Swimming Pool
Water Troubleshooting Guide
Got pool problems?
Most swimming pool water problems are the
result of one or more of the following:
- No free available chlorine.
- Poor water circulation.
- Not using test kits, or not reading them
correctly.
- Lack of proper pool maintenance, which
includes periodic super-chlorination and fresh water
replacement.
CHECK THE SYMPTOMS LISTED
BELOW, THEN APPLY THE SUGGESTED REMEDY….
PROBLEM:
Cloudy water. Water appears murky or turbid due to suspended matter.
Causes:
- Algae
- Too high a hardness level
- Too frequent backwashing
- Inefficient filter
- Plugged or channeled filter
- Precipitating calcium compounds
- Improper pH
- Improper total alkalinity
- Too high a total dissolved solids content
Remedies:
- Inspect filtration system
- Adjust you pH and total alkalinity to
proper levels, as well as the free available chlorine
- Maintain a consistent 1.0 - 1.5 ppm free
chlorine level
PROBLEM:
Algae. Green, cloudy water or dark green or black spots on pool
walls. Algae is not only unsightly, but it makes surfaces slippery.
Algae can clog pumps and filters, and may harbor bacteria.
Causes:
- Insufficient free-chlorine residual
- Not following routine pool maintenance,
including testing and sanitizing.
Remedies:
- Super-chlorinate
- Check pH and adjust, if necessary, to
comfort zone: pH 7.2 - 7.8
- Brush spots with pool brush to remove
clinging algae
- Maintain a minimum chlorine residual of 1.0
to 1.5 ppm
PROBLEM:
Eye burns an chlorine-like odors.
Causes:
- Improper pH
- Combined chlorine
Remedies:
- Super-chlorinate
- Adjust pH to proper 7.2 - 7.8 range
- Maintain proper levels of pH, total
alkalinity, and free chlorine residual
PROBLEM:
Stains. Usually brownish stains on pool surface.
Causes:
- Corrosion of pool’s metal hardware due to
low pH
- High pH
- High alkalinity
- Dissolved metals
Remedies:
- Adjust pH to 7.2 - 7.8
- Adjust total alkalinity
- Check with your pool chemical dealer about:
Using chelating materials or acid washing your pool
PROBLEM:
Clogged Filter. Water flow through your filter is impeded, resulting
in increase in circulatory system pressure.
Causes:
- Algae
- Calcification
- Hair
- Suntan lotion
- Improper pH
- Improper total alkalinity
Remedies:
- Check the guide-lines for your pool,
including proper pH and total alkalinity, adjust them to proper
levels
- Maintain proper levels for pH and total
alkalinity
PROBLEM:
Foaming. When your pool water looks like soap bubbles.
Causes:
- Too high a concentration of algaecide
- Organic debris in water
Remedies:
- Read product labels carefully, and obey
dosage instructions
- Discard water, as necessary
- Super-chlorinate
- Adjust pH, total alkalinity, and free
chlorine residual to proper ranges
- Maintain those proper levels
PROBLEM:
Scale. White, gray, or brownish deposits on pool surface or heater
coils.
Causes:
- Calcium carbonate deposits caused by
excessively hard water
- Accumulation of dissolved solids
Remedies:
- Adjust pH to 7.2 - 7.8
- Adjust total alkalinity
- Check with your pool chemical dealer about:
Using chelating materials or acid washing your pool
PROBLEM:
Colored Water(1). Water in a newly-filled pool turns blue, brown, or
black when first treated chemically.
Causes:
- Chlorine turns unseen copper, iron, or
manganese in the water into unwanted and highly-visible
compounds
- Water velocity in circulatory system too
high
Remedies:
- Adjust pH to 7.8
- Run filter continuously and backwash as
required
- Vacuum settled material to waste
- Check velocity of water to make sure copper
is not leached out of lines
- Ask your authorized pool dealer about use
of alum for faster clean-up results
PROBLEM:
Colored Water(2). Water in already-filled pool turns various colors.
Causes:
- Leaves, other organic debris in water
- Algae
Remedies:
- Clean pool of leaves or other debris
- Super-chlorinate
- Adjust the free chlorine residual, the pH
and total alkalinity to proper levels
- Maintain those levels
PROBLEM:
Total Dissolved Solids. (Measures of all dissolved materials).
Erratic pool behavior, scaling, staining, reduced chlorine
efficiency.
Cause:
- Insufficient fresh water added to pool
Remedies:
- Discard "old" pool water
- Adjust your pool guidelines to proper range
- Maintain those proper levels
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