Why Do Pools Turn Green?

[@drdrew3]

This video should be mandatory viewing for every homeowner who decides to maintain their own pool. Probably a little advanced for a newbie but at some point all newcomers have a green pool and should review this video again and again until they understand. I took over my pool after firing 3 different service companies. My pool would start to grow algae 4-6 days after they visited so I took water sample for testing. Discovered there was zero chemicals and high pH. They were doing just a chlorine “dump and run” without any CYA. So each week they brush away visible algae and hope chlorine lasts 7 days (it doesn’t). Even though they could see it not working they were too cheap or too ignorant to fix the underlying water imbalance. For 10 years now I’ve been maintaining it myself. It took me a decade to learn the stuff you are packing into these clear and concise videos - you are an invaluable resource. Thank you

[@barakatmo]

I feel your pain I had to fire my service guy because his excuse was water flow but it turns out that the pool had a lot of phosphate and when I confronted him about it he said he doesn’t work with that so had to let him go cause I got tired of all The excuses he would come up with

[@izumicurtis328]

I'm gonna hire you to read to me to sleep. Your voice is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo soothing >.

[@curt781]

Thanks for the clear and concise information.

[@raquelchavez9252]

Thank you I’m having a hard time with green water and consume chlorine. Thanks to your information I’ll know what to check.

[@waqassaleem4925]

Steve you are such a great mentor. Thank you

[@barakatmo]

Thanks man, my pool guy said it was a flow issue but the only time the pool turned green is right after it rained. Long story short it turned out to be phosphate as you mentioned I had over 500PPB and when I asked about the said he doesn’t treat for that so had to end the serivce

[@eddiec4536]

Your information is great, but it seems very complicated. I have a lot to learn. Thank you.

[@rhondacraig9955]

Hi Steve I have a 26x42 swimming pool and the rain has turned my pool water green what should I do

[@Swimmingpoolsteve]

Add more chlorine! Rain depletes chlorine levels and experienced pool owners know when rain is in the forecast you should add more chlorine to prevent green water after rains.

[@JuliusToltesi]

This is the first time the opening kit doesn’t clear the water. Last summer was the first time I used a stabilizer. Thanks for this.

[@glikar1]

Good info! Thank you.

[@Swimmingpoolsteve]

Happy this was helpful for you.

[@reneekininmont8988]

Hi there, just filled our pool yesterday. After swimming today we put clorine in and now the pool has turned green. Any ideas? The clorine is apparently fine on the test stick.

[@reneekininmont8988]

It says my ph is low and the alkaline is low but the clorine is fine.

[@drdrew3]

If you just filled pool 24 hours ago the green color can’t be from algae that quickly. More likely that’s just the color of your municipal water source with high metal content. Not noticeable in a drinking glass but pretty striking in a 10,000 gallon container. Best practice is to place a hose end filter before every fill (about $20 on Amazon). Then after a fill don’t just add chlorine - fix alkalinity (buffer) first, then adjust pH (acidity) and lastly start with high chlorine (5ppm). Lastly check phosphates because some city water is really high right from the tap. Once that’s done add enough CYA (stabilizer) for 30-50ppm so the chlorine doesn’t vanish overnight. It’s a bit of work to balance 10,000 gallons initially but once achieved it’s much easier to keep it that way

[@otufuemmanuel4937]

I had same issue I used granular chlorine

[@bryanbatts]

Awesome explanation!!

[@Swimmingpoolsteve]

Cheers, thank you.

[@florida033]

Whats a good way to filter green water in a emergency situation where u cant buy treatment an the power grid is down ?

[@gvndual84]

Really good video, thanks. My pool turned green over the last couple of days. FC is measuring 5, ph 7.4, alk 120, low stabilizer (less than 30), lots of rain. How can it turn green with low cya, plenty of FC? High phosphates? We shocked it last night (well, it’s saltwater, so we boosted it for 16 hours), so we’ll see. Any tips?

[@susanhenry6834]

Steve, totally off the pool subject but you have a great radio voice! Now pool question, I don't have green water just bright yellowish green stuff on the bottom. I can sweep daily and more. it moves easy enough. Could it be my filter doesn't have enough earth in filter t

[@susanhenry6834]

to filter it properly? Thanks in advance if you answer my question!

[@susanhenry6834]

Listening longer to your video..I did not reset filtering time to summer. I would still like to know about enough earth in filter because I don't remember changing timer last year. Thanks!!

[@bornfacemusonda5017]

Thanks very much and GOD 🙏 you because I learn how to clean the pool

[@oscarmartinezjr9925]

I have a 18×48 Coleman pool how much would you recommend for this pool?

[@jjohnson4479]

Hi steve last year i used a 5 multi function with no Cya (stabiliser) in it and the pool was fine this year i used a 6 multi functions with Cya (stabiliser) in it and as you said i the vid the pool is going green my question is can i just us Chlorine and ph +- ?? or do i need a CyA ??? many thanks

[@otufuemmanuel4937]

I used just granular chlorine to shock my pool and my pool got green in the next Day what can be the solution please

[@Harlock2day]

I always had chlorine tablets, then it rained , the day after the water was green. I added a new tablet (4 actions)

[@alexevans6229]

Drain and re-fill?? What?

[@drdrew3]

The only way to reduce sky high CYA is to dilute it. Period. That means PARTIAL drain and then replace with fresh water. After that use stabilized chlorine very sparingly to avoid repeating this. Most homeowners don’t realize that 3” pucks are over 50% CYA and will keep destroying your chlorine efficiency.

[@DonatoPanico-km2jq]

Something cool I wanted to say! Your water turns green, Then yellow, Then orange, Then red, Then purple, Then blue again! Now ur pool is not green anymore

[@patrickzorat373]

My sis got her friends at our pool and when I was going swimming I relized it was green

[@Swimmingpoolsteve]

Very likely your free chlorine level dropped to zero and this allowed the water to turn green.

[@ragz2richez348]

WTH is parts per million

[@Swimmingpoolsteve]

It is a standard unit of measurement.

[@drdrew3]

1 part chlorine in 1,000,000 parts water is 1ppm. Ideal level is 2-3ppm. Phosphates are measured in parts per BILLION.

[@user-if3zu8gg3c]

This happened to my public pool cause their filter broke, When I saw all the people in there, there was about 13 people, I just went away.

[@drdrew3]

A poorly maintained public pool will foul very quickly. Run!

[@NotAJokeLoL]

Wait... what?