Hazy?

There are several possible causes of cloudy, smoky, or hazy swimming pool water. Here are some of them, along with the solutions:

Poor circulation or filtration: Backwash and clean the pool filter. Clean the skimmer baskets and pump strainer basket. The filter may need to be chemically cleaned.
Improper water balance: Test the pH, total alkalinity, and calcium hardness, and make the necessary adjustments.
High total dissolved solids (TDS) and/or calcium hardness: If one or both are high (TDS over 3,000 ppm or calcium hardness over 400 ppm), drain off 1/3 to 1/2 of your pool water and replace it with fresh water that is low in hardness. Adjust the chemical balance.
Excess organic waste: Shock with one pound of pool super shock for every 10,000 gallons of pool water.
High total alkalinity: Add a pH reducer.
Low sanitizer level: Add chlorine to bring sanitizer into its proper range.

Why is My Pool Water Green?

Your swimming pool is suffering from green algae growth. A common free-floating variety of algae imparts a cloudy green color to pool water. It’s easy to correct if treated early. Shock your pool, then use the proper dose of algaecide for the size of your pool.

Your pool may also be experiencing low total alkalinity, which can contribute to green algae growth, so you may also need to add an alkalinity increaser.

What do I do now?

Follow the instructions below for the best results.

Remove most of the large debris from the pool floor with a large leaf net (not a hand skimmer!).
Adjust the pH and Alkalinity levels of the water using pH Plus, pH Minus and Alkalinity Plus.
Shock the pool. This means super chlorinating the water to kill off any bacteria and algae.
Run your filter 24 hours a day and backwash 3 or 4 times a day for quickest results.

If you follow these instructions and your pool does not clear up within 4 or 5 days, your filter may not be functioning properly. If this is the case with your pool, have the filter system checked out by a professional.

Check our “How to” section for more details.

Why is there a Pink Slime in My Pool. What is it and How Do I Get Rid of it?

Why is there a Pink Slime in My Pool?

Pink slime is a form of bacteria with a pinkish center. It is usually introduced into swimming pools by swimmers who have recently visited coastal areas where this type of growth is common..

How to Treat it?.

To treat pink slime, double shock the pool with two pounds of shock per 10,000 gallons of pool water. Forty-eight hours after shocking the pool, use an all-in-one algaecide at six ounces per 10,000 gallons.

Why My Pool Water Burns My Eyes / is Sudsy / is Salty?

Water burns eyes:

Your pH may be too low or too high. Use a water test kit to determine the pH level and adjust it to a 7.4-7.6 range. Another item to check is whether or not there is too much sanitizer in your pool. Check the automatic chlorinator setting.

Water is sudsy:

Pool water can turn sudsy from the overuse of algaecide. Some types of algaecide can cause water to foam when used liberally. To fix the problem, discontinue use of your current algaecide and switch to a high-quality, non-foaming brand. You may also want to replace some of the pool water with fresh water. Products that help stop foam are available from pool supply companies.

Water is salty:

This is often caused by high total dissolved solids (TDS). TDS is high if it measures over 3,000 ppm. To correct the problem, drain half of the water from the pool and replace it with fresh water.