Green & Cloudy Water
A cloudy, green cast to pool water generally indicates the presence of algae growth. Green algae can also grow on your pool’s walls. Algae can bloom within hours to turn a pool into an unsightly mess. Green water can easily occur as a result of high pH, low chlorine, rainfall, heavy use, poor filtration, or lack of regular shocking and algaecide use. Regardless of what caused the algae, the following steps are proven to rid your pool of green algae:
Steps to Rid Your Pool of Green Algae
1. Be sure all leaves and debris are removed from the pool.
2. Check and adjust your pH to 7.2-7.4. Chlorine is not active in high pH conditions.
3. Add 11 oz. of Pool Baron's Rescue Algaecide per 10,000 gal of pool water.
4. Shock the pool with the following combination of Poolife Turbo Shock and Pool Baron's White Lightnin', based upon the algae density guidelines below.
Algae Density Guidelines
• If you can see the bottom in the deep end, use 2 lb Turbo Shock and 1 lb White Lightnin' per 10,000 gal.
• If you can only see the bottom in the shallow end, use 3 lb Turbo Shock and 2 lb White Lightnin' per 10,000 gal.
• If you cannot see the bottom in the deep or shallow end, use 5 lb Turbo Shock and 2 lb White Lightnin' per 10,000 gal.
• If you can see less than 2 feet into the water, use 7 lb Turbo Shock and 2 lb White Lightnin' per 10,000 gal.
Important: For each 2 lb of Turbo Shock, add 1 lb of Pool Baron's pH Down to neutralize the effect of the shock on the pH.
Clearing Up
Operate pump and filter continuously. Backwash or clean the filter as indicated by pressure increases. After the shock application, the green water should lighten significantly within 24 hours. The green should be gone within 48 hours. If not, another shock using the formula on the previous page is necessary. Some pools may take up to one week or so to fully clear.
The remaining cloudy, milky look contains filterable particles. There should be signs of the water clearing each day, even though it may take 2-8 days, depending on the density of the algae, for the water to become completely clear. You can speed up clearing by using Pool Baron's Ultra Clarifier.
The fastest clearing can be achieved by using Pool Baron's Fall Out after the green cast is gone. This liquid chemical will settle out all the particles to the pool’s floor overnight, so the pool can be vacuumed to waste the next morning.
Your Filter
Your filter must do the job of removing the cloudiness in the water. If the green cast goes away, but there is little progress with the clearing of the water, there may be a need to have your filter inspected. In addition, MEMPHIS POOL carries a complete line of pump and filter parts and accessories.
Still Won’t Clear?
If the filter system is performing adequately, but the water still doesn’t clear, bring a sample of water to your local Water Care Lab for a full analysis. There could be other factors causing the water not to clear, such as phosphates, nitrates, dissolved solids, excessive wastes, and chlorine-demanding materials.
Related Articles: