Green pool water is often caused by the presence of algae in your pool. Algae blooms can appear when your pool has a low Free Chlorine. Exposure to high heat, heavy rain or poor circulation, without the use of a preventative algaecide, also increase your risk of developing pool algae.
The first, and most common, reason why pool water goes green is a lack of chlorine. Without chlorine in the water the pool will quickly start to grow algae. If chlorine is not added to the water once this process starts, the algae can grow to a point where the entire pool turns green within a day.
Pools can immediately turn green after shocking when they have metals like copper in the water. These metals oxidise when exposed to high levels of chlorine which makes the pool water turn green. Adding a metal control product such as Zodiac Metal Remover will help to restore the pool water.
The free chlorine levels might be low.
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.
While the green algae aren't harmful, the bacteria that feed on the algae can cause issues. When you swim in green water, you expose yourself to algae that host bacteria. Swimming in green water could cause bacterial infections on your skin, and you could get sick if you ingest algae-filled pool water.
Baking Soda and Green, Blue, or Yellow Algae
You'll need to use an algaecide to kill the algae and superchlorinate your pool to clear the water. After this treatment, test your pH and alkalinity and add baking soda to raise alkalinity to at least 100 ppm and pH to between 7.2 and 7.8.
The pool turned green from copper, not algae
Think of the Statue of Liberty. It is made of copper, and has turned green over time through oxidation.
Low flow = poor circulation which will lead to algae in the pool. Bottom line, the filter must be backwashed on a regular basis to ensure that your pool water is clear. "When do we need to backwash?" - It is recommended to backwash your filter once every 4-6 weeks of regular use.
Pool water turns green because of algae in the water. Algae can grow rapidly, particularly when it's warm like Summer, which is why it can surprise you overnight. This generally comes down to an imbalance or lack of chlorine in the water.
The presence of too much algaecide can lead to a foamy pool water. Small bubbles will begin to be produced as the water is pushed through the return jet and back into the pool. Do not confuse these bubbles and foam with another common problem, which is air in your pool lines.
Baking soda can work wonders in a pool. Baking soda can: Help to clear cloudy water and restore the sparkle. Spot-treat algae.
Clorox itself recommends using between 100 and 200 ounces of regular-strength bleach per 10,000 gallons of pool water -- one gallon is 128 ounces, and many bottles of bleach are available in one-gallon or half-gallon sizes. Pool professionals tend to recommend more conservative amounts of bleach.
It is important to know what exactly bleach is before you put it in your pool. Household bleach, Clorox and liquid chlorine can all be used to sanitize a pool. They are all types of chlorine. Household bleaches such as Clorox usually contain about 5-6% available chlorine, about half that of pool liquid chlorine.
Just like you run vinegar through your coffee pot to get rid of calcium buildup, white vinegar can wipe away this eyesore in your pool. Mix a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water, dip a sponge or soft cloth into it, and scrub that residue away.
Algaecide will be able to help you clear cloudy green pool water such as this. Algaecide, to put it simply, is a pool chemical that can kill algae or prevent it from growing in your pool.
You should start seeing a transformation after 24 hours. If you have green pool water after shock, it is imperative to think about your water and pool safety. Hence, don't use the pool after 24 hours.
After the hose fills with water, backwash your sand filter for 2 - 3 minutes, or until water runs clear.
Put your hand over the inlet (where the basket is located on the side of the pool, not the pump) to feel if there's enough suction. Your hand should be sucked up against the inlet fairly quickly if the pump is set to its highest mode. If it's barely pulling, you likely have a clogged filter or a leak in the line.
It is not recommended to drain a swimming pool through the backwash valve. While sucking from the main drain and putting the water down the backwash line will work in some scenarios it puts your pool pump at risk of losing prime and running dry.