You might wake up one day and find your pool all cloudy. Do you want to swim in a pool like that? I doubt anyone is willing to jump into a mass of water if they can’t see the bottom of it. The process to get the water clean again will require some time and effort, and that’s where we step in. How to clear cloudy pool water?
In this article, we will explain the causes of your ‘milky’ pool and suggest some methods to deal with the unwanted situation, to fix the cloudy pool. Let’s bid the uninviting look goodbye!
Why is your pool cloudy?
It was all clear and beautiful yesterday. What happened?
In most cases, it gets cloudy slowly as days pass by. You might have noticed the cloudiness but brushed it off until it’s too visible to ignore. Sometimes, the issue occurs overnight. And we have three main reasons.
#The surrounding
There are so many sources of dirt and dust around us that we won’t be able to list them all: weather, construction, tree, people, algae, and a lot of trivial things.
#The filter
It’s the key factor in keeping your pool clean. Therefore, if you are experiencing a cloudy pool, the chance of your sand or cartridge filter having problems is high.
#The pool chemicals
We add chemicals to sanitize and balance the pool water, but an abundance of chemicals might cause cloudy pool issue.
What do they do to the pool?
There are some links between the reasons above. For example, the sanitizers can’t dissolve an excessive amount of solids, the filters have to take care of the rest. If the filtration system fails to do so, the solids will take over and deactivate the sanitizers.
While we are in the water, we add sweat, sunscreen, urine, and so much more. They deplete chlorine over time. Another culprit is the sun. The UV rays ruin the sanitizing ions and cause them to evaporate. That’s why we have to test the balance and add more sanitizers if needed.
The sanitizer also kills off the algae that we don’t want to touch at all. The more algae you have in your pool, the more chemicals you need and the less efficient they are in fighting off other contaminants.
Moreover, pH, alkalinity, calcium, and other indexes can also be the cause of the cloudiness, which means we will always need to balance the pool chemistry.
Luckily, cloudy water belongs to the simpler side when it comes to pool problems. However, the consequences are severe.
The issues following a cloudy pool
We can agree that a cloudy pool means the level of sanitizer is low, and bacteria have the ideal environment to grow. Swimmers will face dangerous contaminants and put their health at risk.
With many contaminants in the pool, your filtration equipment will be under pressure. The system will have to work extra hours and still fail to distribute the filtered water thoroughly.
The cloudy water might be the beginning of something worse: algae. It makes the experience with the pool yuck, of course, but the suspended debris can impair your sight as well. If someone or something falls into a pool full of algae and you can’t spot them immediately, it will be very dangerous.
Last but not least, you’re facing serious problems if the water chemistry is wrong.
- High pH? Your pool is less acidic than it needs to be. It allows scales to form on the surface and in the plumbing, and they will make it difficult for the sanitizer and the filter to do their job.
- High alkalinity? It means the water isn’t acidic, but high alkaline water still causes the metal to pit and vinyl to tear. The flakes will also clog the filters.
- High chlorine? Skin irritation is the first threat. If you have a history of troubles with breathing, your lungs will be vulnerable too. As if it wasn’t bad enough, chlorine byproducts could be corrosive.
Now, you already know about the reasons and problems a cloudy pool water may bring. It’s the time to learn how to fix cloudy pool water. Keep reading!
How to clear cloudy pool water?
# Test the water
Since the chemistry balance is one of the main reasons for your cloudy pool, we can start from there.
There are two common options: a test kit and a set of test strips. The test strips allow you to measure the indexes mentioned above, while the test kit has a wider range of uses.
Still, we will focus on pH, chlorine, and alkaline concentration. If the water is more on the base side, we use hydrochloric acid or sodium hydrogen sulfate. If the acid level is high, sodium carbonate will balance it out. To maintain the chlorine level, don’t forget the chlorine stabilizer.
# Deep cleaning
It will get dirt and debris off the pool surfaces, and you need a good start like that before anything else. Vacuum the remnants out of your pool, and vacuum to waste if you’re dealing with algae.
# Shock it
For the stubborn contaminants, you might need a harsh solution. A huge dose of chlorine will shock your pool and eliminate all of the little invaders like bacteria, organic wastes, and algae.
# Check on your filter
You should backwash the filters every few months. Why do we put this suggestion after deep cleaning and shocking the water? If you run the filters after completing those steps, the sanitizer will also go through the circulation system, and the clean water will reach farther corners of the pool.
# Utilize the bottom drains
If your above ground pool uses no bottom drain, there’s a trick: hook your vacuum cleaner up and center it on the pool bottom before turning it upside down. This way, the vacuum head will suck the water from the bottom of your pool and finish what the skimmer can’t do.
# Pool floc
They usually come in a powdered form. You will dissolve them in water and spread them all over the surface. They will draw the particles in the water closer and clump together on the bottom.
During this time, your filter pump should be resting and let the pool floc collect the debris. After 48 hours, you can use the vacuum to get the clusters out of your pool.
# Pool clarifier
Although its function is to pull tiny particles into clumps, it’s not the same thing. With the pool clarifier, the filter will remove them from your pool instead of the vacuum. Thus, it’s known as a preventative method to keep the water clear.
# Maintenance
It’s always better to stop the problems before they affect you badly rather than trying to fix it. A pool maintenance plan is necessary if you want your pool to be in its best shape.
- Testing the chemical levels and keeping them balanced
- Shocking the pool periodically
- Making sure there is no giant clump troubling your filtration system
- Removing the debris and vacuuming the pool regularly
Final Verdict
Now you know what causes the cloudiness in the pool, the damage it does, and how to clear a cloudy pool. It will take some time and cost quite some money, but you will find it worthwhile when your pool is crystal clear again! If you have any question, feel free to ask us Swim-City