Fixing Cloudy Pool Water
We get many calls at Pool Troopers from do it yourself pool owners about cloudy pool water. Clean, clear pool water should allow you to easily see a quarter at the bottom of the deep end of the pool. Cloudy or murky pool water is a sign that the water is not safe to swim in. Here is some advice about how to correct cloudy pool water.
If your pool water is cloudy, it means you need to focus on one of these important aspects of pool maintenance; cleanliness, chemistry, filtration or circulation. Let’s dig deeper into each aspect of pool maintenance.
Keep Your Pool Clean
The simplest reason that pool water gets cloudy is due to excess debris in the water. Leaves and other organic debris can begin to deteriorate and upset the chemical balance in your water. Make sure to brush your walls of your pool, skim out all debris, clean baskets and filters vacuum completely. Once the pool is cleaned, you will need to check the water chemistry.
Check The Chemistry
Improper water chemistry is a common reason that pool water becomes cloudy. The first step to uncovering what the problem is should be to test your pools water chemistry. You need to test your chlorine, both total and free. You also need to check your alkalinity and PH balance to see where the levels currently are in your pool.
There are two main chemical issues that can cause cloudy water:
- Sanitizer
Too little sanitizer in your pool water can cause it to become cloudy. When you check your chlorine levels, your free chlorine should be above 3 PPM. Your total chlorine should be similar; if the total chlorine is more than 1 PPM above your free chlorine, you have a combined chlorine problem. The water is unsafe and will need to be shocked (use a bleach and acid shock) to get chlorine levels back within safe ranges. - PH levels
Your PH levels in your pool should stay as close to 7.6 as possible, within the range of 7.4- 7.8. When your PH levels go above this range, your pool water can become cloudy due to dissolved solid that are separated from the solution. This commonly occurs in pools that use calcium hypochlorite or bleach without enough acid to keep PH in the correct balance.
Filtration Issues
If your chemistry is correct, the problem may be from a filtration issue. Your filter must be cleaned and be working properly to keep your pool water safe. Depending on the type of filter you use in your pool, this can mean backwashing, cleaning or replacement when necessary.
If you have questions about your specific filter, please see our Filter Blog.
Circulation Issues
Often times the pool may be clean with a great working filter, yet the chemistry is never quite right regardless of how much a pool owner tries to adjust it. This is often caused by a poorly working circulation system that is not distributing the chemicals properly, allowing the water to become cloudy with algae and other contaminants.
To get your water circulating, you need the return fittings to do their job. Check your return fittings to make sure they are pointed in a slightly downward position. This pushed the water and chemicals down through your pool, instead of upward where it does the least amount of good. To make this more effective, synchronize these pool returns or “eyeball” fittings so that the water is pushed in a circular motion, ensuring that your chemicals are evenly distributed, and all your water is filtered.
These four factors are the most common reasons your pool water can become cloudy. If you have checked all these areas, yet still have cloudy or murky pool water, it is time to call in a professional. You may be dealing with a poor pool design that is causing circulatory issues or a wide range of problems with your water or chemistry that is difficult to resolve without the right training or experience. Our excellent technicians are ready to help to get your pool clarity back to the clear, safe level that it needs to be.
Call Pool Troopers at 866-766-5877 and we will make sure your pool is kept clean and safe for swimming all year round, relieving you of the stress and hassle of maintaining your pool.
