Cloudy pool water can look suspicious and compromise the impression of your pool sanitation. Pools are high maintenance, and their cleaning and upkeep can get exhausting.
Here are a few tips to help remove the cloudiness from your pool surface and get that crystal clear look for summer relaxation.
How does your pool water become cloudy
To clean your backyard pool, you first need to understand the cause of the cloudiness. Some testing procedures will help you examine the culprit of your pool’s dirty appearance. An expert pool designer will advise you to constantly supply digital water test kits to check which chemicals are imbalanced. You first need to evaluate the free chlorine level in your backyard pool. It should be above three ppm, and the combined chlorine level should be below 0.5 ppm.
To ensure your pool is algae-free, you can do an overnight chlorine loss test (OCLT). If chlorine added to pool water in the evening depletes by more than one ppm by the following morning, it indicates algal growth. Apart from this, microscopic particles that do not get filtered coagulate to give your pool a dirty look. A filter not functioning properly or running enough hours per day will also cause the pool cloudiness.
Tips to get rid of pool cloudiness
1. Low Free Chlorine
Your pool may be lacking chlorine due to several reasons. Extra usage, rainfall, or direct UV light can contribute to chlorine depletion. Chloramines are formed without enough chlorine, giving the typical chlorine smell in a pool. Due to UV light, cyanuric acid is an effective solution to counter chlorine depletion. To give a chlorine boost to your pool, experienced pool contractors recommend the use of sodium hypochlorite.
2. Extreme pH and alkalinity
If your pool has a low pH, you can use a pH increase and soda ash to augment its level. You’ll need acidic solutions like muriatic acid or sulfuric acid for high pH. If your pool alkalinity is not between the ideal 80-120 ppm, you’ll need to use muriatic acid and aerate the pool.
3. Clogged filter
You did your pool chemical tests, which all look normal, yet your pool looks cloudy. A clogged filter might be the cause of this. Pool filters can be of 3 types:
- Diatomaceous earth (4-6 microns)
- Cartridge (15 microns)
- Sand (20-50 microns)
These three reasons typically cause cloudiness on pool surfaces:
- Chemical imbalance (pH and alkalinity)
- Dysfunctional filters and pumps
- Algae and debris
The peaks and valleys in a sand filter can work out with time. This will hamper their filtering activity. Thus, any filter must be regularly examined to ensure it functions properly. A professional pool designer will recommend you install a diatomaceous earth filter with a suitable pump size to maintain the filtering process
in your average-sized outdoor pool.
Pool cloudiness can lead to damaging consequences if not dealt with promptly. Experts at the Center for Disease and Prevention (CDC) suggest that pool water should be clear enough for you to see the drain at the pool bottom to ensure pool safety. If your pool has become clouded and you need the best pool contractor in Sterling, you can contact our builders at Perfect Pools. We have a team of expert outdoor pool designers who can guide you and provide quality services for your pool installation and maintenance.
