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Swimming Pool Water Treatment - Troubleshooting

Swimming Pool Water Treatment - Troubleshooting 
We have put together a general guide to help troubleshot water treatment issues within a swimming pool. Most common water problems are easily treatable for any individual pool owner. 

Algae & Other Growths of Bacteria


GREEN ALGEA

Murky green water with possible growth

Possible Causes:

  • Low sanitizer
  • Poor maintenance
  • Improper Water Balance
  • Poor circulation

Suggested Solution:

  • Shock Treatment 
  • Algaecide
  • Clean the filter
  • Check the system 

BLACK ALGAE
Rough, black spots on the bottom of the pool that brushes off with effort

Problem Causes:

  • Low sanitizer
  • Poor maintenance
  • Improper Water Balance
  • Poor circulation

Suggested Solution:

  • Algaecide
  • Brushing
  • Clean the filter
  • Check the system

MUSTARD ALGAE

Yellowish-gold growth that easily brushes away

Problem Causes:

  • Low sanitizer
  • Poor maintenance
  • Improper Water Balance
  • Poor circulation

Suggested Solution:

  • Algaecide
  • Brushing

PINK SLIME
Pink, slimy bacterial growth that brushes off easily

Problem Causes:

  • Low sanitizer
  • Poor maintenance
  • Improper Water Balance
  • Poor circulation

Suggested Solution:

  • Algaecide
  • Brushing
  • Clean the filter
  • Check the system

WATER MOLD 
White mucous or tissue paper-like substance

Problem Causes:

  • Low sanitizer
  • Poor maintenance
  • Improper Water Balance
  • Poor circulation

Suggested Solution:

  • Algaecide
  • Shock Treatment
  • Clean the filter
  • Check the system

ANIMALS & INSECTS
Water bugs, ducks, dogs, frogs, etc. taking a dip in the pool

Problem Causes:

  • Environmental

Suggested Solution:

  • Algaecide
  • Shock Treatment

CHLORINE DEMAND
Unable to maintain the free chlorine level

Problem Causes:

  • Environmental 
  • Poor Maintenance

Suggested Solution:

  • Algaecide
  • Shock Treatment

CLOUDY WATER
Hazy & Cloudy Water

Problem Causes:

  • Poor Filtration
  • Low sanitizer
  • Poor water balance
  • Particlate Matter

Suggested Solution:

  • Service Pump
  • Clean & run pump
  • Shock Treatment
  • Balance water PH
  • Filter cleaning

GREY, TURQUOISE WATER
Cooper active within water

Problem Causes:

  • Equpment Corrosion
  • Outside contamination
  • Fill Water
  • Use of copper algecide

Suggested Solution:

  • Metal Out
  • Algaecide

BROWN & PURPLE WATER
Manganese within the water

Problem Causes:

  • Equpment Corrosion
  • Outside contamination
  • Fill Water

Suggested Solution:

  • Vacuum Waste Out
  • Add metal out 
  • Super Floc's

RED & ORANGE WATER
Iron within Water

Problem Causes:

  • Outside contamination
  • Fill Water

Suggested Solution:

  • Vacuum Waste Out
  • Add metal out 
  • Super Floc's

FILTRATION ISSUE
Clogging filter or short run time on filter

Problem Causes:

  • Dirty Filter
  • Media not cleaned / changed
  • Improper amount of filter media
  • Water balance

Suggested Solution:

  • Replace filter media
  • Clean with filter cleaners

ODOR & SKIN / EYE IRRITATION 
Pool has strong odor 

Problem Causes:

  • Seimmer waste, oils & organic waste
  • Chloramines

Suggested Solution:

  • Shock Treatment

SCLAE BUILD UP 
Grey coloration that is difficult to remove when brushing 

Problem Causes:

  • Improper water balance
  • High Total Alkanlity 
  • High Calcium Hardness

Suggested Solution:

  • Metal Out
  • Stain Out
  • Balance Water
  • Acid Wash

 


 

LINER WRINKLING
Wrinkles in a vinyl liner

Problem Causes:

  • Improper water balance
  • High Total Alkanlity 
  • High Calcium Hardness

Suggested Solution:

  • Replace Liner
  • Balance Water

BLEACHING
Pale to white spotting and discoloration on the surface of water

Problem Causes:

  • Improper chemical additon

Suggested Solution:

  • Replace Liner
  • Repaint the surfaces
  • Predissolve dry substances before addition

STAINING
Black, green spots that can not be removed with brushing

Problem Causes:

  • Metal Stains 
  • Fungus under liner
  • Tannic acid
  • Stains from leaves 

Suggested Solution:

  • Pull up liner and clean from the underside
  • Shock the water

REAGENT BLEACHING
Colour of test fades to clear

Problem Causes:

  • High Chlorine or bromine levels

Suggested Solution:

  • Pull up liner and clean from the underside
  • Add chlorine OR shock 

REAGENT DISCOLORATION

Reagent colour is different than it should be - for example the pH test turns purple or the DPD turns brown 

Problem Causes:

  • High chlorine or bromine levels 
  • Old reagents 

Suggested Solution:

  • Let the chlore level come back down then retest
  • Replace reagents 

FOAMING
Bubble on the pool surface 

Problem Causes:

  • Excessive algaecide
  • Foreign substance

Suggested Solution:

  • Defoamer
  • Determine the source and partially drain if necessary
  • Use algaecide

GREEN HAIR
Blonde hair turns green after bathing 

Problem Causes:

  • Cooper

Suggested Solution:

  • Metal Out 
  • Lemon Juice / vinegar in the hair to remove the colour

 

RAIN
Rain washes debris into the pool and raises the water level, increasing the sanitizer demand

Problem Causes:

  • Environmental 

Suggested Solution:

  • Rebalance the water 
  • Shook the pool 

WATER LOSS
Noticeable difference in water level 

Problem Causes:

  • Less than 1/2" daily - evaporation
  • 1/2" to 1" - active bather load
  • Over 1" daily - possible leak

Suggested Solution:

  • Solar cover for the first two levels of water loss
  • Professional assistane for anything over 1" daily

 

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