Have you ever admired your crystal clear pool and then woke up one morning and it's not so crystal clear? As a matter of fact, now it’s gone cloudy or murky? If you need a quick fix, we have the perfect product for your pool. Sparkle is an all natural water clarifier that will remove the cloudiness and brighten your pool water. You can use it to remedy cloudy water or use it on a weekly basis to give your water that polished look.

Sparkle will clear your water, but it will not alleviate the root cause as to why your water went cloudy in the first place. Let’s take a look at some common reasons as to why pool water turns cloudy and how we can prevent it from going cloudy in the future.

The most common reason for a cloudy pool is no chlorine. Contaminants such as sweat, urine, dead skin, lotions, oils and other waste bathers leave behind, build up rapidly and drastically deplete sanitizer levels. High winds, heavy rain, thunder storms or other extreme weather can bring dirt, debris and other small particles into your pool also causing the premature consumption of sanitizer levels. Once your sanitizer levels drop too low, your pool water will start to look hazy. This is usually when algae growth begins and it can take over your pool very quickly. Making sure you are on a comprehensive weekly maintenance program, can help ensure this will never be an issue in your pool.

Another very common cause for cloudy pools is unbalanced water. Certain chemical levels to keep an eye on include your PH levels, Alkalinity levels and Calcium levels. For example, if these levels are too high, the water has a difficult time holding mineral particles in suspension, causing the water to look cloudy. This can also lead to scale build up on the surface of the pool.

Although water chemistry plays a major role in how clear your water looks, two other important factors to consider are circulation and filtration. If a pool has inadequate circulation or filtration, it does not matter how many chemicals you add to the water. Ensuring that chemicals are being dispersed properly through the pool as well as filtering out bather and environmental waste, play a pivotal role in keeping your pool water crystal clear.

If your pool has inadequate water circulation, it can cause debris and other particles to settle at the bottom of the pool and any chemicals that are added will not be distributed evenly through the water. Running your pump continuously will make sure there is never any standing water and will reduce the amount of fine debris that can settle on the pool floor. Positioning your return jets on a 45 degree angle downwards and turned slightly to the right, will make sure you are not just circulating surface water and are efficiently moving dirty water to the skimmer.

The filtration system should also be properly maintained so that waste, bacteria and microorganisms can be filtered out of the water. Backwashing sand filters and rinsing cartridge filters when needed will help remove trapped dirt and debris. You should also chemically clean the filter media at the end of every pool season to remove greases, oils and anything else that cannot be removed through backwashing or rinsing cartridges. If your filter media is over 5 years old, you should consider changing the sand or replacing the cartridge elements.

Step 1: Test Your Pool

Test your pool weekly with test strips or a home testing kit. Make sure the balance looks good and there is a sufficient sanitizer reading. Once a month, you should bring a water sample into your closest Discounter’s Pool & Spa location for an extensive professional analysis and balancing instructions.

Step 2: Practice good filter maintenance.

Once the pressure reads 8-10 PSI higher than normal, you should backwash your sand filter or rinse your cartridge elements. A proper backwash should take between 3 and 5 minutes and a rinse cycle should be done for 30 seconds to 1 minute after backwashing. Cartridge elements should only be rinsed with a garden hose. There is no need to pressure wash these elements as the fibres will easily tear. Don’t forget to chemically clean your filter media at the end of the pool season.

Step 3: Leave your pump running.

When your pool is not circulating, you cannot filter out waste or incorporate chemicals effectively throughout the water. Check that your return jets are positioned at a 45 degree angle downward and all facing the same direction in the pool in order to obtain the best results.

Step 4: Quality Products

Use quality maintenance products to promote clear, healthy water. Use a quality sanitizing tablet, granular chlorine and algae prevention treatment every week. Also remember to regularly scoop, brush and vacuum your pool to remove any lingering debris.

Hopefully, you now have a little more knowledge as to why your pool may have gone cloudy or why it looks dull and lifeless.

If you have any other questions or would like to learn more about taking preventative steps to avoid water quality issues, stop by your closest Discounter’s Pool & Spa Warehouse and don’t forget to bring in a pool water sample for a detailed professional analysis!