Easy Cloudy Pool Solutions for Austin & San Antonio
Pool Maintenance
When your pool water becomes cloudy, it can be extremely uninviting- something no pool owner wants, especially around this time of year. There are roughly two reasons why your pool water might not be looking like its usual, sparkling self; the reason is either chemical or mechanical.
However, pool owners can often clear a cloudy pool fast on their own before it’s necessary to call in a pool maintenance professional. Take a look at these solutions for clearing up a cloudy pool:
Mechanical Problem
If pool chemicals in the water are at the right level and/or pool water has been treated regularly, then the problem could be a mechanical issue. Mechanical parts that contribute to fuzzy water are a bad pump, insufficient circulation, poor filtration, and improper maintenance.
Your pool should be filtering water at a minimum of 8-10 hours a day. If your pool water is murky, try increasing the amount of time for filtration. Make sure to clean your filter regularly to avoid bacterial build up.
For proper cleaning, it might be time to invest in a quality vacuum or an auto pool cleaner that regularly helps with water clarity.
If a pump is defective or is too big or small for your pool, it may not be catching the debris like it should be. Pumps that are too big for pools will force debris right through its filter. Additionally, you may want to check for blockages that may affect the effectiveness of your pump.
Chemical Problem
If your pump is working properly and there seems not be any apparent blockages or defectiveness in your pump, the cause of a cloudy pool might be chemical. While this could be a main cause for your cloudy pool, it’s important to investigate any possible mechanical problems before adjusting your pool’s water chemistry.
Chemical causes of cloudy pools include:
- Improper maintenance of sanitation levels
- Lack of chemical maintenance routine
- Poor pool shocking
You may have improper pool chemistry levels if they do not test in these ranges:
- Free chlorine: (1to 3 ppm)
- pH (7.2 to 7.6)
- Alkalinity (90 to 120 ppm)
- Calcium Hardness (200 to 350 ppm)
- If pH is too high: Use a pH decreaser/reducer
- If total alkalinity is too high: Use a pH decreaser/reducer
- If calcium hardness is too high: You may need to replace some of the pool water and switch to a chlorine with a lower quantity of calcium.