How Do You Clean a Pool – Q & A

Water is hazy but no color
Check your filter turnover rate, and measure your hardness, pH and Alkalinity. Vacuum and clean your pool well. If your chemistry is in balance, then backwash & clean your filter or replace filter media. If your hardness is greater than 400 ppm, you need to drain some of your water and replace it with lower hardness water to bring this value down. If your pH is greater than 7.8 and your Alkalinity is greater than 150 ppm, adjust them down as described in your treatment recommendation. You may also consider adding a clarifier, but please do all of the above first.
Water is dirty looking
Check to see if the water clears when you turn your pump off. Vacuum and clean your pool well. You may consider getting an automatic pool cleaner. Make sure your pH is 7.4 and add a chelating agent. If your hardness is greater than 400 ppm, you need to drain some of your water and replace it with lower hardness water to bring this value down. If your pH is greater than 7.8 and your Alkalinity is greater than 150 ppm, adjust them down as described in your treatment recommendation. You may also consider adding a clarifier, but please do all of the above first.
Cloudy but with a color
Check to see if your water has high nitrate or phosphate levels, and also check your free sanitizer levels (chlorine or other sanitizer). You need to superchlorinate to 10 ppm, brush all the surfaces of your pool, and vacuum it well. Keep your filter running for 24 hours straight. Add an algaecide. Also check your filtration, it may be poor. If so, backwash your filter or replace your filter cartridge.
Tinted by something
Metals come from your feed water source or the corrosion of pool parts. Make sure your pH and alkalinity are within specifications! You may need to adjust your pH up a bit (but stay in spec) and consider adding a chelating agent.Check your hardness and adjust it up with the proper chemical. This will help reduce corrosion.
Discoloration showing in places
You may need to adjust your pH down a bit (but stay in spec) and add a chelating agent. If this color has shown up after shocking your pool, check hardness and pH and get them in spec.
Flaky build up
Check your hardness and TDS (total dissolved solids). You should get a complete water analysis done soon! Reduce hardness by partially draining and then filling your pool with new water. Measure and balance your chemistry after this.
Eyes, ears, nose, or rashes
If your swimmers have red eyes and your pool smells like “Chlorine” it is likely high in chloramines. Shock your pool to 10 ppm chlorine and these compounds will be destroyed. Don’t swim in a pool that is being shocked. If the water stings your eyes, it is likely because the pH is too low or too high. Adjust the pH to spec. Rashes or ear aches should be checked out by your doctor if they are bad and persist. Shocking the pool will kill any bacteria that might be causing rashes. Make sure your sanitizer level is maintained at around 3 ppm. Some folks are simply sensitive to Chlorine or Bromine.
Can not maintain chlorine level
Measure your Total Chlorine. If it is high relative to the Free Chlorine, you have a high Chlorine Demand. You need to shock your pool to 10 ppm and wait over night. Do it again if necessary. Don’t swim in a pool that is being shocked. Remove visible sources of debris like leaves and dirt. If nitrates are high replace a portion of your pool water. If you have a large number of swimmers or lots of rain is diluting your pool, make sure you keep your pool chemistry balanced, and shock the pool over night. Measure your cyanuric acid (stabilizer). Keep it between 30 and 50 ppm.
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