You can use muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid) or dry acid (sodium bisulfate) to lower alkalinity, though dry acid has some unwanted side effects. Once again, most pool test kits will allow you test for alkalinity, and you’ll typically want this to be between 80 and 120 parts per million (ppm), or 100 and 140 parts per million for painted, vinyl, and fiberglass inground pools. If your alkalinity it too high, however, it can cause your water to turn cloudy. Is Your Alkalinity Level Too High?Īlkalinity-or Total Alkalinity-is a pH buffer, meaning it absorbs changes in the water in order to keep your pH level stable. ![]() If it doesn’t clear up, either your filter-system is compromised, the rest of your water chemistry is out of whack, or you’re using some cheap-ass, low-grade shock. Just keep your filter running in the meantime. Is your pool cloudy after shocking with calcium hypochlorite? Not to worry, this is normal and should resolve itself in a day or so as the chlorine level drops. (The sun will “cook” your chlorine, turning it into gas and causing your chlorine level to drop faster.) This keeps your water clean but also prevents it from becoming cloudy - assuming everything else is balanced.Įxactly how much depends on how often your pool is used, how busy it gets, and the weather it’s exposed to. The “sweet spot” is between 1 and 3 ppm (parts per million). You need chlorine in your pool to fight off nasty bacteria and other microorganisms, but the amount you use shouldn’t be overlooked. If you’re looking for a reliable pool test kit, I recommend this one:īuy on Amazon Is Your Chlorine Level Right? Measuring your pools pH level is pretty straightforward using a decent test kit, so make sure you do that weekly to stay on top of any sudden changes. Your water won’t turn cloudy simply because your pH level is outside of this range, but it will prevent your pool chemicals from doing their job properly, causing particles to linger which will eventually lead to a cloudy pool. ![]() The best pH level for your pool water is somewhere between 7.2 and 7.6 on the pH scale, which happens to be slightly alkaline. In that case, you’d need to go through the same steps of testing and balancing I’m about to go over. Got a cloudy pool after opening? If you’ve peeled back that pool cover after a long winter only to find a mist of cloud has found itself into your pool, it means you didn’t winterize correctly. ![]() Having too much of one chemical or not enough of another is your fast-track ticket a cloudy pool, so checking your pool chemistry for high pH, total alkalinity and chlorine levels is always a good place to start. (In fact, this is one of the most common causes of cloudy water.) ![]() If, like me, you didn’t pay attention in your school chemistry lessons, it could just be a chemical imbalance in the water. Here we go… Cause #1: Imbalanced Pool Chemicals So let’s talk about ways to fix the root of the problem before treating the symptoms - because we’re not about to slap on a bandaid and call it day. There are a number of reasons your pool water can become cloudy, and understanding the potential cause will not only help you fix it, but also prevent it in future. The water is no longer translucent, meaning the pool floor is not visible at all. The water is starting to lose it’s color and it’s now difficult to make out small details on the pool floor. The least severe form, in that your pool water still has it’s color but it doesn’t have the sparkle it once did. Personally, I’d break cloudy water into three categories: “Cloudy” is a pretty vague term, and you should know that there are different stages of cloudy pool water.
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