As bather loads peak in the summer heat, it is that time of the year again when sparkling clear water can become clouded and unsanitary. What is a pool operator to do? Cloudy water is an indication that the disinfection and filtration systems are not keeping up with the load being placed on them by the number of bathers using the pool. Cloudy water is not just unappealing to the bather. It can also be a health hazard by inducing potential spread of illnesses and decreasing the lifeguards’ ability to see submerged drowning victims. There are many reasons water can become cloudy. Let’s break down the causes, then review the remedies of unsightly and potentially hazardous water.

In this prevention advisor we will discuss:

1. Cloudy Water Common Causes
2. Combating the Cloudiness
3. Water Clarifiers
4. Algae

Common Causes for Cloudy Water

High bather loads with improper filtration, insufficient water circulation or flow rate, and poor water chemistry are the usual culprits that cause cloudy water. A pool’s turnover rate should not exceed the maximum time required by your state’s swimming pool codes, usually 6 or 8 hours. It is important that the circulation system runs 24/7.

Cloudiness is the result of particles that are too tiny to be filtered or removed from the water through oxidation. Environmental factors contribute to the existence of these particles, such as wind, rain, vegetation, and even the pool users themselves with dry skin flakes, bacteria, cosmetics, and residues of the skin.

Combating the Cloudiness

The first step in regaining control of the water’s transparency is to check the filtration system. Sometimes, resolving the issue can be as easy as cleaning the filter and re-establishing the proper flow and turnover rates. Products are also available that are designed to clean specific types of filter media.

Proper water balance is important to help prevent cloudy water. High alkalinity and pH levels can cause cloudy water. Using the saturation index, make the necessary adjustments to bring the water back into harmony.

Water Clarifiers

The majority of water clarifiers are in liquid form, but there are solid granular forms available. Depending on the directions, most clarifiers will require the product to be diluted or poured over the surface of the water. Make sure to follow manufacturer’s instructions on how to apply any chemicals.

Organic Water Clarifiers

Synthetic polyelectrolytes or polymeric coagulants are the most common organic clarifiers. They usually have a positive charge called cationic clarifiers, which directly combat the negative electrical charges within the particles that cause cloudy water.

Inorganic Water Clarifiers (Flocculants)

A common inorganic water clarifier is aluminum sulfate, known as alum. It forms a gelatinous mass that traps the microscopic suspended particles. As larger and larger particles are formed, they sink to the bottom of the pool. The circulation system must operate for a period of time to let the alum and particles to properly combine to create these larger particles. The circulation flow will then be suspended for 12-24 hours, this process is called flocculation. When the flocculated particles collect on the floor of the pool, the operator will then vacuum the bottom of the pool.

Algae

Algae are one-celled plants that become a major concern for operators. Algae comes in several forms: green, yellow, or black. If left unchecked, algae growth can contaminate a clean and clear pool in about the span of a day.

Green algae - by far the most common and easily controlled.
Black algae - usually grow on pool walls in areas of poor circulation, like deep corners.
Yellow algae (aka mustard) – difficult to control and often treated with specifically formulated algicides.

Maintaining proper disinfectant and pH levels will help prevent the growth of algae. Algae growth is supported with environmental conditions such as light and temperature. Unfortunately, swimming pools provide all the nutrients needed to grow algae: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorous. These nutrients come from the water itself because of the hydrogen, oxygen and total alkalinity, which contains carbon and oxygen. Skin fragments, dead bacteria, cosmetics, some swimming pool treatment chemicals, chemical cleaners, soils, fertilizers, bird dropping, and dead instincts also contain nitrogen and phosphorous-like contaminants.

Let these elements get unbalanced and out of whack, and you will be faced with everything from algae growth, to cloudy water, to skin irritation, to chemical stains to scale formation …. and the list could go on and on.

Suffice it to say that with these three key areas, the phrase “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” could not be more accurate! So here are 3 keys to having perfect swimming pool chemistry (and, by extension, to enjoying a perfect, crystal clear, sparkling pool).

Perfect Swimming Pool Chemistry Key #1 – Total Alkalinity Level: Total Alkalinity is the measure of water’s resistance to change in pH. It is the “buffering” capacity of the water. The higher the Total Alkalinity, the harder it is for the pH to change. The acceptable range for Total Alkalinity levels is between 90-140 ppm, however, the ideal range is between 100 to 120 ppm. You should check the total alkalinity levels once a week using a simple test kit. If your Total Alkalinity is outside of this range, then adjust the total alkalinity by adding sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) to raise it or sodium bisulfate (dry acid) to lower it.

Perfect Swimming Pool Chemistry Key #2 – pH Level: Maintaining a proper pH balance is one of the most important and basic areas of good pool care — and to keeping your pool crystal clear. You should check the pH levels once a week. The ideal range is between 7.4-7.6. Just remember, if it’s lower that this you can cause equipment issues and also irritate your skin. If it’s higher than this, you will those nasty “rings” around the water line of your pool. To lower the pH, add sodium bisulfate or liquid muriatic acid. To raise it, add soda ash (sodium carbonate).

Perfect Swimming Pool Chemistry Key #3 – Proper Sanitation: Regardless of what type of pool you have (hydrogenated, salt water or traditional chlorine), you cannot underestimate the importance of sanitation with your pool water. Sanitizing is essential to keeping pool water clean, bacteria-free, and safe for swimming the water. Sanitizing also kills all microorganisms, including bacteria and algae, and removes unwanted contaminants from the water. Use a sanitizer to help fight bacteria, and shock the pool on a regular basis to help keep it clean and crystal-clear.

Once you get these three elements under control, you have made your entire pool maintenance job so much easier.

Source: Terry Duff

Alkalinity in pools is an extremely important topic as it’s what helps  prevent sudden pH changes. Total alkalinity is a measure of alkaline substances  in this case, ionic compounds, that act as buffers that resist pH change.

Don’t worry, this is just a bunch of chemistry and scientific mumbo jumbo  that you really don’t need to know. What is important to understand is that  alkalinity helps stabilize the pH balance in your pool, and keeping it within  normal range can save you a lot of headaches as well as solve a lot of  problems.

The recommended range for a swimming pool’s total alkalinity is between 80  and 120 parts per million. Any good pool testing kit will let you determine the  range, and it’s important to test often.

So, when it comes to alkalinity there are really only 3 states in can be in:  Too High, Too Low and Just Right.

Low Alkalinity With low alkalinity your pH levels can swing back  and forth between too high, and too low. It’s not uncommon for these numbers to  shift drastically causing an unbalance in your pools pH.

Some problems that are associated with this include: -Chlorine  inefficiency -Metal Corrosion -Pool Staining -Scale

You can easily raise a pool’s alkalinity by using a chemical called sodium  bicarbonate which is, baking soda. The recommended dosage is 1.5 pounds of  sodium bicarbonate per 10,000 gallons of water. If you’re unsure how much water  you have you can find a good estimate by using this formula:

Average Width x Average Length x Average Depth x 7.5

Add the amount you need with your pump running, to make sure the chemicals  are mixing nicely. Do this once every 4 days until your alkalinity becomes  stabilized.

High Alkalinity With high alkalinity your pH will generally be much  higher than normal as well. A good sign that you’re dealing with high alkalinity  is having cloudy swimming pool water.

Other problems include: -Reduced pool circulation -Clogged  Filter -Rough Surfaces

Since your pool is too alkaline the best way to correct this problem is by  using an acid. For swimming pools we either use muriatic or sodium bisulfate.  You can purchase either at any swimming pool and spa store.

The best approach I’ve personally found with this is to first begin by adding  enough acid to bring your pH balance down to 7.0. Then, let the pool sit for  awhile until the pH climbs back up to around 7.2. Repeat this process until your  pool alkalinity seems to have stabilized, but be sure to follow the directions  on whichever acid product you decide to go with so as not to add too much  acid.

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Here’s what happens:  metals come into your pool whenever fresh, make-up  water is added.  They’re dissolved in the water.  Whether it’s municipal water  or well water, metals can be present.  As the metals accumulate, the greater the  chance that they will eventually come out of solution.  Once out of solution,  they make the water cloudy or worse, they “plate out” on the pool’s surfaces & stain.  Metals can come out of solution through a variety of ways.  But  there’s 2 that typically happen.

When a pool is shocked whether with chlorine or a non-chlorine oxidizer, the  shock oxidizes everything in the water, including metals.  Oxidized metals  become “rust” in the case of iron or “Verdi gris” in the case of copper.

In the second way, metals come out of solution or are left “exposed” when the  pH, Total Alkalinity and/or Calcium Hardness are left unchecked & allowed to  go low (pH below 7.2, Total Alkalinity below 80 ppm [non-Pristine Blue pools],  Calcium Hardness below 100 ppm).  The water becomes aggressive & the metals  are more susceptible to oxidation.  In many cases, pool-owners don’t properly  test their water & more likely rely on the “look” of the water (the water’s  clear, everything must be alright).  This is typically the case with blonde hair  turning green – low pH helps bring copper out of solution & “plates” it out  on the person’s hair!  Then people blame the chlorine!  It’s the copper in the  water.

When it comes to testing, remember that you can only test for metals when  they are in solution.  Once oxidized, the metals come out of solution &  cannot be tested.  That’s why once a metal stain has occurred, the metal test  will NOT show any metals present.

Here’s how to prevent metal stains:

Keep the water balanced. pH 7.4 – 7.6; Total Alkalinity 125 – 150 ppm (vinyl  pools), 80 – 125 ppm (plaster / gunite pools) (Please note that these TA values  ARE NOT applicable in Pristine Blue treated pools where the TA is to be  maintained at no higher than 80 ppm); Calcium Hardness 200 – 250 ppm (vinyl  pools), 225 – 275 ppm (plaster / gunite pools).  In other words, have your water  professionally tested at opening, mid-season & at closing (at least) – make  sure they do a copper & iron test.

Prevent metal stains by using BioGuard Pool Magnet (a sequestering agent) or  Jack’s Magic Pink Stuff or Blue Stuff when filling the pool then adding a  maintenance dosage monthly.

If you have well-water, treat automatically with Pool Magnet or Jack’s  Magic.

If you have municipal water, Pool Magnet or Jack’s Magic won’t hurt.

In areas of High Calcium Hardness, regularly treat the pool with products  such as BioGuard Scale Inhibitor to prevent staining and scaling due to excess  dissolved calcium in the water.  This type of staining can result in what is  often times referred to as “plaster mottling.”  Plaster mottling is a condition  with newly plastered pools where the plaster looks “streaky”.  There is almost  no way to prevent from happening because of the differences of water sources,  plaster “formulations”, environmental conditions, etc.  In other words, the pool  guy didn’t do it!  It’s a condition that can and does happen.

If it’s too late & you already have staining:

1. Get the water balanced.  Keep in mind that further discoloration COULD  occur.  This is a temporary phenomena & will clear once the treat process is  complete.

2. For light staining of iron & copper, use BioGuard Pool Magnet at a  rate of 1 qt. per 10,000 gallons of water.  BioGuard Pool Magnet works well on  “fresh” stains.  Avoid shocking the pool for about 3 days.

3. For heavy staining, Jack’s Magic Blue Stuff is an excellent product.   Jack’s Magic products are preferred because you can have high or higher amounts  of chlorine present (in excess of 10.0 ppm).  This is especially important when  treating metal problems PLUS chlorine demand or algae problems.  You can treat  both at the same time.  Follow this up by using a product like BioGuard Sparkle  Up which can physically remove the heavy metals from the water.

4. For light to medium staining on pool steps BioGuard Stain Remover is a  good product.

5. Heavy metal staining on vinyl, fiberglass or acrylic steps can be treated  with Jack’s Magic Step Stuff.

6. Save yourself time, money & effort using Jack’s Magic Stain ID Kit.   It really helps in identifying the exact metal that’s causing the stain.

7. Keep in mind that when treating metal stains, the staining may not lighten  or be “removed” for several days to several weeks, especially if the stains are  “old”.

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