Spring is one of the most common times for Sydney pools to turn green.
The reason is usually simple. The weather changes faster than the way the pool is being maintained.
During winter, most pools get less use. Filter and pump running times are often reduced, chemical demand drops and the pool settles into its winter routine.
Then Sydney gets a few warm spring days.
Water temperature rises. Algae can start growing faster. The pool may still be running on shorter winter filtration hours and the chlorine level that worked through July may no longer be enough.
That’s when a pool that looked fine a week ago can suddenly start looking cloudy or green.
Why does pool water turn green?
Green pool water is most commonly associated with algae growth. Several things can contribute to it:
- Low chlorine or sanitiser levels
- Poor water balance
- Reduced filtration and circulation
- A dirty or struggling filter
- Leaves and organic material in the water
- Low water levels affecting the skimmer
- Warmer water increasing chlorine demand
- Areas of poor circulation where algae can establish
- Often, it’s a combination rather than one single problem.
How can you avoid a green pool this spring?
Start with your filtration.
If your pool has been running on reduced winter hours, check the timer as the weather warms. Your pool may need longer filtration as water temperature and usage increase. The right running time depends on your pool size, equipment and conditions.
Check your water level too. As a general guide, the water should sit around halfway up the opening of the skimmer box so the filtration system can operate properly.
Then look at the pool itself.
Brush the walls and floor regularly. Pay particular attention to areas that have spent winter in shade or have poor circulation. Algae can begin establishing itself in these less active areas before you notice a change in the overall appearance of the water.
Most importantly, test your water.
A proper pool water chemical check can identify changes in chlorine, pH, alkalinity and other important levels before the water turns green.
Don’t wait until the pool looks wrong to test it.
Experience makes a difference
At The Pool Service Co., our Pool Techs clean and maintain hundreds of pools every week across Sydney’s Northern Beaches, North Shore and Eastern Suburbs.
That means they see what happens to Sydney pools as the seasons change.
They understand how different pools respond to warmer weather, heavy rain, changing sunlight, filtration problems and changes in water chemistry. That experience can help identify the cause of a problem rather than treating the colour of the water alone.
And if your pool has already turned green, it can usually be recovered.
Our Green Pool Recovery service is designed to diagnose the problem, treat the water, get the filtration working properly and bring the pool back to a clean, healthy condition.
Spring is the time to get ahead of it.
Check your filtration hours. Check your water level. Brush the pool. Test the water.
And if your pool is already green, give The Pool Service Co. a call. The sooner the cause is identified and treated, the easier the recovery usually is.
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