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.
Is it Safe to Swim in a Green Water Pool? Short answer – it depends. Lakes contain a full ecosystem, complete with aquatic life that feeds on bacteria and toxins. This makes swimming in green water in nature safe.
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.
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.
1. Shock the pool with chlorine every day until all the green is gone (possibly 3 to 4 days). 2. Run the filter 24 hours a day and backwash every day until the green and then cloudiness is gone (usually up to 7 days, sometimes as long as 2 weeks depending on the filter).
If the pool is still very cloudy or green, you may need to shock it to make it safe to swim in again. First, make sure that the filter system is working properly and the chemicals are still at the proper levels. Next, mix up your chlorine shock (hyperchlorinate) treatment.
In theory, if you have a cloudy swimming pool, you can add chlorine to “shock it” and clear things up. Chlorine will get the job done. But, the amounts may vary and you may have to really pound the pool with chlorine to get the water totally clear.
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.
Green or Dark Green Pool Water:
This means there's a medium amount of algae in your water and you'll need to triple shock your pool. Triple shocking requires 3 pounds for every 10,000 gallons of pool water.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
For medium green pools, use 2 lb. of shock treatment per 10,000 gallons of water. So, for 25,000 gallons of water, use 5 lb. For dark green colored pools, it is better to use 3 lb.
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.
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.
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.
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.
After five to seven days, you can add algaecide to complete the cleaning process. Algaecide will work with the chlorine or oxidizer to kill and prevent white water mold from returning.