But What If There Was No Change In The Weather
Another reason why the pool water is green despite chlorine may be that you are simply using too little of the chlorine.
Since chlorine is available in different dosages, I recommend not trusting the guideline values from any online pool maintenance guide.
In my instructions against green pool water, I explained how to dose chlorine.
Stir Up The Water And Skim And Drain
Small particles tend to stay suspended in the water, and some may even sink to the bottom, only to be recirculated when someone jumps in the pool. You can remove many of these particles simply by agitating the water with a stick or brush, or simply by swimming, then allowing the pool’s skimmer to remove the particles from the top of the water. Also turn on the bottom drains to pull out particles near the bottom of the pool. This can be time-consuming, but it doesn’t involve adding more chemicals to your pool water.
What Chemicals Do You Need To Treat A Cloudy Pool
So you want to know how to treat your cloudy pool water? Well, youve come to the right place. First though, lets break down the chemicals that youre going to need to treat that cloudy pool water. First, youre going to need some chlorine. Now, chlorine comes in a range of different types. So, please consult a pool professional like your local Poolwerx. Theyll be able to assist you in finding which chlorine is the best match for your pool, including your pool surface and your pool equipment.
Next, youre going to need pH control, whether thats liquid acid or dry acid. Youll also need algaecide to remove the algae. And finally, youre going to need a clarifier, whether its CrystalClear, 4 in 1, or the Maxi tabs, these will help maintain the clarity of your pool water. Now, obviously these pool chemicals will require you to wear personal protective equipment. Were talking gloves, safety glasses, and of course, protective clothing.
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How To Clear Your Cloudy Pool
While there are many reasons why you have a cloudy pool, the fix is fairly simple and easy to do.
Firstly, a thorough clean of your pool to remove any foreign particles and algae is the best way to start cleaning up the cloudiness of your pool. Scrub and vacuum your pool including all the surfaces. If you have algae present, shocking your pool will assist in removing the remaining algae growth.
Find out what determines the level of pool maintenance required here.
Determining The Cloudiness Level And How To Fix It
There are different levels of cloudiness for pool water. The solution you use to clear your pool of its cloudiness will depend on the level, or severity, of the cloudiness.
Dull or Flat + Fix
Dull or flat pool water will still be blue but will no longer have its regular sparkle and shine.
The fix:
- Adjust the pH to between 7.2 and 7.6
- Add clarifier to your pool in the amount recommended for your pool size
- Run the pump and filter system for 12 hours.
Hazy + Fix
Hazy water is no longer clear, but you can still see the bottom of the pool although not distinctly.
The fix:
- Adjust the pH to between 7.2 and 7.6
- Add clarifier to your pool in the amount recommended for your pool size
- Run the pump and filter system for 12 hours.
Cloudy + Fix
Cloudy water looks milky. You can still see the bottom of the pool in the shallow end but not in the deep end.
The fix:
- Adjust the pH to between 7.2 and 7.6
- Add the recommended amount of clarifier for your pool size
- Run the pump and filter system for 8 hours
- Turn off the pump for 8 to 10 hours
- Thoroughly vacuum the pool and run to waste
- Run the pump for 4 hours.
Opaque + Fix
Opaque water is so milky that you can no longer see the bottom of the pool at all.
The fix:
- Add water to the pool so the level is above the skimmer box line
- Adjust the pH to 7.8
- For a pool cartridge filter, remove the cartridge, and for a sand filter, set it to recirculate
- Start the pump
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How To Clear Cloudy Pool Water Caused By Low Free Chlorine
Low free chlorine levels are caused by heavy usage, heavy rainfall , or hot sunny days when UV light oxidizes lots of free chlorine. If you have an outdoor pool, you can use a chlorine stabilizer, such as cyanuric acid, to prevent chlorine depletion as a result of direct UV light. Remember that cyanuric acid is very strong, and if it exceeds the recommended levels, free chlorine will disappear, and the water will turn cloudy and be at high risk of algae growth.
In summary, if your combined chlorine reads above 0.5 ppm, your water may turn cloudy and become unsafe for swimming. If this is the case, you need to shock your pool immediately to clear it.
Liquid chlorine or sodium hypochlorite is the best option for a daily free chlorine boost, because it does not affect pH, calcium hardness, and cyanuric acid in your water, which make pH, calcium hardness, and cyanuric acid scale high above the recommended levelsleading to cloudy water, metal stains, ammonia, algae, and other pool problems.
Contaminants In The Water
Swimming pools are a heaping spoonful of fun, but in all that excitement to cannonball into the water swimmers tend to forget that they are tracking in a lot of dirt, grass, mud, and other organic debris into the water.
Add that to the insects, leaves, twigs, and other miscellaneous stuff that falls into the pool, and it doesnt take long for your pool chemicals to become overwhelmed.
From there, its not a long trip to algae growing on the sides and wall of the pool and cloudy water.
How to fix:
Skim, scrub, and vacuum the pool. Fixing cloudy pool water requires giving the pool a skim and scrub. Deploy your pool brush to shave algae off the walls. Use the pool skimmer to collect stuff on the surface. And unleash your pool vacuum to suck everything else out.
Consider using an algaecide. For pools that are part milky and cloudy and part algae, take a look at an algaecide. There are excellent pool algaecides on the market you can use for both treatment and prevention.
When it comes to keeping organic refuse out of the pool, make sure to consistently use a cover for your pool .
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Why Is My Pool Cloudy
Just as there are any number of sources, there are any number of reasons why these particles suddenly appear. And, very often, theres not so much a single reason as a number of different reasons which combine together and feed off one another, with the end result that your pool water turns cloudy.
Mechanical ReasonsVery often, the reason that your pool is cloudy is simply because it is receiving insufficient filtration.
Human Reasons
Youve probably noticed after a day of heavy pool use, especially after a pool party, the water is looking a dull or hazy. The reason is the pools chlorine has been fighting to cope with all that sun screen/suntan lotion, body oils, hair oils, and bodily fluids including, especially, pee! What happens is that the chlorine reacts with all of these , the insoluble waste products of which process are called chloramines. Chloramines dont just make the water slightly cloudy, they give it that unpleasant and all-too characteristic chlorine smell.
Environmental ReasonsIf its in the air, or on the ground anywhere near the pool, whether it comes from Mother Nature or from a nearby construction site, the chances are its going to get into the water.
Also, if youve recently treated your pool for an algae infection, the water will be cloudy. Thats because what youre now seeing is dead, white algae. To be sure, dead algae are a lot better than live algae, but your pool will be cloudy until you vacuum it away.
How To Fix Cloudy Pool Water Effectively
Obviously, if youve had the pool for a long time and the water level isnt any higher than it normally is, you can cross the first one off your list because its highly unlikely that the filter suddenly became too small when it was working fine before. However if you notice that the pumps horsepower seems to be failing, then you should get that checked to make sure that its doing its job. Also a pump with too high of horsepower can make the water appear cloudy.
The second one thats on the list is often caused by swimmers, so if no one has been in your pool, its not as likely for that to be the issue. Makeup and sunscreen are two of the main culprits of waste that the filter cant catch, which makes the water cloudy. I wouldnt completely cross this one off your list, but its probably less likely than the other five things left on the list.
To narrow down the list further, you must check the chemical levels in the water. The pH level should be between 7.2 and 7.6. If it isnt between those two numbers, then you will need to add the proper chemicals to balance it out. However, if the pH level is fine, then you should move on to other possible causes. The next thing to check is the growth of algae and bacteria. It may not be obvious in the beginning, but you may need to shock the water to get rid of the cloudiness.
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Get The Pool Water Tested
A simple glance at the water will tell you its murky and unsightly. But it isnt possible to know whats wrong with it without proper testing. For this, you have to get a pool water testing kit.
With the kit, it becomes possible for you to measure numerous factors likely to affect the water quality. You also get an idea of how to easily balance the water.
When it comes to water testing, you will have two options:
- Acquire test strips that you will need to dip inside a sample of water obtained from the pool. Use the strips to measure the pH levels, calcium hardness, total alkalinity, and chlorine levels.
- Obtain a testing kit containing reagents to be added to the cloudy pool water. The water will change colors depending on the pH levels and the amount of chlorine present.
If you establish there is a problem with the chemical levels, pH, or chlorine levels, making changes to these levels will cause the cloudiness to dissipate.
Can I Use Algaecide To Clear Cloudy Pool Water
You can use algaecide to kill early stages of green algae that might make your water appear cloudy, but the best method of getting rid of algae is to scrub and clean your pool using a large leaf net, vacuum, and kill algae with liquid chlorine shock.
You should only use algaecide once in a while for preventive measures and when green algae is just starting to show upit is not useful when algae outbreak is immense and very visible.
Furthermore, if you have full green, black, or yellow algae, you may end up using a lot algaecide, which can be very expensive and the best result is not guaranteed like when you use liquid chlorine. Some algaecides may also cause foaming or deposit copper metal in your water when used in large quantities.
FAQs
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How To Know If Your Chlorine Is Imbalanced
The wider the range between free and total chlorine, the more combined chlorine is present in the water. Combined chlorine should always read below 0.5 ppm or just 0 ppm, if possible. This means you should test chlorine levels on a daily basis and adjust it as appropriate before there’s excess chloramine, especially during the summer when it’s hot and the pool is used heavily.
Safe pH Level for Swimming
The correct level of pH in a swimming pool should be between 7.4 and 7.8, with 7.6 being the ideal level.
The Filter Is Your Friend
Oh, pool filter… where would we be without you? For clearing up cloudy water, this part of your pools greater circulation system is huge. Give it the boost that it needs by deep cleaning it out by backwashing your filter , or replacing your filter media before running it againand the best time to do this is after youve shocked your pool to make sure the extra sanitizer has reached your filter.
Is water not pushing through your filter properly because your pumps flow rate is weak? Try a booster pump like the dual-voltage Universal Booster Pump to increase performance. According to customer Jerad Wilson, Great pump, quick delivery, and great pricing. Would buy from here again.
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Reasons For Cloudy Pool Water
Chlorine is an essential tool for ridding your pool of contamination, but it should not be your ride or die. You will need to have a treatment strategy beyond chlorine and a method of clearing your pool of exterior contaminants. Ultimately, cloudy pool water boils down to culprits in one of these categories.
Why Is My Pool Cloudy When The Chemicals Are Balanced
When all the pool chemicals are fine but your water is still cloudy, there is a good chance that you have particles in your pool. In this case, a water clarifier is used to collect all the fine particles so that they can be picked up by the filter.
Alternatively, you can use pool floc , also known as a super floc, which is a chemical that is used to bring all the clouding particles to the bottom of your pool forming a large cloud that you can then vacuum up using a manual pump. The particles collected using a pool floc will not pass through the filter like they would if a water clarifier were used. Make sure that your filter is set on the backwash or waste option when you are vacuuming to avoid any damage that may happen to the filter as a result of clogging.
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How Can I Take Water Out Of Pool
Rotate the multiport valve on the top or side in a clockwise direction to the Waste position. Turn the pump back on. After you get the correct amount of water out of your swimming pool, turn the pump back off. Rotate the multiport valve from the Waste position, in a clockwise direction, back to Filter.
Why Is My Pool Water Cloudy After Opening A Pool
Depending on how carefully you closed the pool for the winter, at the beginning of summer, you may see algae and cloudy water.
The main cause is usually imbalanced chemicals. If your water is free of algae, all you need to do is test for all the chemicals and adjust. Starting with the pH, then the chlorine, and then other chemicals after that.
If the water still appears cloudy after adjusting all the chemicals, you can try using either water clarifier to remove the debris through the filter or use pool flocculant and then vacuum to remove any particles.
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Why Is The Pool Water Still Cloudy After Shocking And/or Adding Algaecide
In most cases, your pool water may still be cloudy but FC is fine or high. Cloudy or milky water after shocking is normal, and the water should clear up within an hour or so. Just make sure your pump and filter are running properly.
If you add algaecide, keep in mind that some algaecide contains copper, which can actually make a pool cloudy. If the cloudiness persists 24 hours after shocking, then it’s possible that you used a poor-quality chlorine shock. In this case, you should take another reading of free chlorine and do the shocking again using liquid chlorine .
You should also check that all chemicalsespecially pH, total alkalinity, cyanuric acid, and calcium hardnessare within the recommended levels. Remember that calcium hypochlorite chlorine shock and chlorine tablets are not recommended for daily pool sanitization, because they raise calcium, pH, and cyanuric acid in your water. You need to be extra careful when using them, or else these chemicals will get off the chart, causing cloudy water, algae, or ammonia in the long run.
Finally, debris could cause continued cloudiness in the water even when chlorine level is fine. You can try using a water clarifier to send all the particles to the filter, or you can use pool floc to gather all the debris together and then vacuum it up using a manual pool pump.
Treating A Cloudy Pool Isnt Hard But It Can Be Complicated
The most important thing to know is, why the pool went cloudy in the first place. And to do this, we use a computerised water test. After analysing the water test results, buy the chemicals recommended for your type of pool, follow the process here, and you can return to swimming as soon as possible.
Step one
Add the chlorine, the algaecide and the clarifier to three different areas of your pool. Remember, these chemicals can discolour the pool surface if left to settle. So make sure they are well dissolved into your pool.
Step two
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How Much Chlorine For Pool Cleanliness
Managing chlorine levels is a big part of pool maintenance as a whole. Unfortunately, theres no one-size-fits-all answer for how much chlorine your pool will need. Instead, you need to consider a variety of factors that may change over time.
Generally speaking, you want to keep your chlorine concentration between 2.0 and 4.0 ppm, or parts per million. That keeps your pool sanitary without irritating swimmers. Factors that will lower chlorine levels include:
Because of these different factors, every pool loses chlorine at a different rate. Your best option is to bring your chlorine level up to the high end of safe and then monitor this regularly. That way, you can record how quickly your pools chlorine levels drop. Then you can replace the chlorine as necessary.
If this sounds like a lot of work, you can also consider signing up for a pool service to do this for you. A licensed pool technician will understand how different local conditions affect chlorine and will be able to adjust your pool chemistry so you dont have to worry about it.
