Problems with your swimming pool water
Solving swimming pool water problems
This is a quick general reference guide to swimming pool water problems.
For more in-depth swimming pool problem help please:
- visit our Pool Water Problem page,
- get comprehensive resources about pool problems,
- visit the active Swimming Pool Forums,
- or read the swimming Pool Help Blog.
| Problem | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Cloudy water green or brown |
Algae | Recharge Pool Wizard, shock treat pool |
| Dust, sand, contaminants | Use a flocculant/ coagulant, increase pump cycle, check & service filter | |
| Green/ brown clear water | Iron or copper in fill water. Ionizer. | Use a chelating agent, use zeolite in your sand filter |
| Black/ dark clear water | Manganese in fill water | Use a chelating agent, use zeolite in your sand filter |
| Milky cloudy water | Conditioner CYA level too high | Partially drain and refill pool |
| Hardness level too high | Use "hardness reducer", use zeolite in your sand filter | |
| TDS level too high | Partially drain and refill pool, use zeolite in your sand filter | |
| Stains on walls or floor | Manganese, copper or iron in pool water | Use a chelating agent, use zeolite in your sand filter |
| Overuse of ionizer (copper-silver) | Test ion levels, use a chelating agent, use zeolite in your filter | |
| Green hair, green nails | Uncontrolled use of copper ion generator | Test ion levels, use a chelating agent, use zeolite in your filter |
| Chlorine smell | Too little free chlorine, too much combined chlorine | Chlorine (or non-chlorine) shock treatment |
| Burning eyes or throat | Too little free chlorine, too much combined chlorine | Chlorine (or non-chlorine) shock treatment |
| Total alkalinity level too low | Use sodium bicarbonate alkalinity increaser | |
| pH too high/ low | Adjust pH according to test results |
Please feel free to e-mail any pool water problems you may have, or complete the feedback form on the contact page.