.
Your water wont turn cloudy simply because your pH level is outside of this range, but it will prevent your pool chemicals from doing their job properly, causing particles to linger which will eventually lead to a cloudy pool.
Measuring your pools pH level is pretty straightforward using a decent test kit, so make sure you do that weekly to stay on top of any sudden changes.
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Is Your Chlorine Level Right?
Is Your Alkalinity Level Too High?
First Step: Prepare Pool Water For Shocking And Testing
Why is my pool still green after adding chlorine, and is it safe to swim in a pool with algae? Not necessarily. Issues such as bacterial infections and skin issues can occur if you swim in water with algae.
Algae will remain in your pool after shock if youve had insufficient chlorine and an overabundance of metal elements in the pool water. Therefore, to start the cleaning process. Remove all the debris from the pool with a leaf net and then let the smaller dirt fragments settle.
Third Step: Shock The Pool
Why is my pool still green, you are wondering? Well, its a chemical imbalance. So first, ensure the pool has a pH of 7, then shock the pool with chemicals. Take your liquid chlorine and disburse it around the pool evenly, and then turn on the filter.
Let the entire liquid chlorine circulate in the pool for several hours before you brush the pool. Be thorough when brushing. You can also use a suitable quality algaecide to clean the pool. Always consult with a professional before handling and adding any amount of chemicals.
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The Cause Of Cloudy Pool Water
The cause of your cloudy water is easily determined by the color of your pool. If the water takes on a green or yellowish color, your problem is very likely algae. The easiest way to treat algae is to use a calcium hypochlorite treatment, or in simple terms, using a pool shock.
Take a look at our article on how to remove algae to help treat your case of pool algae.
If your water takes on a colorless or white-ish cloudiness, your problem may be chemical. Test your pool water using test strips to find which chemical is causing the issue.
Remove Foreign Particles Scrub And Vacuum The Pool
The environment and weather may also be the cause of cloudy water. To fix and prevent cloudy water, follow all of the best practices below.
- Foreign particles, small and large, may find their way into the water, especially during spring. Body oil and sunscreen from swimmers also washes off in the water and accumulates in the pool, causing cloudiness. You can use nets to remove visible particles, and you may have to use pool clarifier to clear up the water when cloudiness persists. Also, I prefer using pool flocculant and vacuuming the pool to do away with fine particles that cannot be removed by leaf net or clarifier.
- Algae also causes cloudiness in its early growth stages. To remove algae, scrub and clean the pool using a large leaf net and vacuum: Then do a pool shock to get rid of any remaining algae. Control the amounts of pH, chlorine, TA, phosphate, and other pool sanitizers to prevent algae growth.
- Free chlorine depletes more quickly in full sunlight, but if trees and buildings are next to your pool, direct sun will be blocked. If your pool is in direct sunlight, consider using a chlorine stabilizer and a pool cover when not using the pool.
- Rain also contributes to cloudy water because it dilutes and therefore reduces free chlorine levels. All you have to do is test the chemicals, paying close attention to the chlorine levels, and adjust them as appropriate.
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How To Clear A Cloudy Pool
So youve got your pool up and running, cleaned out all of the leaves and dirt, and everythings looking good, then one day you look out and notice that your pool water is cloudy. What happened? In this article, we will discuss what causes pool water to turn cloudy and discuss ways to get your water clear again.
Filter And Vacuum Debris
Determine whether the pool filter is running correctly. I recommend that you run it for at least 8 hours per day. If you keep the pool clean and chemically balanced, 8 hours should be enough filtration time to keep the average backyard pool clear and fresh.
Your skimmer will take care of any debris floating on the surface, but to thoroughly clean the bottom of the pool, you will need a pool vacuum.
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Poor Water Chemistry: High Ph Alkalinity And Calcium Hardness Levels
High levels of pH, Total Alkalinity, and Calcium Hardness can form scale on your pool surfaces and inside your plumbing. This can lead to pool filtration, bacteria growth, and cloudy water. And poor water chemistry makes it more difficult for your chlorine to function well and kill contaminants.
SOLUTION: Test and balance your pH, total alkalinity, and calcium hardness levels.
The proper pool water chemistry levels are:
- pH: 7.4 to 7.6.
- Alkalinity: 100 parts per million to 150 ppm, with 125 ppm being ideal.
- Calcium Hardness: 175 ppm to 225 ppm for vinyl liner pools, or 200 ppm to 275 ppm for concrete and plaster pools.
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Contaminants Like Debris Or Algae
Contaminants, particles, and small debris in your pool can cause cloudy water. This is especially common during the springtime. Early-stage algae growth may also cause cloudy pool water.
SOLUTION: Treat algae in its early stages by cleaning and shocking your pool. Test, balance, and clean your water after a rainstorm or when debris or pollen accumulates in your pool.
- Treat algae. If you already have visible algae growth, youll need to get rid of your algae problem before you treat your cloudy pool water. Unfortunately, algaecide wont solve the problem. Its better as a preventative measure, not a treatment. To remove algae, youll need to skim, brush, and vacuum your pool. Be sure to bypass the filter by vacuuming on the waste setting. Then, youll want to shock your pool. If you need a step-by-step tutorial on getting rid of algae, check out our guide on how to get rid of algae in your pool.
- Test, balance, and clean your pool after a rainstorm. Storms can blow dirt and debris into your pool and the rain can dilute your pool water. That means your chlorine levels can drop, which we know can lead to cloudy water. Test and balance your water after a rainstorm and skim, brush, and vacuum the pool as needed. If you need to lower your water level, follow this guide on how to drain water from your pool after rain.
If youre tired of cloudy water and want to learn how to never deal with this problem again, check out ourpool maintenance video course today!
Test And Balance Your Water
Because youve removed water from your pool, youll need to rebalance your water chemistry. Test your pool water using test strips or a liquid test kit and adjust your Alkalinity and pH. Once you get those levels balanced, add your chlorine.
Now that youve gotten the cloudy water out of the pool, you can start running your filter system normally .
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So Whats The Solution Build A Reverse Osmosis Kit
This set-up should remove approximately 95 of all minerals and contaminates in the pool water, making itin my opinion reasonably safe for human consumption IF there is no other alternative.
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One other point: if your power goes out, your pool pump goes out, too. Which means that within a few days, your pool is going to turn a lovely emerald green.
This we do not want. At least, not any sooner than is avoidable.
So if you dont already keep your pool covered, be sure to have a dark tarp on hand that you can toss across the pool the second you realize that youre going to be without power for the foreseeable future. The tarp/cover wont make your pool immune to an eventual algal bloom, but itll delay it. Itll also help cut down on evaporation of a precious resource.
And once that algae does appear, which it inevitably will? Just treat it with a camp filter to take out the big chunks before running the water through your trusty RO set-up.
Its not that your RO system cant handle algal water directly its just that pre-filtering your slimly pool muck will extend the life of your RO cartridges that much longer.
With Caution: Use A Pesticide
Im not the biggest fan of pesticides, because they tend to travel throughout your yard. What isnt good for mosquitos might also not be good for your beautiful landscaping and other important species in your yards. Depending on the type of pesticide and environmental conditions, pesticides can even unknowingly expose themselves to swimmers. Thats a no go.
Pesticides for mosquitos are usually categorized as larvaecides and adultcides, which refer to the age of the mosquito. Larvaecides should be applied to waterbut keep in mind that theyre not recommended for chlorine pools. If you do use this type, I recommend using tablets of larvaecides in septic tanks and on top of pool covers. Take extra care at the end of the closed season or rainy season that the water thats accumulated on your pool cover absolutely does not fall into your pool. An ultra-powerful and automatic pool cover pump is an necessity.
To use one of the many forms of adultcides on the market, be sure that it is intended for use outdoors. Dont apply this kind of pesticide anywhere around vegetation, especially the blooms that might attract more friendly bugs. Honeybees are already dying at an alarming rate, and its best to not contribute to the problem.
If you do want to take the pesticide route, I do not recommend home mosquito misters, which can lead to pesticide traveling across your yardand maybe even hitting your pool.
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Failure To Run The Pool Filter
On a normal day, you need to run the filtration system for between 8 to 10 hours. You also need to confirm the filter is working. If you dont run it as often as is required or if you fail to confirm its working as it should, you increase the possibility of getting cloudy water.
The filtration system is intended to relentlessly clean the available water. When it fails, the water becomes stagnant and starts to turn milky in no time.
My Pool Was Clear To Start All Parameters Ok Then Hot Humid Weather Came And The Water Turned Emerald Green
We suggest the following procedure:
1. Adjust the pH and Alkalinity levels of the water using pH Plus , pH Minus and Alkalinity adjustment . These levels must be within the proper ranges or the water may not clear completely.
2.Shock the pool. This means chlorinating the water to kill off any bacteria and algae. Start off by adding 3 or 4 gallons, and if you see no results overnight, add 3 or 4 more gallons the next day. Continue this process until you notice the water changing color to cloudy white, light green or clear. YOU CANNOT OVER SHOCK A POOL ! The more you add, the quicker it will clear ! Noteshock is available in liquid or powdered form, but we recommend against using powdered shock .
3.Add a high quality algaecide such as CLEAN & CLEAR MINERALS from C-Pool Minerals to the water immediately. If C-Pool is already in the water, double the weekly dosage and broadcast.
4. Run your filter 24 hours a day and backwash 2 times a day for quickest results. Run the backwash cycle for 60 90 seconds. The backwash should be a greenish cloudy color. The more you run your pool, and the more you backwash the filter, the faster the pool will clear up. If you have a D.E. filter, remember to add new D.E. to the skimmer closest to your filter after each backwashing. A D.E. filter is more work than a sand filter, but the D.E. filter will clear a green pool about 50% faster than a sand filter.
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Clearing Up A Green Swimming Pool On Opening
If your pool is already green upon opening it, please first read our post How To Open An Above Ground Swimming Pool or How To Open My Inground Swimming Pool.
We suggest the following procedure:
1. Remove most of the large debris from the pool floor with a large leaf net . This will stir up the water, and may make your pool look much worse temporarily, but the stirred up debris will settle within a few hours. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO VACUUM THE POOL IF YOU CANNOT SEE THE BOTTOM OF IT OR IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF DEBRIS ON THE BOTTOM. YOU MAY CLOG YOUR SKIMMER, FILTER OR UNDERGROUND PIPES.
2. Adjust the pH and Alkalinity levels of the water using pH Plus , pH Minus and Alkalinity adjustment . These levels must be within the proper ranges or the water may not clear completely.
3. Shock the pool. This means chlorinating the water to kill off any bacteria and algae. If your pool is very dirty, it may need MANY gallons of liquid chlorine over a period of days before the water clears.
5. If you follow these instructions and your pool does not clear up within 4 or 5 days, your filter may not be functioning properly. Read our blog on Pool Filters, The pool will never clear up if the filter is not working properly.
How To Clear Cloudy Pool Water
- |October 13, 2020
I hate cloudy pool water as much as I hate cloudy lemonade . Theyre ugly, dirty, and generally not ideal for swimming thanks to a number of potential health risks.
The worst part? Cloudiness can strike your pool in a matter of hours, leaving you scratching your head as to what exactly went wrong.
In this article, Ill walk you through the exact steps to identify, clear and prevent a cloudy pool for both inground and above ground pools.
Need a quick answer? The cause is either chemical imbalance, circulation/filtration issues, or environmental effects. To fix it, youll first want to test your pool chemistry to make sure everything is in balance, then throw in some clarifier or flocculant to clump the debris. Your filter will take care of the clumps and voilà clear water.
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Learn How To Clear A Cloudy Pool With Baking Soda Like A Pro
One of the most frustrating occurrences for any swimming pool owner is to have their pool water turn cloudy on them. Even though the pool water is most likely still OK to swim in, its cloudy appearance makes people apprehensive to go in the water.
So what can a homeowner do when their swimming pool water suddenly turns cloudy? For many people, the answer to that question is simply to add the proper amount of baking soda to their swimming pool.
How Do I Make My Pool Water Crystal Clear
How do I get clear swimming pool water? The question has been around for decades. Answers vary from adding more chemicalseither to shock, floc or clarify the waterto swapping out filters. Does adding all that stuff really work? Keep reading for the answers!
Chlorine, flocculent, and clarifier help correct one issue, but their effectiveness can vary depending on pH, chloramines, temperature, phosphates, CYA and . . . well you get the idea. Maybe you can just keep dumping more chlorine! But that can lead to an endless loop of additives. So you are left wondering: what really works to get the pool water clear?
Does Chlorine Keep Pool Water Clear?
Chlorine serves a vital purpose in keeping swimming pool water clean and healthy. In theory, if you have a cloudy swimming pool, you can add chlorine to shock it and clear things up. Chlorine will get the job done. But, the amounts may vary and you may have to really pound the pool with chlorine to get the water totally clear.
The environment and weather can also play a factor in how chlorine affects water clarity. If youve got a lot of contaminants in the pooldebris, leaves, and buildup of hair, suntan lotions, etc.the chlorine gets kept busy with all that junk instead of sanitizing.
And then it can get tied up by binding with other compounds in the water, creating chloramines and reducing free available chlorine. Essentially this means you now have less chlorine to keep the water clear and safe.
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