Whether it’s cloudy water or a slimy surface, every pool will eventually have some water chemistry woes. Today, we’ll help you address some of the most common ones that we see.
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Green, Black, or Dark Yellow Algae
What to look for:
Slippery pool surface
Slimy walls
Dull green water
What’s probably causing it:
High pH
Poor circulation
Low free available chlorine
What should resolve it:
Superchlorination
Brushing the pool sides and bottom
Using an algaecide
Related:
Wall, Fixture, or Plumbing Corrosion
What to look for:
Pitting and/or discolouration of surfaces
What’s probably causing it:
Low pH
Extremely low water hardness or alkalinity
What should resolve it:
Using baking soda to move pH and alkalinity into an appropriate range
Scaling
What to look for:
White, calcified buildup on pool surfaces
What’s probably causing it:
Hard water
Excess calcium levels
What should resolve it:
Reducing pH and alkalinity levels
Avoiding calcium-containing disinfectants
Adding an acid
Turbid / Cloudy Water
What’s probably causing it:
Poor filtration
Insufficient chlorination
High water hardness, pH, alkalinity
What should resolve it:
Ensuring that your filtration system is in a good state (ex. paper filter or sand is clean and undamaged)
Superchlorination
Bringing chlorine, pH, and alkalinity levels into recommended ranges
Related:
Discoloured Water
What to look for:
Pool water is clean but coloured
What’s probably causing it:
Disolved metal impurities
Algae
What should resolve it:
Testing copper and iron levels
Maintaining appropriate pH and alkalinity
Related: