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What is Green Water?
A green swimming pool is one of the most common issues pool owners face, and one of the most unpleasant! Nobody wants to look at green water, so knowing how to get rid of it (and how to stop it from happening in future) is essential.
Here at 1st Direct pools, we supply everything you need to eliminate green water, including chlorine tablets. In this guide, we take a look at why your swimming pool may be green. We also share our tips on how to treat it and prevent it from happening in the future.
By far, the most common cause of green water is algae growth. When this happens, your water will turn green and slimy stuff will form on the walls and floor.
Green water can also be caused by copper staining. When this happens, the green will be a slightly blue-ish colour (or a brown, rust-like colour) compared to the deep green of algae, and you won’t see slime forming on the walls and floor.
Simply put, Algae are tiny living things that make a home in water that hasn’t been adequately sanitised. While not harmful, these microscopic organisms are unsightly.
Pool chemicals slowly lose their strength over time, so if you forget to re-balance your water, algae can form. It can also be caused by debris falling into the pool, such as leaves or rainwater.
Thankfully, algae can be treated relatively simply by shock dosing the pool. Follow our guide below:
By far the most effective way of keeping algae at bay is keeping on top of your swimming pool chemicals. If the water is properly sanitised, algae won’t have a chance to form.
If you do keep up with sanitising but still fall foul to the green stuff, it might be because of your pool’s location. For example, sanitisers don’t perform as well under direct sunlight, and if debris falls in regularly, this can also be an issue. In this case, consider investing in products such as chlorine stabilisers or long-life algaecides.
As the name suggests, copper staining occurs when copper ions in the pool detach from the water and begin to bond with the walls or floor, causing unpleasant marks.
Copper staining can happen for many reasons, as there is natural copper in most tap water, various metals in the pool system (pump/filter) or accessories (stairs) and coppers in certain chemicals products (like some algaecides).
The issue most often appears when the pool’s pH level has risen above 8.3, which can push copper out of the water and onto the walls and floors.
Before curing copper staining, the source of the copper needs to be found. If it is from equipment, it would suggest that the water is out of balance with acidic conditions. Regular pH checks are recommended.
To avoid copper staining in the future, you should try your best to keep your swimming pool as clean as possible throughout the year. Some steps you can take include:
We hope you have found this informative and can now keep on top of your pool cleanliness. If you would like some more information, look through our blog, which is full of useful guides for every pool owner.
1st Direct Pools are the UK’s largest online supplier of swimming pool products, and we can provide you with expert advice. If you would like to contact us regarding any of our products, please call our customer service line on 0333 900 4040.
Alternatively, you can get in contact with us via social media!
