This probably what we get the calls for the most here in the office! Cloudy water, rusty water, and green water.
Cloudy Water:
Cloudy water can be caused by high pH or high Alkalinity. To fix this issue, lower the alkalinity and pH in the water by adding muriatic acid or ph minus to achieve you desired levels.
Another cause of cloudy water is dead algae or contaminants in the water. Shocking the pool or adding a water clarifier will help.
Cloudy water can also be caused by a build up of dirt and pollution as a result of poor filtration or not enough chlorine. Backwash or clean your filter, shock the pool with a chlorine based shock, and add water clarifier.
Cloudy water can also result from over stabilized water, which is more common in areas where pools are not drained for winterization. To correct this, drain some of the water from the pool and add fresh source water.
If your pool is staying more cloudy than usual, or the water has lost it’s sparkle, it is time for a DE Filter clean, a sand change, or new cartridged to replace old ones in your cartridge filter.
Green water:
Green water is often caused by algae. Algae can form when there is not enough sanitizer in the water, or when algae spores are introduced. Shock the pool and maintain the proper levels of sanitizer. You can also use a weekly dose of a maintenance algaecide to keep this from happening.
Brown/Orange/Green Water:
Iron can cause pool water to look brown, orange or even green. If you have well water and add liquid chlorine to your pool you will often see the pool water turn a flourescent green. This is a reaction that causes the iron to come out of solution and become visible in the water. You can remove iron from pool water through the use of FerriTabs. There are other metal removers available on the market, and you will want research a few of the other brands if you have anything other than a sand filter.