Swimming pool or outdoor spa water problem solutions
The expert technicians at Piscines René Pitre are knowledgeable in water analysis and will gladly share their tricks with you! And all of their advice can be found in this swimming pool water treatment guide. In-store, we will always be glad to perform an in-depth analysis of your pool or spa water for free.
Click on the type of problem observed to see the causes and solutions.
Swimming pool
- +Green water
| Cause |
Reasons |
Solutions |
| Algae growth |
- Poor filtration
- Solar cover left in place too long
- Lack of algaecide
- Chlorine level too low
- Bad alkalinity
- Unbalanced pH
- Improper use of chemicals
|
- Check your filter
- Solar cover should be left on for a maximum of 48 hours, depending on the temperature
- Add algaecide
- Add chlorine
- Stabilize the alkalinity
- Stabilize the pH
- Be sure to properly perform your water analyses
|
- +Cloudy water
| Causes |
Reasons |
Solutions |
- Suspended algae
- Algae growth
- Suspended bacterial particles
|
- Poor filtration
- Solar cover left in place too long
- Lack of algaecide
- Chlorine level too low
- Bad alkalinity
- Unbalanced pH
- Improper use of chemicals
|
- Check your filter
- Solar cover should be left on for a maximum of 48 hours, depending on the temperature
- Add algaecide
- Add chlorine
- Stabilize the alkalinity
- Stabilize the pH
- Be sure to properly perform your water analyses
|
- +Appearance of rust stains
| Causes |
Reasons |
Solutions |
- Artesian well water
- Presence of metal suspended in water
- Swimming pool grounding
|
- A metal object has fallen into the water?
- Muriatic acid has come into contact with stainless steel surfaces?
- Alkalinity or hardness too low
- Alkalinity too low or too high
- pH too low or too high
- Improper use of chemicals
|
- Use caution to avoid having these stains become permanent
- Prevent this product from coming into contact with stainless steel surfaces
- Stabilize the alkalinity or hardness
|
- +Stains on the liner
| Causes |
Reasons |
Solutions |
- Calcification
- Dead leaves
- Metals in the water
|
- Water too hard
- Dirt left too long on the liner
|
- Check the water’s hardness
- Perform a treatment to remove the calcification
- Metals in the water?
|
- +Eye and skin irritation
| Causes |
Solution |
- Destabilized pH
- Chlorine smell (chloramines)
- Alkalinity too low
|
Adjust the pH between 7.2 and 7.8, and the total alkalinity.
|
- +Chlorine smell
| Cause |
Solution |
|
Lack of free chlorine available in the water (not to be confused with a lack of chlorine).
|
Adjust the pH and do a shock treatment, repeat if necessary.
|
- +Dirt rings
| Cause |
Solution |
|
Accumulation of sebum (a substance secreted by the skin) and dirt.
|
Use a vinyl cleaner
|
Outdoor spa
- +Cloudy water
| Causes |
Solutions |
- Presence of organic contaminants
- High level of suspended particles
- High pH
- High total alkalinity
- Hardness too high
- Bad filtration
- High content of dissolved solids
- Low total alkalinity
- Soiled spa filters
|
- Shock treatment
- Add clarifier
- Lower the pH between 7.2 and 7.6 (use pH reducer)
- Lower the water level if it comes from a well and add scale remover
OR add scale remover, circulate with the softener until hardness lies between 150 and 280 ppm
- Clean the filter with cartridge cleaner
- Drain the spa and refill it
- Increase the alkalinity
|
- +Coloured water
| Causes |
Solutions |
- Soluble metals (copper, iron or other) from the water source or certain pieces of equipment
- Presence of algae
|
- Use the scale remover and analyze the water in-store
- Use anti-foaming concentrated algaecide
- Do a lithium shock treatment
|
- +Eye and skin irritation
| Causes |
Solutions |
- pH too low
- High level of organic contaminants (combined chlorine)
- Total alkalinity too low
|
- Reset the pH between 7.2 and 7.6 (with pH +)
- Do a lithium shock treatment
- Reset the alkalinity between 80 and 120 ppm
|
- +Chlorine smell
| Cause |
Solution |
|
High level of organic contaminants (combined chlorine)
|
Do a lithium shock treatment
|
- +Calcification
| Causes |
Solutions |
- Alkalinity too high
- pH too high
- Calcification level too high
|
- Add muriatic acid to adjust alkalinity between 80 and 120 ppm
- Then adjust pH as need be
|
- +Presence of foam
| Causes |
Solutions |
- High concentration of oils and organic contaminants propelled by the jets
- Soft water
- Dirty cartridge filter
|
- Add an anti-foaming agent
- Add calcium until the hardness reaches 150 to 280 ppm
- Clean the filters cartridges with the provided cleaner
|
- +Absence of chlorine and bromine
| Causes |
Solutions |
- Too many organic contaminants. They absorb disinfectants
- Ineffectiveness of the reaction analysis agents
- Unbalanced alkalinity or pH
|
- Add disinfectant up to the desired level
- Adjust the alkalinity between 80 and 150 ppm and then the pH between 7.2 and 7.6
|
To obtain a comprehensive and accurate analysis, come see us in-store. We will analyse your swimming pool and spa water FREE OF CHARGE, so that you may enjoy your installation with piece of mind. Our expert water treatment technicians will explain your water quality to you and will give you their professional advice so that everything may quickly get back to normal.
