· By Dana Whitcomb · 1 min read
Why pools turn green after a storm
A summer storm can turn a clear pool green by the weekend. What happens to the water, and the three things to do before we get there.
A clear pool on Friday, a green one by Monday: it happens to well-kept pools every summer, and almost always after a storm.
What the storm does
Rain dilutes the chlorine and drops the pH. Wind fills the water with leaves, pollen and dust, which use up what chlorine is left. And a power cut stops the pump, so nothing is filtered. Warm water with no chlorine is all algae needs.
The three things to do
- Check the pump is running and the baskets are empty.
- Net out as many leaves as you can before they sink.
- Call us. A shock within a day or two is a single visit; a week later it is green-to-clean.
What not to do
Don’t add a whole bucket of whatever is in the shed, and never mix pool chemicals. Different products react with each other, and the wrong one at the wrong time can make the water worse.