Your pool water can get cloudy due to several reasons, including improper levels of chlorine, imbalanced pH and alkalinity, very high calcium hardness (CH) levels, faulty or clogged filter, early stages of algae, ammonia, and debris.  Cleaning your cloudy pool can be a time-consuming and tedious task. To clear that cloudy water and get your health pool back, follow these tips:

#1. Balance free chlorine levels

The most common reason for cloudy water is low free chlorine levels. Cloudy water indicates that pool water has chloramine that smells like chlorine. It makes chlorine less effective for killing germs and bacteria. It also increases the risk of causing algae and ammonia in the swimming pool. If your pool water is cloudy, start with measuring free or combined chlorine. If the FC of your pool is less than 3 ppm or CC above 0.5 ppm, shock your pool water to fix the cloudy water and kill bacteria before it causes algae or ammonia. If the pool water is salty and cloudy, you have to shut down the saltwater chlorine generator (SWCG) and shock the saltwater pool manually using harsh chlorine.

#2. Balance chlorine levels

Your pool may have severe cloudy water during the beginning of summer, which is challenging to clear. It happens when FC and cyanuric acid levels get dropped to zero or close to 0 ppm, leading to high CC levels in the pool. At this stage, your swimming pool needs high levels of chlorine in your water. However, if FC levels don’t rise even after adding chlorine, there can be ammonia in the pool. You can get rid of ammonia in your pool by adding a lot of chlorine, probably 2 gallons of 12.5% or 10% chlorine (sodium hypochlorite) to reach high FC shock levels and maintain that shock level by adding more chlorine when FC drops.

#3. Get rid of algae

Algae growth can make your pool water cloudy and dull. To be sure that your pool water isn’t getting cloudy due to algae growth, you can perform an overnight chlorine loss test (OCLT). You can perform this test by adding chlorine to pool water during dawn to avoid depletion of FC and then take the FC readings the following morning. You must have algae in the pool water if the FC levels get dropped over 1 ppm overnight. You can get rid of algae by maintaining the proper FC levels in the pool water. The sooner you get rid of algae, the better it will be for you.

#4. Clean the pool filtration and circulation systems

Poor filtration can also be responsible for cloudy pool water. It can be due to clogged or worn-out filter cartridges or scaling on the filter. If the pool water doesn’t circulate properly, it will become stagnant and cloudy. Hire Life Saver Poolfence professionals to fix your filters by removing particles that are blocking the filters. our experts will also ensure that you’re using the right pump size to clean the water adequately. You also need to ensure that filters run 24/7 to keep the water clean all the time. If you don’t use your pool much, run filters at least 8-10 a day. Also, make sure to replace filters every 1-2 years, depending on their usage.

Reasons why you could have cloudy pool water

Other reasons for cloudy pool water include:
• Imbalanced chemicals: An improper chemical balance can cause cloudy water. It’s a sign that your pool has too little or too much chlorine, calcium hardness, alkalinity, pH levels, or stabilizer (cyanuric acid) levels.
• Environmental factors, debris, and minerals deposits: Dust, pollen, and leaves can build up in your filter and affect the cleaning process. Bird droppings, insects, and run-off water after a rain or storm also contribute to the cloudy pool water. Run-off water brings in minerals, including nitrates, phosphates, silicates, and sulfates, into your pool that may make your water cloudy.

Cloudy pools are full of bacteria and pathogens that can lead to various health issues, such as stomach infection, urinary tract, eye irritation, and more. You can avoid these health issues by keeping your pool clean and well-maintained. Hire Life Saver Poolfence professionals for the maintenance of your pool today!