Pool Troubleshooting Guide Australia
Common pool problems and their solutions. Fix cloudy water, algae, pH issues, and more with this comprehensive troubleshooting guide.
🌊 Cloudy Pool Water
Symptoms:
- Water appears milky or hazy
- Can't see pool bottom clearly
- Water may feel slimy
Causes & Solutions:
1. Poor Filtration
Fix: Clean or replace filter cartridge. Backwash sand/DE filter. Run pump 8-12 hours daily.
2. Imbalanced Chemistry
Fix: Test water using PoolCalculator.com.au. Balance pH (7.2-7.6), alkalinity (80-120 ppm), and chlorine (1-3 ppm).
3. High Calcium Hardness
Fix: If CH is over 400 ppm, partially drain and refill with fresh water. Ideal range: 200-400 ppm.
4. Beginning Algae Growth
Fix: Shock pool immediately. See algae section below.
🟢 Pool Algae
Types of Algae:
- Green Algae: Most common, appears as green water or spots
- Black Algae: Dark spots, very difficult to remove
- Yellow/Mustard Algae: Yellowish-brown, often in shaded areas
Treatment Steps:
- Test & Balance Chemistry: Use PoolCalculator.com.au to test. Balance pH to 7.2-7.6 and alkalinity to 80-120 ppm first.
- Shock Pool: Add 3-5x normal chlorine dose. For 50,000L pool: 500g-1kg of chlorine granules.
- Brush All Surfaces: Brush walls, floor, steps, and corners daily. Algae must be physically removed.
- Run Pump Continuously: Keep pump running 24 hours until water clears.
- Clean Filter: Clean filter daily during treatment. Algae will clog filter quickly.
- Maintain Chlorine: Keep chlorine at 1-3 ppm after treatment. Test daily.
- For Black Algae: Requires aggressive brushing with steel brush and very high chlorine levels. May need specialized treatment.
⚖️ pH Problems
Low pH (Acidic)
Symptoms: Eye/skin irritation, corroded equipment, etching
Fix: Add soda ash (pH increaser). Use PoolCalculator.com.au for exact dosage.
High pH (Basic)
Symptoms: Cloudy water, scaling, reduced chlorine effectiveness
Fix: Add muriatic acid (pH decreaser). Use calculator for exact dosage.
pH Won't Stay Balanced?
Most Common Cause: Low Total Alkalinity (TA)
TA acts as a pH buffer. If TA is below 80 ppm, pH will swing wildly. Fix by raising TA to 80-120 ppm using sodium bicarbonate BEFORE adjusting pH.
🧪 Chlorine Problems
Chlorine Always Low
Possible Causes:
- High chlorine demand (algae, bacteria, organic matter)
- High Cyanuric Acid (CYA) levels reducing effectiveness
- UV degradation (no stabilizer)
- Chlorinator not working properly
Solutions:
- Shock pool to kill organics
- Check CYA levels (30-50 ppm ideal, over 100 ppm reduces effectiveness)
- Ensure chlorinator is functioning
- Add stabilizer if needed, or use stabilized chlorine tablets
Chlorine Too High
Symptoms: Strong chlorine smell, eye/skin irritation, bleached swimwear
Fix: Stop adding chlorine. Run pump and wait. Chlorine will naturally dissipate. For quick reduction, partially drain and refill.
Strong Chlorine Smell
This usually means low free chlorine, not high! Strong smell indicates chloramines (Combined Chlorine).
Fix: Shock pool to break down chloramines. Maintain proper free chlorine levels (1-3 ppm).
💚 Green Pool Water
⚠️ This is an emergency situation - treat immediately!
Green water indicates active algae growth. The longer you wait, the harder it is to fix.
Immediate Action Steps:
- Test water chemistry using PoolCalculator.com.au
- Balance pH to 7.2-7.6 and alkalinity to 80-120 ppm
- Shock pool with 3-5x normal chlorine dose
- Brush all surfaces (walls, floor, steps)
- Run pump continuously (24 hours) until clear
- Clean filter daily (algae clogs quickly)
- Maintain chlorine at 1-3 ppm after clearing
👁️ Eye & Skin Irritation
Common Causes:
1. Low pH (Acidic Water)
Test pH - should be 7.2-7.6. Add pH increaser if low.
2. High Chlorine Levels
Test chlorine - should be 1-3 ppm. If higher, wait for levels to drop.
3. High Combined Chlorine (Chloramines)
Strong chlorine smell indicates chloramines. Shock pool to break them down.
4. Low Total Alkalinity
Low TA causes pH swings. Raise TA to 80-120 ppm for pH stability.
📋 Quick Reference
| Problem | Likely Cause | Quick Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Cloudy water | Poor filtration or imbalanced chemistry | Clean filter, balance chemistry |
| Green water | Algae growth | Shock pool, brush surfaces |
| pH won't stay balanced | Low Total Alkalinity | Raise TA to 80-120 ppm |
| Chlorine always low | High demand or high CYA | Shock pool, check CYA levels |
| Eye/skin irritation | Low pH or high chloramines | Balance pH, shock if needed |
Calculate Your Pool Chemistry
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