Who among you likes to swim in a crystal clear pool? We think that everyone. And who manages to constantly maintain the pool in this state? Unfortunately, from our experience, we can guess that almost no one, because the impact of the environment creates many problems with the water in your pool. One of the most common of these is green water.
Once you see the green water in your pool, before the planned swim, you will not forget the look of such water. This very nasty substance which rejects any desire to use the pool, but if you understand the technology of the chemical balance of your pool, you can avoid this unpleasant picture and enjoy swimming in a transparent pool.
Get ready to pool clear
The cause of greening water can be either a chemical imbalance or trivial poor filtration.
First, we recommend checking the filtration system:
- Pick up all visible debris from the surface and bottom of the pool;
- Check the filtering system for problems or malfunctions;
- Backwash the filter;
- Return the valve to the filter, and turn on the pump.
After that, if the water has not become clear, you can begin to determine the cause of chemical imbalances in your pool. To do this, you need a pool water test kit, with which you can see the entire chemical map of your pool.
3 reasons why pool water gets green and how to fix it
A lack of chlorine
😒 Problem: When the water is low in chlorine, algae begins to grow very quickly. If you do not add the necessary substances in the shortest possible time, algae can grow so fast that in just one day your pool will be completely green. If your test strip shows a chlorine level of less than 1 ppm (parts per million), the problem is the lack of this element.
😏 Solution: To dissolve algae, you must add chlorine shock and algaecide to the pool water. This substance helps to break down the algae into smaller pieces that are easier to dissolve in the pool.
As the algae dissolve gradually, the water in the pool changes from green to muddy over time before finally becoming clear. This process can take several days. During this time, the pool pump must run around the clock to ensure the even distribution of chlorine in the water and allow the filter to remove algae residues that cause turbidity. Until the water becomes completely clear, you should also check the chlorine level at least once a day, adding extra chlorine each time the level drops below 1 ppm.
Metals in your pool
😒 Problem: The water in the pool, which turned green from metals, will have a constant light green color. This is due to the high level of metals in the source water and algaecides. Also, many metalized elements get into the water through uninsulated metal components of the pool, such as copper heating elements.
😏 Solution: You need to use a metal sequestrant. This additive groups the metal particles together and makes it easier to filter them out. Once the sequestrant has done it job and the pool is cleaned again, you need to remove the metals from your filter:
- Turn off your pool’s pump and filtration system;
- Clamp the backwash hose to your water outlet;
- Set the filter value to backwash and ensure the handle locks in place;
- Wait for a few minutes until the water runs clear;
- Turn off the pump to cease the backwashing.
In addition to simple backwashing, we recommend chemically cleaning the filter. Use a 5% solution of hydrochloric acid (HCl), and circulate it through a filter to dissolve small metal residues.
An interesting fact is that for those who have blonde hair, swimming in a pool with an excessive amount of metals, will lead to greening hair. Therefore, you should never ignore the fact that there may be an excess of metals in your pool.
Pollen concentration
😒 Problem: Pollen is transferred to a pool of plants and trees that grow nearby. Unfortunately, this creates a huge number of problems with water filtration, because most filters do not capture the pollen and pass it into the water. Moreover, the water testing system also cannot catch pollen. Therefore, if your test shows high levels of chlorine and no metals, it is logical that the most likely cause of green water is pollen.
😏 Solution: It is much harder to get rid of pollen than from chemicals imbalance as in the previous cases. In our experience, adding a flocculant is the only effective way to remove pollen. Also, skimmer socks placed over the skimmer basket will help to remove any pollen that is suspended in the water. But still, the pollen seeps through the filter so much that no system can handle it without flocculant cleaning.
How to prevent green water in your pool
When you have finally purified your green water to a crystal clear, the logical question is how to prevent the water from turning green in the future. This is not difficult to do if you follow a few simple steps:
- Use a filter and a pump that will filter out even the smallest particles that cause the water to turn green;
- Regularly (1-2- times a week) test the chemical map of your pool and check the balance of each element. Pay special attention to chlorine and metals;
- Keep your pool away from fruit orchards and other large clusters of pollen-producing trees;
- Use a pool cover that minimizes debris, which concentrates a large number of chemical elements that cause the greening of the water.
In general, as you can see, spending only a little effort and time you can forget about the ugly green water.
Summary
A crystal clear day-to-day pool is a scene from a Hollywood movie, not the realities of our lives. An unfavorable environment, poor filtration systems, and improper operation of the pool lead to a turbidity of water in various forms, the most popular of which is green water.
Often people, unaware of the nature of this phenomenon, are forced to completely drain and fill the pool several times a week. However, it turns out that not everything is as complicated as it may seem at first glance. All you have to do is test the water regularly, clean the filters, use the pool cover and you will quickly forget about this unpleasant phenomenon when you can start to enjoy swimming in the crystal clear pool.
FAQ
🤔 How do I fix my green pool?
To clear a green pool, you must first test the water. Depending on the test results namely indicators of chlorine and metals, the appropriate chemical must be added. Detailed about it you can read in our article.
🧐 How much chlorine is needed to not keep the pool green?
In order for algae not to appear in the pool and water did not start to green, the chlorine level must be at least 1 ppm.
😯 How to filter pollen from a green pool?
Most filters are not powerful enough to filter pollen, so we recommend placing your pool away from fruit trees and using a pool cover. If your pool still turns green due to pollen, use a flocculant for quick cleaning.
😡 Can a pool turn green overnight?
Yes, if your pool doesn’t have enough chlorine, it can turn green in 8 hours.
😀 How to prevent green water in your pool?
To prevent the greening of the water, you should use powerful filters, pool cover, and conduct regular testing of the chemical composition of the water.
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