The most obvious way to keep your pool free of leaves is to skim them out regularly. Of course, if you have to deal with heavy leaf shedding or you only clean your pool once or twice a week, it can take hours to clear away all the leaves with a typical skimmer net.
You don't want to spend hours fishing for leaves by hand with a pool skimmer, but, if you leave the leaves where they are, they could clog your pool pump or vacuum. Most pool pumps and vacuums are designed to suck up small pieces of debris like dirt and dust.
To remove these items, use a leaf rake to gather them into a pile on the bottom of your pool and then remove the debris pile by hand. A plastic rake is best for this task as it won't scratch the surface of the pool.
Preparation for Shocking
Chlorine will attack this organic matter, rather than the algae. If the pool is too dark green to see the bottom, use a Leaf Rake, or the Leaf Gulper and clean as much of the debris as you can from the pool before shocking the pool.
The use of baking soda in pools can spot treat algae
No one ever wants to see algae build up in their swimming pool. It can turn any backyard pool murky green or cause unsightly black spots on the walls and floor of any swimming pool.
Optimize the Skimmer Flow
Be sure the skimmer “weir gate,” the paddle-like flap in the throat of the skimmer, are in place. These help the speed of suction, while also keeping the leaves locked inside the basket once the pump has shut off.
You can use a leaf net without a solid cover under it. It needs to be held in place with water bags or tie downs, just like a solid cover. The main issue is that you don't want leaves to sit in the water for weeks, so you need to empty it fairly regularly while leaves are falling.
Pools can immediately turn green after shocking when they have metals like copper or iron in the water. These metals oxidize when exposed to high levels of chlorine which makes the pool water turn green. Metals in the water are caused by some algaecides and using well water.
Chlorine is a sanitizer, and (unless you use Baquacil products) is necessary for maintaining a clear and healthy pool. Shock is chlorine, in a high dose, meant to shock your pool and raise the chlorine level quickly.
If there has been a serious invasion of excess dirt and debris, you may also need to shock your pool. Vacuuming is recognized as the only way to remove sediment from the bottom of a pool.
Poor Filtration
If dirt is reappearing at the bottom of your swimming pool after you've vacuumed it your pool's filter may be working poorly. Pool filters often work poorly because they're in need of cleaning. If you have a sand filter for your pool you need to make sure that the sand is sharp and freshened up.
Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate is naturally alkaline, with a pH of 8. When you add baking soda to your pool water, you will raise both the pH and the alkalinity, improving stability and clarity.
When the levels are properly balanced, chlorine will keep the algae at bay, but the water will slowly begin to turn green as the algae take over if there's not enough. But be careful—adding too much chlorine in pool water can cause those metals to oxidize and turn the pool a different shade of green.