Oh look at you, standing there with your test strips, squinting at the murky water, shaking your head like the kids somehow destroyed your perfect pool overnight. Hate to break it to you but the problem isn’t their cannonballs. It’s you. It’s your sloppy pool habits, your “good enough” attitude, and your wild guessing at water chemistry.
So let’s talk about the real culprits here. Below are the biggest pool chemistry mistakes you keep making and how to fix them before you end up with a swamp instead of a backyard oasis.
Mistake #1: Shocking Whenever You Feel Like It
You don’t just pour a random bag of shock into the water and call it a day. But you do, don’t you? After a party, after a rainstorm, after the dog swims. You think more is better but when you “shock” your pool without checking chlorine levels or pH, you’re basically just throwing money into the water.
The Fix: Test the water first. Only shock when your free chlorine is too low or when combined chlorine (a.k.a. chloramines) start to build up. And use the right amount of shock. Don’t eyeball it.
Mistake #2: Ignoring pH Like It Doesn’t Matter
You’re so focused on chlorine that you forget pH is the diva of water chemistry. When pH is too high, chlorine becomes lazy and ineffective. When it’s too low, the water turns acidic and starts biting into your plaster, metal, and even swimsuits.
The Fix: Keep your pH between 7.2 and 7.6. Test it at least twice a week, and adjust with muriatic acid or soda ash depending on what the numbers say.
Mistake #3: Thinking “It Looks Fine” Means It Is Fine
Ah yes, the old “looks okay to me” method. Water can look sparkly while hiding all kinds of nasty surprises. Alkalinity off? Metals lurking? Cyanuric acid too high? You won’t see these problems until they bite you.
The Fix: Stop guessing. Use a proper test kit, not just test strips, and check alkalinity, stabilizer (CYA), and calcium hardness regularly.
Mistake #4: Pouring Chemicals In Like You’re Making Soup
If you’re dumping chlorine and acid into the pool at the same time, congratulations! you’ve created your own little chemical war zone. Some of you even mix them in a bucket first (please stop).
The Fix: Add chemicals one at a time, letting them circulate fully before adding anything else. Read the labels. Follow directions. You are not Gordon Ramsay.
Mistake #5: Forgetting About The Filter
Your water chemistry isn’t just about what you pour into the water, it’s about what your filter pulls out. A filthy filter will sabotage even perfect chemistry.
The Fix: Backwash or clean your filter regularly. Check the pressure gauge. If it’s high, your filter is clogged and needs attention.
Why Blaming The Kids Won’t Fix It
It’s easy to say the kids brought in sunscreen, dirt, and grass. Sure, they did. But that’s expected. A properly maintained pool can handle the daily abuse of swimmers. If your water goes bad every time the kids jump in, that’s a you problem.
Your job is to keep the water chemistry balanced so it can fight off the grime and oils they bring. If you’re not doing that, you’re handing algae an open invitation.
Checklist To Keep Your Pool From Turning Into A Disaster
Here’s a blunt, no-nonsense checklist you can actually follow. Tape it to your filter if you must.
- Test water twice a week (pH, chlorine, alkalinity)
- Shock only when needed and at proper dosage
- Keep pH between 7.2–7.6
- Monitor CYA, calcium, and metals monthly
- Add chemicals one at a time
- Clean skimmer and pump baskets weekly
- Backwash or clean filter when pressure rises
- Encourage swimmers to rinse off first
If you can stick to this, your pool will forgive you and your kids can cannonball all they want without being falsely accused.
Case Closed
So next time your water turns cloudy or your chlorine seems to vanish overnight, put the pitchfork down and look in the mirror. It’s not the kids. It’s not the dog. It’s not even bad luck. It’s you and your sloppy pool habits.
But here’s the good news. Now you know better. You can fix this. You can be the pool hero your backyard deserves. So stop blaming the kids and start taking care of your water like you mean it.
Case closed.
