Swimming Pools And Hot Tubs Share Common Problems

Of course all pool owners want the same thing – a sparkling, clean and inviting swimming pool. This can be achieved with proper maintenance and routine water testing. One obvious problem you might encounter is water that is not crystal clear that looks cloudy or murky. As long as it is not green, which is a sign of algae build up, this problem can be fixed relatively easily. This cloudiness could caused by irregular filtration or a blocked water filter. This can easily be solved by running the filter longer and replacing the filter itself. If that does not fix the problem it could be high levels of alkalinity or pH causing the problem. This can be used by applying various stabilizers to balance the pH. The ideal pH level of your swimming pool should be between 7.2 and 7.6 and the alkalinity should be between 50 and 80 ppm.

Metallic substances can also be causing your pool’s water to be discolored. This is probably the issue if you notice the walls or floor of a plaster pool becoming discolored with a green or blue green color or coppery color. These can come from copper-based algaecide products or copper pool equipment like a heater. It can also come from ladders or other structures in and around the pool. Whatever the source, you need to determine what it is and remove it as soon as possible. Then scrub the affected area of the pool. You will probably also see that the pH level is imbalanced in someway and to fix this you will need to aply a metal chelating agent to the pool which can be purchased at your local pool supply store. Test the pH 72 hours after application.

If there is manganese in the water, the would turn the water a blackish-brown. Some products that are used to eliminate algae from swimming pools contain high amounts of manganese which can cause this discoloration. To fix this you will have to apply a metal chelating product and be sure not to use that type of algaecide again. When shopping for such products, ask the sales people for advice and be sure to check the active ingredient labels for any metallic or manganese type of ingredients.

So even after these problems are solved, there is still the problem of staining of your plaster pool walls and floor or vinyl liner. For plaster pools many of these stains can be removed without draining the pool. You can buff these stains away with waterproof sandpaper, pumice stone or stainless steel brush. These tasks may require that you get a mask and swim below the surface to scrub. Do not use pumice stone or any very harsh abrasive on any tile that might be in your pool as it could badly mar the tile. Be careful when using pumice stone as it has the potential to create cracks in the plaster which could be come a great place for algae to grow. For pools with vinyl liners you can use a dish sponge with a rough side, a soft scrub brush or other mild abrasive tool. Waterproof sandpaper can also be used, but be sure it is done gently.

A build up of calcium carbonate can often cause a scale to appear on the walls, floor or on lights in a pool. These stains can usually be removed by using the waterproof sandpaper mentioned earlier. This accumulation of calcium carbonate is usually caused by a pH imbalance, so be sure to test your water often if you seem to have this problem frequently. These do-it-yourself methods are generally only successful if you do them soon after the scale has accumulated. After they have become set in you will probably need to have a professional pool cleaning company attack the problem which will require them to drain the pool and acid wash the walls and floor or use a power sander.

By: Bjorn Brieman

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