Chlorine. Chlorine is a slimy-feeling material when it gets wet. If you have chlorine dust or residue on your fingers and then touch the pool water, the pool water will feel slimy. Avoid this by wearing gloves when dealing with all pool chemicals, and never add water to chlorine; only add chlorine to the water.
There are two main causes of oily film on your water: hydrogen sulfide, and iron bacteria.
If you feel sticky after swimming, it's likely because your pool is dirty and needs treatment. Stickiness can also be due to pH imbalances, chemical changes, or various contaminants in the water. Taking a shower can help reduce feeling sticky after swimming.
It is this glue-like material that micro-organisms secrete that allows them to attach themselves to surfaces. Biofilm can grow in a pool or spa, skimmer basket, or even a filter. This bacteria likes areas that are warm and damp. A Biofilm is self-perpetuating and difficult to remove.
If you see white flakes it is actually not paint but may be either calcium scale deposits or biofilm residue in your pool due to bad pool chemistry. Calcium scale deposits occur when your water has too much calcium. The white flakes may be calcium deposits that have accumulated over time.
CDC recommends pH 7.2–7.8 and a free chlorine concentration of at least 1 ppm in pools and at least 3 ppm in hot tubs/spas.
Using liquid chlorine raises the pH of the water.
Liquid chlorine does not raise pH. When added to water, liquid chlorine (which has a pH of 13) makes HOCl (hypochlorous acid – the killing form of chlorine) and NaOH (sodium hydroxide), which raises pH. ... So the net effect on pH is zero (or almost zero).
The Importance of Chlorine
Chlorine breaks down oils, lotions and skin flakes, more commonly known as "bather waste".
Foam in a pool is due to the water being “thick.” This thickness creates bubbles. The bubbles are filled with air that can come from your pool circulation system that return the water back into the pool or even the wind outside. Common causes of foam are: Hair care products – shampoo, gel, hairspray, etc.
The simple answer is No. Baking soda cannot be used to clear up a cloudy pool because it is a base. Bases raise PH levels, which causes the water to turn cloudy. Some people suggest using baking soda as a quick fix to high alkalinity levels, but it's not reliable as a pool chemical.
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. Many commercial pool products for raising alkalinity utilize baking soda as their main active ingredient.
Ordinary household vinegar could in theory be used to lower the pH of your pool. The pH of vinegar is about 2.5, which is quite acidic when compared to your pool water. Household vinegar is very weak though (when compared to a strong acid like muriatic acid), so you would need quite a bit to lower pH.
You Notice Signs of Eye or Skin Irritation
If you or your family members start experiencing signs of irritation during or after you swim in the pool, there may be too much chlorine present. You could notice that your eyes are itchy, red and watery, or you might notice that your skin is very dry, very itchy or very red.
Water pH ranges from 1 to 14. Lower numbers are more acidic, and higher numbers are more alkaline. Proper pool pH is right in the middle — pool pros recommend that pH be between 7.3 and 7.6 for optimum performance and cleanest water. If the pH gets higher than 7.8, the water is becoming too alkaline.
Shock is liquid or granular chlorine. You should add one gallon (or one pound) of shock per 10,000 gallons of pool water every week to two weeks. During hot weather or frequent use, you may need to shock more frequently.
Check water clarity.
The water should be clear and blue. Look for any cloudiness in the water. Make sure you can see all the way to the bottom of the pool, even the deep end. If the water is tinted green or it is cloudy, it may be contaminated with algae.
If you see a layer of white or greyish-white grime on the sides of your pool around the waterline, that's calcium. Calcium can build up in your pool water when the pH levels are off and leave deposits on your pool tiles. It's similar to what happens in your bathroom sink, toilet or bathtub.
Removing Calcium Carbonate Scaling
If your pool has calcium carbonate deposits, you can remove them with a pumice stone, stain eraser or scale remover. A pumice stone should only be used on hard surfaces, such as tile and concrete. Simply use the stone to scrub the deposits.
So long as these pathogenic critters stay locked in the biofilm, they don't harm us. The reason: They are not floating around freely in the water and coming into contact with swimmers.
Most human bacterial infections that occur at swimming facilities involve biofilms. They can harbor disease-causing bacteria that jeopardizes the safety of swimmers.
Swimming pools use chlorine as the main sanitizer. This chemical is responsible for keeping the water free of bacteria, which helps prevent algae and other problems associated with a dirty pool. A film can form on the water from a combination of body oils, lotions, and dirt that build up due to heavy usage.
Mix required amount of Clorox® Regular Bleach2 with 2 gallons of water and scatter over surface of pool. Mix uniformly with pool water. Empty small pools daily. (Clorox® Regular Bleach2 will not harm plastic pools.)