Oh, so you scooped a few leaves off the top and thought that was enough? Congrats, you just made your pool a buffet for algae. Don’t worry, you’re not the only one who thinks a quick skim means “maintenance done.” But let’s stop pretending you did everything right, because if your pool looks like swamp water now, something clearly went off track.
Mistake #1: You Let Debris Marinate
Leaves are not just harmless little floaters. They decay. They rot. They invite bacteria like it’s a pool party. If you’re letting them sit at the bottom for days, you’re basically composting in your pool.
Fix: Skim daily. Not weekly. DAILY. And invest in a leaf net that actually reaches the bottom. If you’ve got trees around, consider a leaf cover. It’s not fancy. It’s necessary.
Mistake #2: You Shocked The Pool But Forgot The Basics
You dumped a bunch of shock in and assumed it would fix everything. Sure, shock helps. But not when you ignore water circulation, filtration, and brushing. Shock alone doesn’t fix lazy.
Fix: Run your pump for at least 8 hours. Brush the walls. Clean your filter. Then shock. You need all the steps, not just the dramatic one.
Mistake #3: Filter? What Filter?
If your filter hasn’t been cleaned in a month, it’s basically just decorative at this point. It’s not catching anything if it’s full of old gunk.
Fix: Backwash or clean your filter weekly. If you’re dealing with a green pool from leaves, clean it before AND after treatment. Filters need love too.
Mistake #4: You Trust The Test Strips Too Much
Those little strips are helpful but they’re not gospel. You might think your water is fine because the colors look okay. But test strips can be off, especially when your water is full of decaying leaves.
Fix: Use a liquid test kit for more accuracy, or take a water sample to your local pool shop. The strips can’t always tell the whole truth.
Mistake #5: Ignoring The Bottom Of The Pool
Skimming the top is only half the job. If your vacuum hasn’t touched the pool floor in a week or two, guess where all the nasty leaf sludge is sitting?
Fix: Vacuum. Thoroughly. Don’t rush it. Don’t skip corners. And for the love of chlorine, empty your skimmer basket while you’re at it.
Let’s Wrap This Up With A Brutal Truth List
Here’s your checklist. Tape it to your pool gate if you have to:
- Skim daily, even when you don’t feel like it
- Brush the walls at least twice a week
- Clean or backwash your filter weekly
- Run the pump for 8 hours minimum
- Vacuum the pool floor often
- Don’t trust test strips alone
- Remove leaves ASAP, not “later”
Your pool doesn’t go green overnight. It goes green because you thought you could coast. Stay on top of it, and maybe next time you won’t be Googling “why is my pool green from leaves” while holding a bottle of shock and your regrets.
