There is nothing so inviting as the sight of a clear pool on a hot summer day. However, if your pool water turns green, the invitation to swim laps in your pool will likely cool off quickly. Green pool water is not only unattractive; it can be hazardous to your health. This article will discuss some of the causes and prevention methods for green pool water.
1. Maintain Proper Chlorine Levels
You need to maintain appropriate chlorine levels in your pool’s water. If your chlorine level is too low, you’re inviting dangerous bacteria into your swimming space and risking skin irritations as well as eye and throat irritation from breathing in too much chlorine.
If your chlorine level is too high, you risk creating chloramines by combining chlorine with other minerals or metals found in your local tap water supply or even contaminants that may be present in the air and rainwater that falls on top of your outdoor swimming environment.
2. Understand the Primary Causes of Pool Algae Growth
Algae growth in your pool can be caused by several factors, including improper pH levels, high temperatures, and lack of circulation. If you know when your pool was last cleaned, you can try adjusting these factors to prevent future problems with algae growth. If you don’t know when it was last cleaned, call a professional pool service repair company as soon as possible so they can provide a thorough inspection and recommend appropriate actions to prevent further damage.
3. Filter Your Pool Water Regularly
The first step in preventing green pool water is to filter it regularly. Pool filters trap debris and impurities that would otherwise remain in the water and cause algae growth. Filters should be cleaned at least once a week, but you may need to clean them more often if you live in an area where there’s a lot of dust or pollen in the air.
4. Balance Your Pool’s Chemicals
Your next step is balancing your pool water chemistry to have adequate alkalinity and calcium hardness levels. Alkalinity helps neutralize chlorine, while calcium hardness prevents scale formation on pool surfaces. To balance your pool’s chemical levels, add acid if your pH is too high (above 7) or add a base if it’s too low (below 7). Test the pH level daily until it reaches an acceptable range of 7-7.4.
5. Clean Your Pool’s Filters and Backwash Your Pump Regularly
When the filter becomes clogged with dirt and debris, it won’t be able to properly filter your pool water. Backwashing your pump will help remove these particles from the filter so that they don’t get reintroduced into your pool when you turn on the pump again.
What Causes Pool Greening
Several different things can cause pool greening. Before even trying to fix your pool greening problem, you must find out what is causing the color change. The problem could be with the water or chemicals in your pool.
Chlorine Demand
Chlorine demand is caused by the oxidation of organic matter in your pool water. When this occurs, it means that there is an increased amount of chlorine needed to keep your water clear and balanced. This leads to increased chlorine levels being used up to keep it clear and balanced. As a result, you may notice that you need to add more chlorine than normal to achieve the same results as before.
Organic Debris
Organic debris, such as leaves and other plant material, can cause a green pool. Leaves and other organic matter will absorb the sun’s rays and heat up the water. This increases the temperature of the water, which causes chlorine to evaporate more quickly. The result is a green pool. You can prevent this problem by using a pool cover or net to keep leaves out of your pool.
PH Unbalance
The most common cause of pool greening is a high pH level. To maintain an alkaline environment in your pool water, you will need to test your pH levels regularly and adjust them accordingly. In some cases, however, the pH levels may become too high or too low for your pool’s water chemistry. If this happens, it can cause a green tint to appear on the surface of your pool water.
Sunlight and Shading
Sunlight can also cause your pool water to turn green if there is too much direct exposure to sunlight during the day or if there are trees nearby that prevent sunlight from reaching all areas of your pool deck at all times of the day. This lack of sun exposure can cause algae to grow in certain areas where there is not enough sunlight reaching the water’s surface at certain times of the day or during certain seasons throughout the year when there is less sunlight available overall in general due to cloud cover or changing weather patterns.
One of the most common problems asked about by homeowners is how to prevent the water in their swimming pools from turning green. There are various reasons for this, but fortunately, it is also possible to reverse the process and restore your pool’s water to its original crystal clear state.