The pool party is in two days and suddenly, it is looking so cloudy that I can’t differentiate between my pool and any random roadside channel. I literally had no other choice but to clear cloudy pool water fast under 36 hours. Thankfully, I knew two of the best ways to do that.
A cloudy pool can be cleared up by using a clarifier. As an alternative, you can try flocculant as well. In both of the methods, you need to test the water, clear up the debris, use the solution, and voila! Your pool will be in its clean state once again.
Sounds too easy? Well, not exactly. These are step-by-step processes and missing one of them can ruin the whole thing.
Keep reading to find out!
What Causes Cloudy Pool Water?
If your pool is looking cloudy like a random channel, below are some of the reasons that might be making that happen:
Poor Filtration
To keep the water clean, the filter needs to run long enough and work efficiently. If none of these are happening, the water in your swimming pool can get cloudy in no time.
Plus, if the pool filter is dirty or clogged, it fails to remove debris and small particles from the water.
Chemical Imbalance
Anything like an imbalance in alkalinity, pH, or calcium hardness can lead to cloudy pool water. Even a mess up in chlorine levels can do the same.
After all, if the chlorine level goes down too much, algae and bacteria can grow like never before. On the contrary, if it goes too high, it can trigger poor water chemistry.
Algae Growth
Letting algae grow in your pool can make the water cloudy or hazy. And if you leave it that way, the growth will speed up and start to make the water look green. Even a rise in phosphate levels can trigger algae growth.
Environmental Factors
With pollen, leaves, dust, organic matter, and even rainwater, contaminants can slip into your pool and make the water cloudy.
Also, due to excessive usage where too much sweat, lotions, and other substances are introduced to the pool, the water can get cloudy.
Poor Circulation
The right circulation has a lot to do with your pool’s health. But if your pool’s circulation is not on point, it won’t let the chemicals distribute evenly and make your freshwater look all cloudy.
Related Post: 10 Easy Ways to Get Rid of White Water Mold in Pool
What to Check Before Clearing Cloudy Pool Water Fast?
Like a doctor, at first, you need to find out what’s causing the trouble. Here are a few things you need to check out before you can work on the solution:
Testing Water Chemistry
A high or low pH level has to do a lot with the cloudiness. So, make sure to test the water and check if it is where it should be or not. Usually, keeping it between 7.2 and 7.6 is the best practice.
Also, look into the alkalinity, as the ideal range is 80–120 ppm. Anything more or less can mess with the pH level.
If the calcium hardness is somewhere between 200-400 ppm, then it’s okay. On the other hand, if it’s higher, it’s probably causing the cloudy water.
And if the test shows that chlorine levels are at 1-3 ppm, there is no problem on that part. However, don’t forget to look into both free chlorine and combined chlorine levels.
Checking the Filtration System
Always check the filter condition and see if it’s dirty, clogged, or damaged. Look into the filtration time as well, as less than 8–12 hours per day can make an active pool cloudy.
And yes, check if you’re meeting the maintenance requirements or not, as these requirements can vary based on the type of filter. After all, sand, cartridge, or DE all have different maintenance requirements.
Checking for Algae
You can’t clear up a cloudy pool without taking care of algae, (if that’s the reason). So, make sure to look out for any of the visible signs of algae growth. Also, test for phosphates, as high phosphate levels make algae growth easier and faster.
Inspecting Pool Circulation
Check to see if the pump is running correctly and efficiently or not. Also, go through the jet positioning. Otherwise, ensuring proper water circulation is going to be tough. Plus, observe the water flow to make sure there are no dead spots with poor circulation.
Checking External Factors
Look for leaves, pollen, dirt, and other debris, as they can be the cause of cloudy water. Make sure you’re taking previous weather conditions into account.
After all, any of the recent heavy rains can easily dilute the chemicals and let contaminants in.
Reviewing Chemical Usage
The first thing here is looking into your shock treatment. Check if it’s being overused or if a wrongly mixed pool shock is being used. Do the same for clarifiers and their types.
Bather Load Checking
One of the common causes of cloudy pools is heavy bather loads. Hence, check if there’s been an unusual number of swimmers recently or not. Because something like that can introduce sweat, oils, and other contaminants to make the pool water cloudy.
Related Post: How to Use Pool Test Strips Accurately Like an Expert?
How to Use Pool Clarifier to Clear Cloudy Water In 36 Hours?
This might sound tough, but yes, it’s possible to clear up cloudy water in 36 hours if you use a pool clarifier. Here’s how you do it:
Balancing the Water
Get a pool test kit and check the level of your pool’s pH, calcium hardness levels, and alkalinity. If there are any imbalances in pool chemistry, adjust it. Otherwise, the water clarifier might not work effectively.
Cleaning Your Pool
To get rid of the dirt and debris, skim the surface of your pool. Also, brush the floor and walls to loosen stubborn dirt. After that, vacuum the pool properly. Do it in a way where no larger particles stay back, which makes it hard for the clarifier to address.
Shocking the Pool
To kill the bacteria and algae that cause cloudiness, use pool shock and do it as per the package instructions. Also, do the shocking a few hours before the time you’re planning to use the clarifier.
Adding Pool Clarifier
Check the instructions on the clarifier and follow them properly. Usually, the dosage depends on the water volume of your pool. Typically, adding it directly to your pool water should be enough to start the process.
Running the Filter Continuously
Keep your pool filter system running for the next 36 hours without a break. This should be enough to let the clarifier bind the tiny particles together and make them large enough to get trapped in the filter.
Pro tip: Keep an eye on the filter pressure gauge. If it goes too high, try backwashing or cleaning the filter and restart it again.
Clean Your Filter
Once you’re done with the filtering for 36 hours, clean up the filter to get rid of all the debris trapped inside. And if you’ve got a sand or DE filter, simply backwash it.
Repeat if Necessary
Though rare, if the pool isn’t clear even after 36 hours, repeat the process. But make sure you’re testing and balancing the water before doing so.
How To Use Pool Flocculant to Clear Cloudy Water In 36 Hours?
Another way to clear cloudy pool water fast under 36 hours is by using flocculant. If you haven’t tried this one, here is how you should do it:
Balance Pool Water
Before you go any further, test your pool water to see if it’s chemically balanced or not. Usually, the standard pH level should be between 7.2–7.6 and 7.6, and the alkalinity should be between 80 and 120 ppm. So, if these numbers are not on point, balance them first.
Do the same for calcium hardness and bring it within 200–400 ppm. And for chlorine levels, it should be between 1-3 ppm.
Clean Your Pool
Once you get rid of all the bugs, leaves, and other debris, give the pool a proper vacuum. In case you see any stubborn dirt and algae, dislodge them with a pool brush, whether they’re on the walls or floor of your pool.
Clean the Filter
Before you add flocculant to your pool, make sure you’re giving the filter a proper cleaning. If it’s a sand or DE filter, give it a backwash to clean out trapped debris.
Whereas, if it’s a cartridge filter, cleaning the cartridge with a hose should be enough. But if the cartridge is unusable, you should replace it.
Add Pool Flocculant
Moving on, pick the one that suits your pool type. Now, calculate your pool volume in gallons. And then check the product instructions, as that will help you determine the exact amount of flocculant you need for your pool.
Once you figure that out, take a flocculant in a bucket and dilute it in the pool water.
Make sure you’re pouring the diluted flocculant evenly around the pool’s perimeter. When you’re done there, run the pool pump for 2 hours so that the flocculant can be evenly distributed all over the pool.
Turn the Pump Off
When you’re sure that the flocculant has been circulated properly, turn off the pump. Let the water sit as it is for the next 8–12 hours (overnight is best). During this time, the flocculant will bind to the particles and settle them to the bottom of the pool.
Vacuum to Waste
Set your filter to “Waste” or “Drain” mode and start vacuuming settled debris at the bottom of your pool. If vacuuming to waste is drawing too much water from the pool, you can add water to the pool and get back to the right level once again.
Re-clean the Filter
Clearly, after vacuuming, there is going to be a ton of debris stuck in the filter. So, when you’re done with taking out all the debris, backwash or clean your filter thoroughly again to work efficiently later.
Recheck the Water Chemistry
Along with checking if the water is crystal clear or not, also test the pool water to be sure about the water chemistry. If it’s somehow out of balance, fix it.
Preventing Cloudy Pool Water
There are two options; either you can fix a cloudy pool or never let it get cloudy in the first place. If you’re thinking about the second, here are a few things you can do for that:
Balancing the Chemical
Test your pool water at least 2-3 times per week. You never know when chemicals (chlorine, pH, alkalinity, and calcium hardness) will go out of balance.
If you see that imbalance through the test, fix it as soon as possible, unless you don’t want to see the cloudiness again.
Filtering Regularly
If there is anything you want to call the ‘most effective weapon’ against cloudiness, I’d say count your filter in. Run it for 8–12 hours a day and this will keep the issue away.
Weekly Shocking
Shocking can simply raise the level of chlorine in your pool. This will kill bacteria and algae and stop the water from getting clouded. So, try shocking your pool at least once a week, especially during peak season.
Regular Cleaning
When you’re keeping the pool free of leaves, insects, and other debris, the pool getting cloudy can be really tough. Hence, brush the walls and floor weekly to prevent algae buildup and vacuum to remove settled dirt and debris.
Preventing Algae Growth
To keep the algae away from your pool, using an algaecide regularly can be amazingly effective. It’s more helpful than ever during hot weather. Also, keep an eye on the Phosphate levels, as a rise here can fuel algae growth.
Managing Bather Load
Excessive usage of the pool can cause cloudy water in no time. So, limit that and save your pool from the extra drop of lotions, oils, and other contaminants.
Maintaining Pool Equipment
Faulty equipment can’t deal with the algae or contaminants and will get your pool back to its cloudy state. So, if there are any leaks or malfunctions, fix them. And if any of the equipment goes beyond fixing, replace it.
Wrapping Up
Clearing cloudy pool water doesn’t have to be a long, drawn-out process. Instead, by following these above-mentioned steps and ensuring your pool’s chemistry is balanced, you can enjoy crystal-clear water in under 36 hours.
So grab your swimsuit, invite some friends over, and get ready to see the sparkling pool clean as new again. Happy swimming!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How long does it take for a cloudy pool to clear?
Depending on the process, it usually takes 24-48 hours for a cloudy pool to become clear again. But if the algae levels or chemical imbalances are too high, it can take up to 3–5 days to become completely clean.
Should you swim in cloudy pool water?
No, you shouldn’t. Cloudy water is a sign that the water quality has deteriorated, probably due to inadequate filtration. Also, it can be a sign of the presence of harmful bacteria or contaminants. So, it’s better to avoid swimming there.
Will rainwater make my pool cloudy?
Yes, the chance is quite high. Sometimes rainwater introduces contaminants and debris and ends up diluting pool chemicals. All these can ultimately lead to cloudiness.
