Some homeowners are under the impression that all they have to do is say a few magic words like "Abracadabra," snap their fingers, and their pool will be crystal clear and ready to use instantaneously. Unfortunately, this is not the case. A pool does require some work and a little diligence. Most pool owners encounter a green pool at some point in time. Whether it be just after opening the pool or during the heat of summer, there are many variables that contribute to turning a pool green or "swampy". Use the information below as a basic guideline to aid you in clearing up your pool.

If there is any large debris on the pool floor, remove it with a large leaf net, not a hand skimmer. Initially, this will stir up the water, and may make your pool look much worse temporarily. The stirred up debris will settle within a few hours. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO VACUUM THE POOL IF YOU CANNOT SEE THE BOTTOM OR IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF DEBRIS ON THE BOTTOM. YOU MAY CLOG YOUR SKIMMER, FILTER OR UNDERGROUND PIPES !

Adjust the PH and Alkalinity levels of the water using PH Plus, PH Minus, and Alkalinity Plus. These levels must be within the proper ranges (a PH level of 7.2-8.0 and alkalinty level of 80-120) or the water will never clear.

Shock the pool, multiple times daily, if possible. This means super chlorinating the water to kill off any bacteria and algae. If your pool is very dirty, it may need MANY gallons of liquid chlorine (shock) over several days before the water begins to clear. Start off by adding 3 or 4 gallons, and if you see no results overnight, add 3 or 4 more gallons the next day. Continue this process until you notice the water changing color to either a cloudy white, light green, or clear color. YOU CANNOT OVER SHOCK A POOL !!! The more you add, the quicker it will clear !!!

Run your filter 24 hours a day and backwash 3 or 4 times a day for quickest results. Green or cloudy water will quickly clog a filter. Therefore, you may have to backwash your filter multiple times a day until the pool clears. THIS IS NORMAL !!! You cannot over backwash a pool filter either. The more you run your pool, and the more you backwash the filter, the faster the pool will clear up. If you have a D.E. filter, remember to add new D.E. to the skimmer closest to your filter after each backwashing. A D.E. filter requires more attention than a sand filter, but the D.E. filter will clear a green pool approximately 50% faster than a sand filter.

If you follow these instructions and your pool does not clear up within 4 or 5 days, your filter may not be functioning properly. Also, you want to avoid spending a lot of money on chemicals that will be futily wasted because the pool will never clear up if the filter is not working properly. If this is the case with your pool, have the filter system checked out by a professional.

If you have a sand filter, it may mean having the sand changed. It should be changed approximately every three to four years. So, keep that in mind. If you have a D.E. filter, you may need an acid washing of the filter. This is where all the grids and fingers of the filter are cleaned with muriatic acid and removing all of the D.E. that is caked inside the filter system.

Once the water does clear up, you will most probably see some debris on the pool floor in the form of dead leaves, algae, etc. If there is only a small amount of debris present, you may want to vacuum it up using your own pool vacuum system. If there is a lot of debris on the pool floor, you should have the pool professionally powervacuumed. This will save a lot of wear and tear to your filter system, as well as assuring that no debris gets clogged in your pool pipes.