Summer is here, and many of us are taking the covers off our pools in the hopes of cooling down on these hot, sunny days. But with the long, warm days and wild, stormy weather that Australian summer brings, many pools will look far from swimmable, and their owners will be asking: “Why is my pool green?”
If you’re one of these pool owners, don’t worry – with our five-step guide to fixing a green pool, you’ll have it back to sparkling-clean and ready for swimming in no time.
So… what causes ‘green pool’?
‘Green pool’ is quite common in Australia, especially in warmer regions. Pools turn green and sometimes cloudy due to algae in the water, which is often caused by long periods of intense sun exposure, lots of rain and the spikes in temperature typical of hot Australian summers.
These factors cause bacteria to enter the pool, and combined with the changes in temperature, throw the water’s chemical balance off. In these changed conditions, algae can grow, creating the appearance of cloudy and/or green pool water.
Fixing a green pool
So, how to clean a green pool? Here are our five simple steps.
1. Test the pool water
The first step for fixing a green pool is to get a clear reading of the water’s chemical balance. Some experienced pool owners do their own testing with chemical test strips, which have a series of panels for each chemical being tested. The panels change colour when dipped into the water, and you can compare the colour of each panel to the colour it should be when the chemical is at the exact right level for swimming.
Otherwise, take a sample of your pool water from about arm-deep under the surface and give us a call. We’ll send a pool technician to your place with a mobile testing unit and get a chemical balance reading straight away, and fix things up onsite or give you a full run-down of what needs to be done to rebalance.
2. Check and clear your pool equipment
Before adding any chemicals to rebalance the water, you need to clear the pool of any leaves or debris and check that all your pool equipment is functioning properly. Test the pump and check the filter and skimmer box for blockages.
If you’re not sure if something is working properly, just give us a call and we’ll help you figure it out!
3. Correct the chemical balance
Once you know what needs correcting and have the chemicals to do it, add the recommended amounts and give the pool a couple of days to rebalance. It’s not recommended to swim in the pool while the chemicals are rebalancing – too much chlorine can cause eye irritation and itchy skin.
4. Clean the pool surfaces with a brush
To bring back that new pool sparkle, brush down the walls of your pool and vacuum it to remove any algae or other debris that has fallen to the floor.
5. Maintain a clean and healthy pool with regular cleaning
Keep your pool clear, clean and ready for swimming with regular maintenance and cleaning, and you won’t need to ask “Why is my pool green?” again!
Fixing a green pool isn’t rocket science – but we’re always here to help if you’d prefer to leave your pool in the hands of the experts at Ballina Pools!
If you don’t know exactly what your pool needs, just give us a call and one of our friendly and experienced pool technicians will help you figure it out! We reccommend weekly cleans for people who use their pools a lot, but we also offer a range of ad-hoc and regular cleaning and maintenance services.
