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how to fix green and cloudy pool water fast
how to fix green and cloudy pool water fast

Pool Care

How to Fix Green and Cloudy Pool Water Fast (2 Days or Less)?

Quick Answer: While shocking your pool can be the easiest remedy, it is not the fix-all remedy and won’t stop this from happening again. So other ways of how to fix green and cloudy pool water fast (2 days or less) are to test pool water regularly, use a pool clarifier, use a flocculant, clean and replace your pool filters, and upkeep your pool regularly.

Before we tackle the problem, let’s take a look at some of its characteristics. They claim that the simplest solution to an issue is to look for the reason for it. While shocking your pool can be the easiest remedy, it is not the fix-all remedy and won’t stop this from happening again. So other ways of how to fix green and cloudy pool water fast (2 days or less) are to test pool water regularly, use a pool clarifier, use a flocculant, clean and replace your pool filters, and upkeep your pool regularly. 

Having a murky pool can be cleared up; however, the problem will return after some time if you have not addressed the cause. You need to identify and correct the source of your cloudy pool, you’ll be able to stay longer without having to deal with it again. That is why, in the following section, we shall look at some of the primary reasons for a cloudy or green pool.

How to Get Rid of Green, Cloudy Pool Water In 2 Days or Less

The first step in solving this problem is finding out why is your pool water green and cloudy in the first place.

My Swimming Pool Water Is Cloudy and Green, Why?

Are you now mixed up as to why the water in your pool is murky and unclear?

how to fix green and cloudy pool water fast

Here are the keys you need to fix your pool:

Shocking Hard Water

Calcium hypochlorite is used in the shocking process. High calcium levels are responsible for hard water.

  • Adding calcium to water that is already high in calcium can result in a hazy residue.
  • You should not shock a hard water swimming pool with calcium-containing chemicals to prevent this situation.

After shocking water with calcium, you might observe floating solids (made of calcium compounds) in the water, giving it a dirty appearance. The shock products that dissolve rapidly are those that are chlorine-free or have small particles.

Chlorine Contents

To keep your swimming pool fit for swimming, add some chlorine. The presence of chlorine prevents germs and bacteria from growing in pools that can cause athlete’s foot, ear infections, and legionnaire’s disease, among other things. The quantity of chlorine in your pool varies depending on three factors:

  • The amount of rainfall at the time or season – if there is a lot of rainfall, it will dilute the chlorine concentrations, allowing germs and harmful organisms to grow.
  • The quantity of solar radiation that has reached the pool – UV radiation can harm chlorine levels. There are approximately how many people that swim in this pool?

Due to the high chlorine concentration, a pool with this feature is almost certainly going to appear hazy–clear.

  • The chlorine levels should drop significantly as more rain falls and more people use it, resulting in a much clearer and more transparent pool.

The goal is to ensure that the chlorine concentration in your pool does not get too high or too low. It should be tested once a day to verify it remains within the normal range of 2 to 4 ppm. PPM refers to parts per million.

Shocking the Pool

“Shocking” is one of the numerous methods for dealing with pool water problems. Pool shocking is commonly done to adjust the chlorine concentration in the pool.

  • If you take a sample of the pool water for testing and notice a strong chlorine odor or an excessive amount of chlorine (chlorine), your best option may be to shock the pool.
  • Your pool’s chlorine ppm will surge to 10.0 after shocking it. Any bacteria or pool algae in the water body has no chance of surviving at this level of chlorinity.

Also, because of pool shocking, chloramines (the chemical that gives the strong chlorine odor) are destroyed by a large amount of chlorine.

  • Even though shocking your pool is a necessity, the results may be hazy water.
  • The cloudy water problem can range from temporary to persistent.
  • Running your filter in the pool should help speed up the process of clearing out the hazy water.
  • Before it was shocking, the swimming pool’s condition determined whether or not the water became hazy.

Here is something to think about a typical pH of 7.6 in swimming pool water. It’s shocking how much such water disrupts the bicarbonate compounds. Right before shocking your pool, you must check its pH. If the water pH of your pool is between 7.3 and 7.4, you can only shock it with a half-dose.

how to fix green and cloudy pool water fast

Hydrogen Concentration

The concentration of hydrogen in water determines its acidity or basicity. A hydrogen concentration of 7.0 or less indicates that the water is acidic.

  • On the other hand, a degree of 8.0 or more indicates that the water is overly basic.
  • Now if the water is too acidic, the pool frame is at risk of corroding away.

When this happens, as it wears down, debris and mud can cause hazy water. As a result, an overly basic pool may lead to chlorine instability. With almost a certainty the water will look murky.

Is It Because of Too Much Rainfall?

Too much rain can be another cause of a murky pool. Sure, we believe that rainwater is quite clean – it’s just about the purest type of water nature offers.

  • However, do you know that even a small amount of rainfall can affect the chlorine concentration in your pool?
  • Aside from chlorine, there are other precisely measured chemicals in your pool that can also be diluted by rainfall.

So, if you have a pool, what do you do when the rain stops? It’s impossible to control the amount of water that enters your pool; so, what do you need to do? If after rainfall your swimming pool appears murky, check the pH, chlorine, and other chemical levels.

Calcium Contents

Understanding that the hardness of water affects its transparency. It is also important to know that calcium is an important component of the compound responsible for hard water.

  • If the level of calcium in your pool water is too high, your swimming pool’s water will most certainly appear muddy.
  • Besides your pool looking murky, the plumbing and pool filter are bound to experience considerable damage as the calcium deposit level rises in your pool.

Another thing to think about is when your pool’s water is too soft, or the calcium concentration is drastically low, there will be issues like corroding water surface. This will eventually destroy your swimming pool, too.

Here Is the Remedy

It is time to remedy the problem once you’ve figured out how to capture and harness the hazy water effect and its causes. What are your options? The following six simple methods will show you how to clear cloudy swimming pool water.

1. Make Sure the Water Is Tested

It’s tough to determine what the problem is with your pool water if it’s cloudy in one glance. To figure out the source of the murkiness, you’d have to use specialized pool testing equipment. All of the elements that go into producing high-quality pool water are brought to attention with a pool testing kit.

how to fix green and cloudy pool water fast

2. Use a Pool Clarifier

One great approach to fixing a cloudy or murky swimming pool is by making use of a pool clarifier. The pool clarifier is often seen as a preventive measure instead of a combative measure.

3. Try Using a Flocculant

The pool flocculant works a different way from the pool clarifier. It works by mixing it with a little amount of water. The solution is then sprayed on the surface of the pool’s water body.

4. Pool Filters Need Cleaning

To scoop out particles that float on top, many pool filters are generally placed either on the surface of the water body or near the bottom. They aren’t, however, very effective in removing other items that get clumped together and descend to the bottom of the pool.

5. You Need to Maintain the Pool Filter

Cleaning or replacing your pool filter regularly aids in its practical operation and enhances its appearance. You must be aware that the more debris-clogged your pool filter is, the less efficient it becomes.

6. Keep Up With Your Pools Upkeep

It is a difficult job, but it is well worth the effort. Your pool will appear clean, clear, and safe throughout the swimming season if you can perform it regularly. You may make the maintenance procedure seem more pleasant by making a weekly plan for it.

Every week You Need To:

  • Shock the pool.
  • Look for and remove debris.
  • The water needs to be tested for pH, chlorine, calcium, and other chemical balances.
  • Make sure there are no signs of clumping in the filter.
  • Brush the walls and bottom of the pool. It makes sure there is no algae or dirt build-up.
  • Vacuum the pool.

Conclusion

This is your pool. You take pride in it and the memories that are made there. Maintaining your pool weekly and following these suggestions will make sure your swimming pool is safe and clean for years to come. Your family and friends will be so impressed with how great it looks, they’ll want to visit all the time! Your house will be that go-to home for fun. Remember, if you have any questions, ask a professional. They are always happy to help!

Written By

Hi there! My name is Matt. I've been a pool owner for over 15 years. I've owned a variety of above ground and in-ground pools. I've also had the pleasure of working with some swimming pool experts over the years. I enjoy writing about everything related to your swimming pool, pool care and products. In my spare time, I enjoy swimming in the pool and watching sports on our porch.

About Us

Welcome to Pool Owners Academy! I’m excited about helping pool owners learn how to take care of their pool. I created this site to be a helpful resource for you and your family. Pool Owners Academy is here to share helpful information about caring for your pool, pool tips and products. My goal is to create straightforward answers that make taking care of your pool easy!

~Matt with Pool Owners Academy

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