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Cloudy Water |
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Cloudy water can be caused by a number of factors. Check the following items in the order they appear for sources of
cloudy water. If possible - bring in a water sample for a FREE water analysis. Many problems can be found through a water test. |
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- Filtration
- Filters must be run enough hours a day and must be clean in order to efectively remove dirt and debris from the pool water. The filter should be run a minimum of 8 continuous hours a day for halogen (chlorine/bromine) pools and 12 hours a day for SoftSwim (biguanide) pools, during daylight hours. When problems exist, the filter should be run continuously. The filter media (sand, DE or cartridge) must be chemically cleaned every 4-6 weeks for SoftSwim systems and every 3 months for chlorinated or brominated systems. Check the filter for damage, dirty media and the length of time the pump is run daily. (Even if the pump is being run 8 hours a day, it may not be adequate during extremely hot weather, with heavy bather loads, or if the pump is run for short periods, then turned off, then turned back on again.)
- Water Balance
- High pH, total alkalinity, and/or total hardness can cause minerals to fall out of solution, which clouds the water. This is actually the beginning of scale buildup, and should be addressed as soon as possible. Bring in a water sample so we can perform a complete water analysis and follow the ALEX (computer) recommendations for proper water balance.
- Sanitizing and Oxidizing
- Proper sanitizer residuals and normal oxidation keep bacteria and algae from growing in the pool, and eliminate undesirable compounds that can promote their growth. If these residuals drop, even temporarily, bacteria and other organisms can take a foothold and begin growing, and can cloud the water. In chlorinated and brominated pools, shock using Burn Out, Burn Out 35 or Super Soluble. (Use these products if the water is already cloudy and you suspect a growth. For regular mainenance to prevent cloudiness, you may use any of these or BioGuard Lite, Easy Shock & Swim, Smart Shock, Burn Out Extreme or Oxysheen.) In SoftSwim pools, use SoftSwim C regularly to maintain a SoftSwim C level of 20 ppm or higher. An inability to maintain proper sanitizer and oxidizer level can indicate a problem and can cloud the water. In chlorinated, Mineral Springs or brominated pools, we can test for a chlorine/bromine demand. SoftSwim pools may have a clarifier demand.
- Algae
- The beginning stages of algae growth will often simply cloud the water before turning it a color. Apply shock product appropriate for you sanitizer.
- Insoluble Compounds
- A buildup of insoluble compounds often cannot be removed by the filter. This is usually caused by inconsistent maintenance or by not shocking after heavy bather loads. Apply shock products appropriate for you sanitizer.
- Solar Cover & Indoor Pools
- Sometimes, if a pool is indoors or is kept covered most of the time, gases that normally evaporate are reabsorbed into the pool water. This reabsorption causes a phenomenon referred to as bicarbonate scale. In this situation, the pH tends to drift down and the total alkalinity drifts up, and adjustments to either are not effective. To eliminated this problem, remove the solar cover and rebalance, or for indoor pools, ventilate well and rebalance. In the future, remove the solar cover or ventilate an indoor pool several hours daily to allow the pool to gas off properly.
- Special Note For SoftSwim Pools
- SoftSwim pools that are cloudy sometimes require special care. If the water is properly balanced and there are no metals present, it is usually a good idea to have a pool professional (a representative from the store) physically check the filtration system for adequate circulation, growth or buildup inside the lines and/or filter, biofilm in the skimmer, returns and light niche or on ladders and automatic cleaners.) Once ALL of these things have been checked and adusted, proceed with an application of Polysheen Blue. If the water does not clear within 48 hours of continuous filtration, and all of the above have been checked by a quilified professional from the store, and everything is in order, assume that there is a growth in the lines and perform the Closed Loop Procedure (ask us for more details on this).
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Products That Can Help |
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