Why is the water in the pool cloudy? What to do if the water in the pool becomes cloudy. Symptom: Ineffective filtration of sand filters

Most people want to have their own large home and have a beautiful pool inside or next to it. But not everyone understands that a pool is not only about the beauty and pleasure of swimming, but also about daily control and water treatment for the pool, and its care. The water in the pool should not only be safe, but also have an aesthetically pleasing appearance. You poured water, everything is fine, but after a while - white water in a swimming pool. What happened, what is the reason? This needs to be sorted out. And there may be several reasons.

Inefficiency of the filter unit

Over time, the filter sand backfill becomes contaminated with deposits of various salts, most often calcium, and white water is the presence of salts in the pool. You can solve the problem by backwashing the filter. But if the contamination is such that washing does not bring a positive result, then it is necessary to partially or completely replace the filter sand.

Chlorination

Another reason that The water in the pool turned white, is a decrease in the activity of disinfectants. After interacting with organic microflora, active chlorine transforms into stable forms (dichloride and trichloride), and this leads to a decrease in the effect of chlorination and the formation of a large number of harmful microorganisms. In this case, you should partially or, if necessary, completely drain the water into the sewer. Then rinse the filter, or even partially replace the filter element, and perform shock chlorination. After active treatment, bring the concentration of chlorine ions to 0.3–0.5 mg/l and turn on the filter unit. This will allow you to get rid of white water in the pool for a long time.

Coagulation

The filter works well, the concentration of active chlorine is within normal limits, and the water in the pool is still white. Many microorganisms, after interacting with chemicals, are suspended or precipitated. This creates the visual effect that the water has turned white. A water treatment filtration unit cannot purify the water in the pool due to the fact that the size of microorganisms is much smaller than the holding capacity of the filter elements. In this case, you can install a cartridge that can filter out even the smallest bacteria. But the throughput of such cartridges is very low and they become clogged with dirt very quickly. This is especially ineffective in large outdoor pools. In this case, coagulants and flocculants come to the rescue in the fight against white water in the pool. These substances allow the smallest microorganisms to be combined into larger dispersed systems. Coagulants form flakes in water that envelop small particles and bind them together. And all this mass falls out in the form of a flocculent sediment. The size of these particles is such that they are easily retained by the filter elements of cleaning plants. Coagulants are used especially effectively in systems based on the use of active oxygen.

pH control

Another possible condition is that The water in the pool turned white, is a high pH level of the environment. High alkalinity of water – provides the likelihood of the formation and precipitation of insoluble salts. Insoluble salts (especially calcium) give the water a white, milky color. This problem is solved in this way - special preparations are added to the water, which reduce the pH to the optimal level of 7.2–7.6, which will further avoid the formation and precipitation of insoluble salts. And the contaminants in the water remain in the water purification filter. Calcium and magnesium salts, in addition to giving the water a white tint, also negatively affect the condition of the skin, as they interfere with its hydration.

Based on the above, we can conclude - white water in the pool is not an insoluble problem. If you carefully adhere to the criteria for monitoring the quality of the water you use, you can save yourself from swimming in unattractive, milky-white water. But even if a failure occurs and the water turns white, you should not get excited. It is necessary to carefully understand the causes of the problem and eliminate them precisely. And if there are several reasons, then it is necessary to carry out a comprehensive treatment of the whitened water and enjoy a pleasant bath.

If the water in your pool is clear and blue, then such a pool attracts you with irresistible force. Well, if on the contrary - an opaque slurry with a dubious odor - you may get the feeling that some kind of evil spirits will jump out of there... How to keep water safe and attractive and what to do if it has become cloudy? This is exactly what we will talk about in today's article.

Why does the water become cloudy and what can be done about it?

Cloudy water in the pool- This is a fairly common occurrence and there are certain reasons for this. Warm days and sunlight give rise to the proliferation of microscopic algae, which fill all the water, settling even on the walls of the pool. Once upon a time, life began this way, and the process continues, but we have absolutely no use for it in the pool. Prevention is better than the subsequent struggle with varying odds, sometimes in your favor, sometimes in favor of life on earth. In general, bacteria, which also contribute to the pollution of the pool, get there with garbage, with swimmers, with animals, with swimming equipment.

Water with low acidity or generally neutral is the most favorable condition for the growth of all kinds of bacteria.

If your water is below 7 units, then your pool is at risk. The optimal value is above 7 units, preferably 7.2 - 7.4. Algae multiply in water that is too warm, and bacteria in dark water. Also, standing water (rarely used and without filtration) is also the same for the development of microorganisms, the water becomes cloudier and cloudier, and debris flying in with the wind aggravates this problem.

Poor quality water, especially if there is no filter, or a filter with cheap cartridges, also tends to quickly become cloudy. The water may also become cloudy due to the fact that the pool is filled from a rusty water supply, or perhaps from a well with highly calcified water.

All of the above problems can make the pool water cloudy. And the water may become cloudy due to chlorine reagents.

Changing the pH in the right direction is your task

In this article we will talk about how to make your pool water blue. It happens that turbidity does not pose a danger to swimmers, but is simply unpleasant for aesthetic reasons. If, among other things, rust was also noticed on the metal components of the pool, then you should pay attention to the acid-base balance. The water is too acidic; this can be corrected by enriching the water with oxygen.

Determining the acidity of water is easy and simple using special testers that can be purchased in the store. The sample must be taken at a depth of 5-7 cm from the surface and as far as possible from the filter. With testers, as a rule, there are instructions with which you need to compare the color obtained on the tester. And then, you just need to decide what reagents you need - those that increase or decrease the acidity level in the water.

But there is a difference between reagents and reagents; some can cause allergies, while others are simply unpleasant in water.

Muddy water in the pool

Toxic chemicals in reasonable doses help you out

If you have a swimming pool and in it muddy water, then first of all the question arises why this happened and how it can be corrected. Of course, chlorine and those containing it are your first assistant in caring for pool water. The reagents contain cyanuric acid - a stabilizer - it prevents chlorine from evaporating under solar ultraviolet radiation.

Every day you should add 10 grams for every 10 cubic meters of water. This will help keep bacteria in check, but severe cases the use of 200 grams for every 10 cubic meters is omitted.

Follow the instructions carefully and do not overdo it with the reagent; cyanuric acid, when heavily accumulated, weakens the effect of chlorine in water.

Imagine - you returned from a business trip or vacation, and the pool is a disaster! All water is green... In such cases, conventional reagents will act too slowly, whereas you need to save the pool immediately. This is where ordinary Whiteness comes to your aid. Yes - yes, that’s exactly it, the main component in it is sodium hypochlorite - this is highly evaporating chlorine, but this is what will help it quickly enter into the desired reaction with water and its problems. In half an hour it will finish its work and partly evaporate, and partly will settle to the bottom with microparticles.

Do not consider bacteria and other microorganisms living in the pool water to be harmless; some of them may be dangerous to humans. Chlorine destroys almost all of them. But even in strong doses it can cause harm to a person, allergies, or simply redness, inhaling chlorine harms the lungs, and over time it destroys the wood, concrete, and metal from which your pools are made.

How to clarify pool water

Chemical reagents with which dirt will settle to the bottom

So, how to clarify pool water? This is exactly what we are talking about in this publication. You can use special reagents, which are used in case of an allergy to bleach or if you are not satisfied with its nasty smell.

Coagulants and flocculants - These are polymers that react with all microorganisms in the pool. The flakes that settle to the bottom along with all the dirt and bacteria will tell you about it, and you need to collect them with a vacuum cleaner. The substances themselves are odorless and harmless to the skin or mucous membranes, do not change the acid balance of water and do not accumulate dissolved metal. And everyone acts differently

These drugs (coagulants) goes well with good quality filters. They are poured directly into the water and you need to immediately drive them throughout the entire reservoir. If the pool is round, you can simply use a regular shovel to walk along the edge several times. At this time, the filters must be turned off, and the fresh water supply must also be turned off. The drugs change the charges of the particles to neutral, which allows them to collect into flakes. But the sediment in the form of flakes is too small for the filter; only sand models can handle them.

For large-cell models, these preparations (flocculants) will not be very compatible, since the flakes are viscous and will quickly clog all the cells. And swimming at the same time as the action of polymers is also undesirable for the same reason. They bind smaller particles into larger flakes and can be used simultaneously with coagulants. Their effect lasts up to several days, this is noticeable with the addition of fresh water - new flakes are added.

Ozone water purification

When you get out of a polluted city into nature, you immediately feel the difference - the air is much cleaner. And after thunderstorms, the air is saturated with ozone. But this freshness does not last long - ozone is extremely volatile and evaporates quickly. 40 minutes is enough for only a quarter of the initial volume of ozone to remain. Along with freshness, ozone is extremely destructive to all kinds of microorganisms. It is this property that is used to clean the room. And by oxidizing organic substances, it contributes to their death, which is why ozone has also found applications in pool water purification.

Although there are difficulties when installing ozone purification systems, they will allow you to completely eliminate chemicals used to purify your water. Chlorination is allowed only for preventive purposes. Such a system is often closed, in which gas is supplied from the generator to a common circuit and from there it enters the reservoir with water. This is where the water disinfection process takes place. Then the water flows into the pool itself, and the excess ozone is converted into oxygen in the destructor.

The power of the generator determines the complete or partial ozonation of the liquid. In a large pool, where only 5% of the water is renewed each time the filter capsule is washed, a full cleaning cycle is advisable. Although not particularly economical, it allows you to reduce maintenance with pool chlorine. And for small pool bowls, partial ozonation can be allowed; with a powerful pump, the water will be pumped 4 times per day. Then 100% of the water will be ozonized, and you can forget about chlorine for the entire swimming season.

Removing flakes of sediment

So, we have - as a result of the action of special preparations, flakes lying at the bottom or floating on the surface of the water. You need to carefully collect all this from the bottom, walls and surface. There are special vacuum cleaners for this. A hollow tube is attached to it, and to it is a bottom brush. It is not necessary to get into the water with him, but you can simply walk along the sides. A debris skimmer is also suitable for pool cleaning purposes.

There are also robots - cleaners, automatic vacuum cleaners; they don’t need humans at all. Using a corrugated hose, they are connected to the filter, and electricity goes to them through a flexible wire, securely insulated. They move on small wheels or tracks, their large ribs cling perfectly to the bottom. But most of them are unable to clean the walls, although there are now models with rods with brushes. There are even wall-crawling options. But if the layer of dirt is very dense, then no robot can cope with it; only manual cleaning is needed here. A replacement for an expensive vacuum cleaner can be submersible pump, capable of sucking up the entire contents of the bottom of the pool bowl.

Sometimes, even with careful implementation of all procedures, the water in the pool becomes cloudy, whitish, like milk. The milky state of water can be due to various reasons. Depending on the reason, you need to choose a strategy of action.

Insufficient water filtration

Checking and rinsing filters is the most universal action for increasing water clarity. If you use a sand filter, you need to check and rinse the sand: it may be contaminated or “trapped” with calcium deposits. If you have a cartridge filter, then the cartridge may need to be replaced. It should be borne in mind that cartridge filters are effective only under light loads and with a small amount of pollutants. If you have to change the cartridge frequently, perhaps the best solution would be to replace the filter with a sand filter.

pH level not set

Either too low or too high a pH can produce a milky effect in the water. At high pH levels, water may become cloudy due to tiny crystals that form solid salts.

Solution: In order to adjust the pH value, you must first measure it using testers. If the pH level is low, you need to add pH + products to the water. To reduce acidity, you need, on the contrary, to use a pH - solution. Acidity regulators must be added to the water until the indicator becomes optimal.

Ineffective chlorination

By neglecting regular and sufficient chlorination, you risk short term get white or "green" blooming pool. If chlorination is carried out regularly, the cause of turbidity must be sought in the reagents themselves. Stable chlorine preparations - dichlor, trichloride - create too high a concentration of cyanuric acid in the water. Against this background, chlorine ceases to cope with bacteria inhabiting the water.

Solution: Shock chlorination using unstable chlorine preparations - sodium hypochlorite, calcium hypochlorite. As a result of shock chlorination, the proportion of free chlorine in water should reach 10 mg/l.

Before shock chlorination, it will be useful to check and wash the filters and replace some of the water with fresh tap water. After shock chlorination, you can use a special clarifier to restore transparency to the water.

Pool water becomes cloudy when a large number of tiny particles of a substance either enter the water or fall out of solution. These particles reflect light, resulting in a cloudy pool. The particles themselves can come from many sources:

Human sources- sunscreen oils and lotions, skin proteins, sweat, body fluids.
Environmental sources- algae, pollen, leaves, dust, fine sand.
Chemical sources- calcium carbonate, calcium hypochlorite.

There are two important things to know about particles - important because they will help you figure out how to get rid of them.

They are very small- from 0.5 to 5.0 microns. Since most pool filtration systems cannot filter out substances smaller than 30 microns, they are therefore too small to be easily filtered out when filtering a pool.
They carry a negative electrical charge. This means that they repel each other and each particle hangs in an isolated suspension in the pool water. Why does this matter? Because some of the cleaning methods involve actually changing the electrical charge of the particles so that they clump together into coagulated particles large enough for your pool filtration system to handle.

How cloudy is the water?

There are different degrees of turbidity. And the degree of turbidity is often a clue to the cause and determines the appropriate cleaning process.

Matte- the water in the pool seems to have lost its shine. A bit like the difference between gloss and matte paint.
Muddy- the water has a clear milky color. At the shallow end you can see the bottom of the pool, but at the deep end you have to look pretty closely.
Opaque cloudy- very milky water in the pool. You can't see the bottom at all.

Causes of cloudy pool water

Just as there are many sources, there are also many reasons why these particles suddenly appear. And very often, there is not one reason, but many different reasons that combine and feed each other, causing the water in your pool to become cloudy.

Circulation and filtration problems

Insufficient filtration time. Swimming pools require 8 hours of filtration per day, and if the pump is not running long enough, it will not be able to filter the water properly.
Inadequate filtration equipment. If the filter size is too small or the pump itself is too small for the size of your pool, the result can often be cloudy pool water.
Incorrect filtration equipment. Likewise, if your pool pump has a motor that is too powerful for your pool size, the water will move through the filter too quickly and you will actually get less filtration.
Dirty or damaged filtration equipment. if you have sand filter, make sure it is clean, the filter basket is clean. If you have a cartridge filter, make sure it does not need cleaning or replacement.
Poor circulation. May be the result of valves closing when they should be open or opening when they should be closed. Also, skimmer baskets can be blocked by leaves, plastic toys, etc.

Human factor

You've probably noticed that after a day of heavy pool use, especially after a pool party, the water looks dull or cloudy. The reason is that the chlorine in the pool struggles to deal with all those sunscreen lotions, body oils, hair oils and body fluids, including but not limited to urine! Chlorine reacts with all of these (and especially with ammonia, which breaks down quickly from urine), the insoluble waste products from this process being called chloramines. They don’t just make the water slightly cloudy, they give it an unpleasant and too characteristic smell of chlorine.

Environmental exposure

Pollen, dust, mold, etc. The particles may be too small for your pool system to filter out.
Water flow. The problem is phosphates, nitrates and other chemicals that leach from the soil into the pool during heavy rain, which can cause the pool to become cloudy or cloudy.
Insects, animals, bird droppings. Dead “live” in the pool or bird droppings in the water have the same effect on the production of chloramines as human waste products.
Seaweed. A cloudy pool may be a sign of the onset - especially if the water has a greenish tint.

Also, if you've recently cleaned your pool of algae, the water will be cloudy. This is because what you are now seeing is dead, white algae. Of course, dead algae is much better than live algae, but your pool is cloudy until you clean it.

Unbalanced pool chemicals

Your pool water chemistry, including chlorination, pH levels, and alkalinity, are common causes of cloudy pools.

High pH. When a pool's pH level becomes too high (over 7.8), the water can no longer hold calcium carbonate in solution. Instead of being held in solution, it begins to fall out. Result? Muddy pool. In addition, when high levels pH chlorine loses much of its ability to kill bacteria or algae.
High total alkalinity. If the total alkalinity of the pool is too high (more than 170 mg/l), it can lead to cloudy water.
Water temperature and calcium hardness (CH). Water from springs rich in limestone often contains a lot of calcium. Calcium dissolves more easily in cold water than in warm water, and when the water temperature significantly exceeds 29 ° C, it falls out of solution into suspension.
Shock chlorination. Cloudy pool water due to shock is normal, so if you've shocked your pool within the last 24 hours, you don't have anything to worry about yet. As long as your pool is circulating and your filter is working properly, the turbidity should go away in no more than a day.

How to Clean a Cloudy Pool

In most cases, cleaning a cloudy pool is quite simple. All that is usually required is the administration of the correct dose of coagulant or flocculant.

Remember two important things about particles? They are small and they repel each other because they are all negatively charged. The way coagulants and flocculants work is that they neutralize the electrical charge so that the particles bond together into something large enough to filter out or heavy enough to sink to the bottom of the pool for later vacuuming. Important do not use too much coagulant. Using too much will not just neutralize the electrical charge, it will reverse it. This will make the pool even more cloudy.

If the water is dull:

Start the pump.
Leave the pump and filter system running for 12 hours.

If the water is cloudy:

Start the pump.
Adjust pH between 7.2 and 7.4.
Add the recommended dose of coagulant for your pool volume.
Leave the pump and filter system running for 8 hours.
Turn off the pump and let the pool sit for 8-10 hours.
Vacuum the pool thoroughly and backwash.
Run the pump for another 4 hours.

If the turbidity is caused by algae:

If you are sure that algae is the cause, then follow the appropriate steps above.

If the water is opaque-cloudy:

Add water to the pool above the skimmer line.
Adjust pH to 7.4.
If you have a sand filter, set the valve to recirculate. If you have a cartridge pool filter, remove the cartridge.
Start the pump.
Add the recommended dose of coagulant for your pool volume.
Let the pump run for 2-3 hours.
Turn off the pump and let the pool sit for 10-12 hours.
Vacuum the pool thoroughly and backwash the filter.
If the water is still cloudy, let the pool sit for another 24 hours and clean again.

Regular Maintenance

Maintaining your pool throughout the season will not only ensure excellent water clarity, but will also keep it reasonably safe. For achievement best results Perform weekly maintenance procedures to monitor the condition and quality of your pool.

Routine pool maintenance should include:

Removing large pieces of debris (such as leaves) from the water.
Cleaning the bottom and sides of the pool to remove dirt and algae.
Cleaning the pool with a vacuum cleaner.
Check the filter and remove any large contaminants.
Testing for chlorine, pH and other levels.
Shocking the pool.

Red water in the pool– a phenomenon from a number of unacceptable. The reason for this trouble is due to the high iron content in the water that was used to fill the pool. High levels of iron are usually found in water from artesian wells and wells. So why does the water in a pool filled with such water turn red? Iron is found in artesian water in several forms in divalent soluble, trivalent and colloidal states. When interacting with atmospheric oxygen, divalent iron ions are oxidized and transform into a trivalent, sparingly soluble form, the smallest particles of which give the water a red or brown tint. Therefore, before filling the pool, it is best to conduct a water analysis and accordingly select equipment for water treatment for the pool so that it is crystal clear, transparent, and has the appropriate color, so that every swimmer enjoys swimming in it.

What to do in a situation where there is red water in the pool, but you don’t want to drain it

In a situation where water is poured into the pool, and it turns red before your eyes, draining it or buying additional equipment for cleaning is quite expensive and the costs were not foreseen, you can get rid of the excess iron content in the water directly in the pool. To do this, a number of activities must be carried out in a certain sequence. First, the pH is equalized and the water is subjected to shock treatment with a disinfectant (chlorine or its derivatives) using an increased double dose. As a result, the red water in the pool will begin to oxidize and the excess iron will turn into tiny particles of rust. However, the resulting particles are too small to purify the pool water using a water purification filter, so it is necessary to use a special coagulant that dissolves in water in accordance with the instructions. After this, the iron particles will enlarge and precipitate in the form of flakes, which can be collected from the bottom of the pool with a special vacuum cleaner.

Why is the pool water still red?

To the question why does the pool water turn red? Another answer can be given - algae bloom. The cytoplasm of such microorganisms is filled with specific fatty inclusions, which, upon mechanical or chemical irritation, have the ability to bioluminesce. The presence of such photosynthetic organisms can give the pool water a red or green color. These algae are not toxic, but are still capable of releasing excess amounts of ammonia, which causes skin irritation. The growth and reproduction of such microorganisms is facilitated by favorable warm weather conditions, a large amount of sunlight, and an abundance of nutrients. The most effective remedy from green, red and yellow algae - an algaecide, which, moreover, creates an environment that prevents their further development.

How to use algaecide when the pool water turns red

In normal situations, a 10% solution is applied to the previously cleaned pool walls, seams, corners, sides and floor to completely destroy these microorganisms, and only after that the pool is filled with water, the pH of which is adjusted to 7.4. Shock chlorination must be carried out and a certain amount of algaecide is added as a starting treatment when filtration is turned on. This procedure is recommended to be carried out once a week.

In a situation of urgent need (the water is already red), in order to carry out emergency control of algae and other microflora, shock treatment should be carried out with an increased dosage, which is specified in the instructions.

So as not to appear red water in the pool, and the question did not arise - why the water in it turns red, it is necessary to carefully monitor its quality and use effective means for caring for the pool. The main components of water treatment can be considered:

water filtration and circulation;
treatment with special chemicals.

Filtration and circulation of water in the pool alone is absolutely not enough for water purification. To prevent the proliferation of microorganisms, algae, viruses, fungi and bacteria, disinfection is necessary using algaecides and coagulants, which help to effectively eliminate turbidity and color of water, as well as filter out the smallest particles, which are a good environment for the proliferation of microorganisms. That is, it is impossible to refuse the use of effective chemicals in swimming pools.