It is difficult to find any magic solution to turn a black or green swimming pool clear overnight. It often takes lots of time, money and effort to clear up a normal “swampy” green swimming pool. It is surely good if you do not allow your water become this filthy. But many pool owners experience a “green pool issue problem” every so often.
Though the work is not easy, there is an effective way of clearing up a black, green, or extremely filthy swimming pool as fast as possible.
Getting rid of large debris
Examine your swimming pool floor for large debris and use a leaf net to remove it. You may be considering using your skimmer; however, do not do it! You will end up stirring up the filthy water making it appear worse than it already was. Get rid of the large debris with care without stirring up the water. If you cannot see the bottom of your swimming pool, DO NOT vacuum it. You risk clogging or damaging your skimmer, filter, and underground plumbing pipes.
Adjusting chemical levels
If the swimming pool is green; obviously there is hardly any chlorine. If the pH is extremely high, the shock is going to turn the pool cloudy. If the pH reads high, you can use a gallon of muriatic acid that must be enough. Do not worry about adding a lot of acid. Test the pH once more after the shocking and four hours of circulation.
Shocking the water
This simply means over-chlorinating your swimming pool water. Basically, you are drastically increasing the level of chlorine by adding in 3 to 5 times the standard amount. This will help eliminate the algae and bacteria, which is resulting in your swimming pool to become green.
The ideal time of the day to shock your swimming pool is after sunset. Chemical levels are negatively affected when you shock your pool in the sun and may cause more issues, which may cost you additional money.
You should not swim immediately after shocking the water. Wait until the swimming pool is totally clear. It is advisable not to touch the water either.
Add algaecide
You can add algaecide to the water to remove the rest of the green pollutants.
Brushing and filtration
After a day of chemicals and circulation, you will notice an incredible change. Your swimming pool must not be “green” anymore. However, it will still be cloudy, and for the next couple of days will require lots of brushing and filtration. There will most likely still be some stubborn isolated green sections that require some brushing. After a day of continuous circulation, you need to backwash the filter.
Important note for cartridge filters
They must be cleaned regularly than other filters during this procedure: two times each day for at least 2 days, or until the swimming pool is clear.
Aftercare
As soon as the water is clear, you will see the remaining debris lying on the pool’s floor (dead leaves, dead algae, etc). If you see a little amount of debris left you may use your pool vacuum and allow it to take care of itself, or you can scoop it out using your skimmer. If you notice more debris than you can vacuum or scoop up, contact a professional to have it expertly vacuumed. This will end up saving your swimming pool filter from wear, tear and pipes that are clogged.
