How to Clear Up Cloudy Pool Water Fast

In a few steps, you can clear up cloudy water and get back to enjoying your pool.

While a swimming pool can give you countless hours of enjoyment, maintaining it can take several hours of work each week. A common difficulty with swimming pools is cloudy water, which can be the result of a mechanical or chemical problem. You'll need to follow a few steps to correctly diagnose and fix these issues. The sooner you correct the issue, the sooner you can get back to enjoying the pool.

Things You'll Need

• Chemical test kit
• pH increase formula
• pH decrease formula
• Chlorine
• Bromine

Instructions

Mechanical Corrections

1. Check your pool's skimmer/filter intake for clogs. Remove any debris in the skimmer/filter intake, as this can reduce water flow to the filter.

2. Clean out the filter basket. Sand filters typically have a basket near the filter to prevent large debris from entering the filter. The basket needs regular cleaning to ensure that the filter works properly.

3. Increase the amount of time you filter the pool. Most pools need eight to 10 hours of daily filtration. During the summer, increase the filtration time from sunup to sundown to help keep the water clear when heat conditions are especially favorable for algae growth.

Chemical Corrections

1. Test the pool water with an at-home test kit. This can involve dipping a litmus strip into the water or adding a few test drops to a water sample.

2. Add a pH increase or decrease formula to the water, if needed. Proper pH levels for preventing cloudiness range from 7.2 to 7.8.

3. Decrease the alkalinity level in your pool. You can typically use the pH decrease formula to lower the alkalinity to less than 200 ppm.

4. Increase the level of chlorine in the water. Chlorine sanitizes the water and is necessary to maintain clarity. Follow the directions on your chlorine's packaging.

Tips & Warnings

• Warm water temperatures and heavy use typically require you to add chemicals more frequently to the pool.

• Persistently cloudy water may require you to add pool shock, an extremely potent dose of chlorine. You may also need to add an algaecide to help reduce cloudiness after the shock and prior to adding the other chemicals.

References

• Blue Wave Chemicals: Cloudy Pool Water Cures
• Pool Life Magazine: Clear Up Your Cloudy Water