How To Clear Cloudy Pool Water

Hello, again fellow ePoolSupply supporters! Today I wanted to talk to you about what causes cloudy pool water, how to remove it, what chemicals would be best to use, and how to maintain your water to prevent it from getting dirty again.

What causes cloudy pool water?

There are three main causes of cloudy pool water. The first one is filter and pump problems. If your filter isn't functioning properly, then it can’t remove the contaminants. The second one is chemical imbalances, this means there might be too much or too little chlorine. Another thing could be the PH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, or stabilizer levels could be imbalanced. The third reason could simply be the environment. If there are severe weather storms, wildlife, construction, trees, and algae this can cause cloudy water.

How to Clear Cloudy Pool Water Fast

There is a series of steps you can take to clear up the murky pool water fast. Doing all of these steps should make your pool clearer and more inviting within 24-48 hours.

The first step would be to check your pool filter. Inspect the filter to make sure it is both clean and functioning properly. If your filter is dirty, the best-recommended filter cleaner is the Bio-Dex Zeo part number ZEO32. You will also want to make sure there is enough circulation so the chemicals can circulate properly, check for any worn or broken parts, and replace parts if necessary. Run the pump for at least eight hours a day and backwash the filter until a clean stream of water flows. You will also want to empty any debris that may be in the skimmer basket.

Some of the Best Pool Filters are:

• Pentair Clean & Clear Plus Cartridge Filters
• Pentair Sand Filters
• Pentair DE filters

The next step is to check the pool’s PH, total alkalinity, and calcium hardness levels. Your alkalinity helps prevents fluctuations in your PH, it is best to test these levels first. If you have high levels, use muriatic acid or a PH decreaser. To raise these levels, use an alkalinity increaser or baking soda. The next test would be to check your water's PH levels. Improper PH levels can affect your chlorine and the other chemicals in your water. High levels can cause calcium build up and low levels can cause your chlorine to become overly reactive and quickly depleted. The last test would be to check your calcium hardness levels. If you have high calcium levels, the only thing you can do is to dilute the pool water by draining partially draining it and adding fresh water from your garden hose. You will have to retest your water chemistry levels.

The Proper Pool Water Chemistry Levels Are:

• PH - 7.4 to 7.6
• Alkalinity - 100 ppm to 150 ppm, with 125 ppm being ideal
• Calcium Hardness - 175 ppm to 225 ppm for vinyl liner pools or 200 ppm to 275 ppm for concrete and plaster pools
• Total Chlorine should be 3 ppm
• Combined Chlorine should be below 0.5 ppm or 0 ppm

The last step to clearing your clouded pool water is using an algaecide and clarifier. Before you use a clarifier, you will need to treat any algae you may have. Vacuum any algae debris and scrub your pool thoroughly with a brush then follow instructions of your algaecide and vacuum your pool after the recommended wait time. The best-recommended algaecide is the Bio-Dex Skill-It part number SK132. If your pool is still cloudy, then using a clarifier will be your next step. A clarifier makes the pathogens in your pool clump together making it easier for your pool's filter to clear them out. Choose a pool clarifier that requires minimal mixing or measuring, many are designed to work within 24 hours and are compatible with universal filters. The best-recommended clarifier is the Bio-Dex Clearex 500 part number CX532.

How to Maintain A Clear Pool

After the water issues are resolved and the water is clear again, it is best to keep up with regular pool maintenance and chemical monitoring. To prevent cloudy pool water again you will want to run the pump for at least 8 hours daily, this will make sure your whole pool is getting filtered properly. You will also want to clean your filters monthly during the swimming season. Maintain PH and chlorine levels by doing weekly testing. Your pool may be needing a clean after lots of rain, high heat, or heavy use.