Cloudy Swimming Pool Water

Causes and cures for cloudy swimming pool water.
Milky pool water, white, pink, brown, purple, black cloudy water.
Nandrew

Cloudy Water

Postby Nandrew » Thu 29 May, 2008 15:21

I have owned a pool previously, last year we moved into a house that we are renting and it has a inground pool 16x36 when we opened last year it was fine. I have always been lucky at having beautiful clear sparkling water all summer without too much effort. This year my husband got a little excited and he filled up the pool but we didnt start the pump right away so of course the water just sat there and turned to green to almost black. I poured 20 litres of liquid chlorine in and a bottle of high percentage algecide. It got rid of the green/black water but now my water is cloudy. My husband poured in more chlorine about 10 more litres, this did not help what so ever. We took a sample of our water in to be tested, they told us all our levels were great the chlorine was a little high but not by much, they suggested we use floc. They told us to put the whole bottle in and follow the instructions. We did this but it has been 4 days now and cannot see any difference really just slightly in the shallow end. Now I am reading that Floc is not such a great thing to use. Help!! I do not what else to do now. I am almost tempted to drain the whole pool and refill it again. Can anyone give me suggestions. What about CLear Blue Tabs has anyone heard of this and would it work do you think. We also have a product cooled pool perfect that we tried to use because it is supposed to clarify the pool and that did not seem to help either.


Inscotland

Watermaid Salt Water Chlorinator

Postby Inscotland » Wed 16 Jul, 2008 16:29

I initially tried tradtional chlorine and chemical based approaches, but in the end opted for a salt water chlorination system. Although the limescale build-up does pose problems, I have never experienced a cloudy or algae related pool problem since making the change. You can see a few photos of our pool at our Holiday Villa
Tancy123
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I can't get the cloudy water to clear HELP!

Postby Tancy123 » Tue 05 May, 2009 11:03

HELP!

I have been trying to clear up my cloudy pool for almost 2 weeks now. I took a water sample to be tested and I am told the water is perfectly balanced. I purchased a clarifier, that did not work. I turned the cleaner upside down in the middle of the pool for over 24 hours and that did not clear it up. The PSI is at 20.

The pool is a 24ft above ground pool with a sand filter, the warer temp is 72.

Please advise that to do to clear up the water.

Thanks!
CBI

Desperate about cloudy water

Postby CBI » Sat 06 Jun, 2009 15:31

What did u do I am having the same problem
A&M wrote:Hi everyone

New to the site and desperate.

We bought our above ground pool in jan this year and had it put in the ground. We've had two weeks of clear blue water and ever since then all we've had is CLOUDS.

We've tried running the filter for 36 hours, continual cleaning of the filter, flocculant (which just complicated the problem), borrowed a barracuda (which keeps hugging the steps!), shocking the pool with chlorine (we use the granular type).

Now my own theory (from research undertaken) is that the cloudiness represents calcium residue from the granular chlorine we keep putting in the pool. The PH and Cl levels are good in the pool. Visibility is poor. We have wedding cake style steps and can't see past number 2 step.

If calcium residue is the problem, how do I cure it? running the pfilter continually doesn't seem to clear the problem.

We're desperate. Our pool has cost us a lot of money and we're not very happy! Can anyone help.

Feeling like cleopatra in a milk bath ....
Denali
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Desperate about cloudy water

Postby Denali » Sat 06 Jun, 2009 23:35

CBI wrote:What did u do I am having the same problem
A&M wrote:Hi everyone

New to the site and desperate.

We bought our above ground pool in jan this year and had it put in the ground. We've had two weeks of clear blue water and ever since then all we've had is CLOUDS.

We've tried running the filter for 36 hours, continual cleaning of the filter, flocculant (which just complicated the problem), borrowed a barracuda (which keeps hugging the steps!), shocking the pool with chlorine (we use the granular type).

Now my own theory (from research undertaken) is that the cloudiness represents calcium residue from the granular chlorine we keep putting in the pool. The PH and Cl levels are good in the pool. Visibility is poor. We have wedding cake style steps and can't see past number 2 step.

If calcium residue is the problem, how do I cure it? running the pfilter continually doesn't seem to clear the problem.

We're desperate. Our pool has cost us a lot of money and we're not very happy! Can anyone help.

Feeling like cleopatra in a milk bath ....


Hi CBI,

The first step in clearing any pool is to completely test the water. You either need a good test kit or have it tested at a pool store. Only when you have a complete set of numbers can you (or anyone on here) figure out what needs doing.
jrp

Cloudy Swimming Pool Water

Postby jrp » Tue 14 Jul, 2009 10:14

I have a question that is frustrating me....
I've had my pool for 5-6 years and have never had a problem. I have an above-ground pool with a sand filter.

This year, I opened my pool, filled it to the appropriate level (water level was low), took a sample to the pool store, and added the chemicals they gave me (as I always do) to balance it.
When I started up the filter, I got a big cloud of green stuff, but it was dark green.

I've since shocked the pool twice, added algaecide, and had the water re-tested - I was told that it is an algae problem, the water chemistry is all fine except calcium is a little low.

I really don't think it's an algae problem - does anyone have any ideas??!?
junior88

cloudy water

Postby junior88 » Sun 09 Aug, 2009 09:52

Sissy907 wrote:I should say I tried algaecides and water clarifiers twice already and it hasn't changed anything in the pool.
Hector

Cloudy Swimming Pool Water

Postby Hector » Mon 10 Aug, 2009 18:31

I have read what I thought was everything, and my first instinct was to change my sand in my sand filter. But I went ahead and did all the rest of what everyone was telling me to do. After 3 weeks and $$$ later I decided to go with my instincts and change my sand in the filter. Even though the sand is only 2 yeqars old within 2 days my pool was back on track. I am pertty upset with my local pool distributer because later I found out that in the area I live sand filter must be replaced every 2 years anyway. But sand is only $9.99 per 50 lbs bag and chemicals run into the hundreds guess which way they rather teach us. I have been spreading the word to those around my town, anyway hope this helps somebody........
atlantispoolchemicals

Cloudy Swimming Pool Water

Postby atlantispoolchemicals » Fri 18 Sep, 2009 17:48

Hiklear Algicide would do the trick. Its a highly sophisticated Copper/Triethanolamine complex algicide used for the effective elimination and control of algae of all types, in swimming pool water.
poolspachemicals uk
chem geek
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Cloudy Swimming Pool Water

Postby chem geek » Sat 19 Sep, 2009 02:08

Copper ions can stain pool surfaces, fingernails, and give a greenish tint to blond hair. The levels at which copper is an effective algaecide are close to the levels at which it will stain unless the pH is kept low. If the copper levels get too high or the pH gets too high, staining can occur. Do you tell your customers that?
Splash and Relax
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Location: UK

Cloudy Swimming Pool Water

Postby Splash and Relax » Wed 10 Feb, 2010 07:15

Generally if you have cloudy pool water its quite easy to sort and to keep from happening again. I would suggest you read a good clear pool water guide (pardon the pun :))such as the ones we have designed to help with just this type of topic at our pool water guides section.

After a good read of all the different types of water problems and water treatments you will see that most of these cloudy water problems can be fixed by yourself for very little money.
chem geek
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Cloudy Swimming Pool Water

Postby chem geek » Wed 10 Feb, 2010 12:32

tlamb692

Cloudy Swimming Pool Water

Postby tlamb692 » Sun 21 Mar, 2010 08:03

I became a pool and spa operator last year. I opened the pool perfectly last year. my water chemistry is balanced but water is still cloudy. I shocked my pool to about 12 ppm, then I used floc and vacuumed like four times. Afterwards, I shocked the pool again. I have waited two days but it is still cloudy.
chem geek
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Location: San Rafael, California

Cloudy Swimming Pool Water

Postby chem geek » Mon 22 Mar, 2010 00:13

Do you have a full set of water chemistry numbers, including the CYA level? Specifically, FC, CC, pH, TA, CH, CYA, temp? What kind of chlorine do you normally use to chlorinate the pool? What kind of filter do you have and did you check it to make sure it is filtering properly (no channeling in a sand filter, no tears in a cartridge filter, etc.)? Was the pool initially cloudy upon opening or did it have algae that was then shocked so went form green to cloudy but is persisting as cloudy? Any more details you could provide with exactly what happened and what has been added to the pool after it was opened this year (including algaecides, phosphate removers, etc.) would be helpful.
marilynpool
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My Pool: my pool is a 20' x 42' Full - L -987.8 Sq. Ft, - 30,595 US. GAL. its a Vinyl type from cheap pool products. My filter is Hayward 36" Pro-Series Sand Filter w/2" Side Valve also from cheap pool products. I do my laps here everyday.
Location: Greenwood Village, CO

Cloudy Swimming Pool Water

Postby marilynpool » Sun 28 Mar, 2010 21:14

I also had a similar problem years ago. I called up my pool maker and told me to use this Aqua Rite Chlorine Generator to keep my chlorine levels stable.
Aqua Rite Chlorine Generator
aqua rite chlorinator

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