Troubleshooting
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.
Review the symptoms listed below, and the suggested remedy:
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 channelled 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
Causes: Algae, Too high a hardness level, Too frequent backwashing, Inefficient filter, Plugged or channelled 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
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 harbour 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
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
Eye burns and 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
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
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 us about acid washing your pool
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 us about acid washing your pool
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 guidelines for your pool, including proper pH and total alkalinity, adjust them to proper levels, Maintain proper levels for pH and total alkalinity
Causes: Algae, Calcification, Hair, Suntan lotion, Improper pH, Improper total alkalinity
Remedies: Check the guidelines for your pool, including proper pH and total alkalinity, adjust them to proper levels, Maintain proper levels for pH and total alkalinity
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
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
Scale. White, grey, 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 us about acid washing your pool
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 us about acid washing your pool
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
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
Colored Water (2). Water in already-filled pool turns various colours.
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
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
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, and maintain those proper levels.
Cause: Insufficient fresh water added to pool
Remedies: Discard “old” pool water, Adjust your pool guidelines to proper range, and maintain those proper levels.