"Heavy rain dilutes pool chemicals, especially salt and chlorine, which causes the pool to turn green. This means the water is not sanitised or healthy, so it's vital to address this.
Rainwater itself does not cause algae, but it can provide the right environment for algae. Rain will bring phosphates, nitrates and other organic contaminants into the pool. As we discussed earlier, rain also reduces chlorine levels.
When there is not enough chlorine in your pool water, green algae—which can float freely or attach to the walls and floor of your pool—can grow. Thus, in many cases, the most efficient way to get rid of algae is by shocking your pool water with chlorine.
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.
One of the most common problems you will run into when storing rainwater is the algae growth in water tanks. The presence of algae growth in water tanks will make your harvested water nearly unusable. Algae is a bacteria that can carry toxins that are harmful to animals, humans and plants.
If you suspect swimming pool algae is making your pool water green or cloudy, check the water's alkalinity and pH balance. This is the most common cause of green pool water. Unfortunately, algae can become resistant to chlorine and sanitation because of the water's pH and alkalinity.
Should the green be due to pollen, there may be little to do in the way of minimizing the discoloration short of erecting a building around the pool. Fortunately, assuming there are no allergies to the pollen, it is safe to swim in a pool with that as the cause for green water.
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.
The only thing that kills algae is CHLORINE (or your sanitizing product, or one of the copper-based algaecides on the market). You need to raise the level of your chlorine – shock the pool – and maintain that high level until all the algae is dead. This may take 3 to 4 days. RUN THE FILTER 24 HOURS A DAY.
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.
ADD POOL CLARIFIER
The change in your pool water colour means that you have successfully eliminated the algae and can now clean it out of your pool. If your water is still green, wait another 24 hours and redo the steps from Days 1 and 2.
What happens if too much shock is added? You cannot overshock a swimming pool or add too much. Adding too much shock or overshocking your pool will kill off algae. The negative of adding too much shock is it will upset the chemical balance of your pool.
Bleach, like any other kind of pool treatment, is best used in specific concentrations -- that is, you'll want to be able to detect a certain amount of chlorine in your pool water. Too little, and you won't effectively sanitize your pool water and surfaces. Too much, and your pool water might become too harsh to use.
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. Household bleaches often have unwanted fragrances and colors.
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.
They are identical in every way, with the exception of strength. Household bleach is usually a 6% concentration (although some of the cheaper stuff is 3%), while pool chlorine can typically be found in strength between 10% and 12%. All of this is sodium hypochlorite, and works the same in sanitizing your water.
Liquid chlorine and granular shock have the same active chemical that sanitizes your pool, what changes is the strength and the way you use it. Liquid chlorine is less costly, unstabilized and comes in liquid form. Granular shock is stabilized and comes in a solid form that dissolves in your pool.
Answer: It is true that pool chlorine is stronger than bleach. For bleach and water to be the same strength as pool chlorine and water, you would have to adjust the ratio, increasing the bleach and reducing the water.
After your cyanuric acid level is set, add the bleach. Then proceed with daily testing until you understand how much chlorine your pool uses. At this point, chlorine maintenance can be as simple as adding a little bleach to your pool every day to keep it within the target levels.
Depending on how much you have added and the size of your pool, it is generally safe to wait about 4 hours after adding liquid chlorine or until levels reach 5 ppm or lower.
How Often Should I Shock My Pool? Shocking your pool regularly will help to keep the water clean and free of contaminants. You should aim to shock your pool about once a week, with the additional shock after heavy use. Some tell-tale signs that your pool needs to be shocked are cloudy, foamy, green, or odourous water.