Your Above Ground Pool authorized dealer is the best resource for keeping your pool in prime working order. Often, many water and surface problems can be handled by the individual pool owner. The chart below provides solutions to some common pool issues.
Pool Care Troubleshooting Guide
Problem | Description | Possible Cause | Solution |
---|---|---|---|
Algae and Other Growths | |||
Green Algae | Murky, green water
Possibly some growth |
Low sanitizer
Poor maintenance Improper water balance Poor circulation |
Shock treatment
Algaecide Clean the filter Check the system |
Black Algae | Rough, black spots on the bottom of the pool that brushes off with effort | Low sanitizer
Poor maintenance Improper water balance Poor circulation |
Algaecide
Brushing Clean the filter Check the system |
Mustard Algae | Yellowish-gold growth that easily brushes away
Yellowish-green water |
Low sanitizer
Poor maintenance Improper water balance Poor circulation |
Brushing
Algaecide |
Pink Slime | Pink, slimy bacterial growth that brushes off easily | Low sanitizer
Poor maintenance Improper water balance Poor circulation |
Brushing
Algaecide Clean the filter Check the system |
Water Mold | White mucous or tissue paper-like substance | Low sanitizer
Poor maintenance Improper water balance Poor circulation |
Shock treatment and algaecide
Clean the filter Check the system |
Animals and Insects | Water bugs, ducks, dogs, frogs, etc. taking a dip in the pool | Environmental | Shock treatment to kill the organic elements
Algaecide |
Chlorine Demand | Unable to maintain the free chlorine level or cannot break the high combined chlorine | Foreign environmental contaminants
Poor maintenance |
Shock treatment |
Cloudy Water | Hazy or extremely cloudy water
Difficulty seeing the pool bottom |
Poor filtration and circulation
Chloramines or low sanitizer Poor water balance Particulate matter |
Check the pump and filter
Clean and run the pump continuously Shock treatment Balance the water |
Discolored Water | |||
Gray, clear green or turquoise water | Copper | Equipment corrosion
Outside contamination Fill water Use of copper algaecide |
Stain and scale preventor |
Coffee brown or purple water | Manganese | Equipment corrosion
Outside contamination Fill water |
Stain and scale preventor |
Reddish-brown or rust | Iron | Outside contamination
Fill water |
Stain and scale preventor |
Filtration problems | Clogging filter or short filter runs | Dirty filter
Media not cleaned Improper amount of filter media Water balance |
Replace filter media
Clean with filter cleaner |
Odor and eye irritation | Pool has a sharp, irritating odor | Chloramines
Swimmer waste, oils and organic waste |
Shock treatment |
Surface Problems | |||
Scale build up | Sandpaper-like buildup on the surface
Grayish or tan coloration that is difficult to brush away |
Improper water balance – high TA pH and/or CH | Stain and scale preventer
Balance water Acid wash |
Etching | Pitting of plaster surfaces | Improper water balance – low TA, pH and/or CH | Balance water
Replace the plaster surface |
Liner wrinkling | Wrinkles in a vinyl liner | Improper water balance – low TA, pH and/or CH | Balance water
Replace the liner if necessary |
Bleaching | Pale to white, spotty discoloration on the surface | Improper chemical addition | Replace the liner if necessary
Predissolve dry substances before addition |
Staining | Black, green, turquoise or brown spots on the bottom that do not brush up | Metal stains
Fungus under the liner Tannic acid Stains (leaves and debris) |
Stain and scale preventer
Pull up the liner and clean from the underside Shock the pool |
Testing Problems | |||
Reagent Bleaching | Color of test fades to clear | High chlorine or bromine levels | Add up to 5 drops of a chlorine neutralizer |
Reagent Discoloration | Reagent color is different than it should be – for example, the pH test turns purple or the DPD turns brown. | High chlorine or bromine levels
Old reagents |
Let the chlorine levels come down, then retest
Replace reagents |
Other Problems | |||
Foaming | Bubbles on the pool surface | Excessive algaecide
Foreign substance |
Defoamer
Determine the source and partially drain if necessary Add algaecide |
Green Hair | Blonde hair turns green after swimming | Copper | Stain and scale preventer
Lemon juice or vinegar in the hair to remove the color |
Rain | Rain washes debris into the pool and raises the water level, increasing the sanitizer demand | Environmental | Rebalance the water after circulating for 24 hours
Shock the pool |
Water Loss | Noticeable difference in water level | Less than 1/2” daily – evaporation
1/2” to 1” daily – active bather load Over 1” daily – possible leak |
Solar cover for the first two levels of water loss
Professional assistance for anything over 1” daily |