Millions of Americans this spring will be revisiting their pool after a long winter and discovering that their crystal clear pools are anything but.  From cloudy white to green tinged to other surprising colors from all parts of the rainbow, having anything but crystal clear pools typically indicates that there is an issue with the pool water chemistry.

What You’ll Need For Phoenix Pool Maintenance

Before you can get started on having your pool become crystal clear, you’ll need:

• Pool test strips
• Shock treatment
• Bromine (or bleach)
• pH increaser and decreaser
• Scale reducer

Getting Started

Start off by running the pool’s pump for a full 24 hours.  Investigate the water and see if it now looks clear (the filter will be able to trap any debris or dirt that may have caused the water to look scummy).  Be sure to check the filter screen for any clogs, rips, or damage and replace it if necessary. Once you’ve done that, backwash it with a hose.

Shock The Waters

Shocking the pool water is a common pool and spa maintenance routine that will drastically increase the amount of chlorine in the pool, which will kill off any algae or bacteria growth in the pool.  Pour in only as much necessary for the size of the pool and test the water of the pool with a pool testing strip.  This will indicate which chemicals your pool may be low in.

Balancing the Waters

Once you know what your water may have too much or too little of, you can then add the chemicals necessary to balance it.  These chemicals may include:

• Bromine or Bleach (sanitizes the pool)
• pH Increaser or Decreaser (optimal pH levels should be between 7.2 and 7.8)
• Scale Reducer (this may be necessary in areas that have hard water, as hard water will cause calcium deposits)

If after treating any pools you aren’t left with crystal clear pools, take a sample of your water to a pool maintenance company or give them a call and they’ll be able to personally assess the cause and solution to your cloudy pool waters.

Shasta Pools is a Phoenix pool builder who provides a variety of services including swimming pool remodeling, commercial pool building, and pool service and repair. Since its establishment in 1967, Shasta has helped over 80,000 families realize their dream of pool ownership. By providing exceptional value, quality craftsmanship and superior customer service, the Shasta team continues to fulfill the corporate mission of astonishing and delighting their customers and exceeding expectations. You can learn more about Shasta Pools & Spas by visiting them online, or by connecting with them on Facebook or Twitter.