Is your swimming pool water cloudy or milky? To clean cloudy swimming pool water, you have to detect why your above ground pool is cloudy. That can be as a result of seven major problems, such as improper water levels, damaged or clogged pool filter, algae and more. To verify which chemicals are imbalanced, carry out a test using a fast, accurate and easy kit. It should also be very effective for frequent use. 

Above Ground Pool is Cloudy - How to Clear Up the Water

Cloudy water can happen no matter what type of pool you have. You can use chlorine to remove the chloramines, eliminate ammonia, and remove debris and algae; or replace the filtering agent, adjust the pH and correct the level of Calcium Hardness. The most common cause of a cloudy residential pool is low free chlorine level. Carry out a test to see if you have a level below 3 ppm. 

Why does the Water Look Cloudy?

1. Damaged Filter: If the filtration is poor, this means your pool filter might not have been running long enough, the filter cartridges are clogged or worn out, and a scaling on filter. All these cause poor water circulation.

2. Chemical Imbalance: When this happens, it shows there is too little or too much of chlorine, Calcium Hardness, pH or stabilizers such as Cyanuric acid. 

3. Environmental Factors and Particles: Pollen, dust and leaves can gather in your filter and stop the cleaning process. Bird droppings, insects, and runoff water after a heavy rainfall can also contributed to your above ground pool being cloudy. Runoff water brings phosphates, nitrates, and other chemicals.

How to Clear a Cloudy Pool:

1. Balance the levels of free chlorine.

2. Correct the levels of Calcium Hardness.

3. Monitor and balance the levels of TA and pH.

4. Get rid of ammonia.

5. Eliminate algae.

6. Backwash your filter and repair damaged filtering agent.

7. Clean foreign particles in the pool.

Is it Advisable to Swim in a Cloudy Pool?

You should not swim in your pool if it is cloudy for several reasons such as:

• If you are unable to see the bottom of your pool, novice swimmers will be hard to also see, putting them at risk of drowning.

• Cloudy pools are full of pathogens and bacteria that can potentially result to stomach pains, eye irritation and urinary tract infections. The most famous bacteria found in dirty or cloudy water is E. coli. Do not swim in the water so you can prevent coming in contact with them.

Bottom Line

When you decide to get a pool, maintaining it is an important part of pool ownership. Depending on how carefully you close the pool for the winter season, or during the start of summer, you might spot cloudy water and algae. This is majorly caused by a chemical imbalance. If your water has no algae growth, pool experts recommend for you to test for all the chemicals and adjust accordingly. Begin with the pH, chlorine, and then the other chemicals. If your above ground pool is cloudy after adjusting the chemicals, try fixing the water clarifier or remove any debris in the filter. You can also make use of pool flocculant and vacuum to get rid of particles.