A green pool is both uninviting and unsafe in which to swim. It means there is algae growing in the pool, most likely algae on your pool walls and floor. An environment that displays algae growth means it is promoting bad bacteria that can be harmful to your pool and, more importantly, to your body. This can be avoided by taking steps to ensure that your pool equipment is working properly and effectively, regularly checking chlorine and pH levels and doing general consistent maintenance on your pool.
How to Fix a Green Pool
If your pool is green, it means that you need to undertake serious cleaning and waste removal in order to get it back to the inviting crystal clear water in which you want to swim! The first consideration in how to fix a green pool is to manually remove as much debris, leaves and algae as you can. After removing as much debris as possible you will need to super-chlorinate the water, add a strong algaecide and possibly a clarifier or flocculant. Scrub all surfaces of the pool thoroughly to expose the algae to these chemicals and run the pool for a few hours. Turn your system off and let everything settle to the bottom. Removing the dead algae off the bottom depends upon how badly the green pool was and whether you have a sand or cartridge filter. One option is to manually vacuum the pool ensuring the dead algae goes to ‘waste’ and not through the filter. Alternatively, if the algae was mild, it might be removed by your pool cleaner.
If you are having consistent algae issues, the technician team at Pool Assist can help you.
Keeping Your Pool from Going Green
There are a few factors to keep in mind to best prevent your pool from going green. First is to maintain the chlorine and pH levels. These should be regularly checked. Second is water circulation. Ensure the pool pump is running for an appropriate amount of time. Running your pool cleaner regularly will also enhance a pool’s circulation (hint – the first place you see algae growing is often where the pool cleaner is not reaching). The third factor is filtration. If you are not cleaning / backwashing your filter regularly, or it is an old filter system, this will be compromising your ability to maintain a healthy pool.
Get in touch with Pool Assist today if you require assistance with your dirty green pool!