I thought I had pool care mastered. The chlorine was balanced, the pH steady, and the water sparkled yesterday. Then I woke up, walked outside, and froze. My pool had turned an alarming shade of green, and my face probably matched it. This is the story of how I cracked the case of my own betrayal.
Chapter One: The Clues
The scene was almost theatrical. The once-blue water had a murky green glow. My first reaction was panic, but I grabbed my imaginary detective hat instead. I needed clues.
- The water smelled a bit off.
- The surface had a subtle slick.
- My return jets seemed weaker than usual.
I tested the water:
- Chlorine levels were barely holding.
- pH was still within range.
- Alkalinity seemed fine.
Everything looked right on paper, but something was hiding beneath the surface.
Chapter Two: The Interrogation
I interrogated my suspects: the filter, the pump, and my own maintenance habits.
First suspect: the filter. It looked clean at a glance, but after opening it, I found a layer of trapped debris. My sand filter hadn’t been backwashed for over a week. Guilty.
Second suspect: the pump. The humming sounded normal, but the flow felt weak. A quick check of the pump basket revealed a mini forest of leaves blocking water flow. Another guilty party.
Third suspect: me. I realized I had skipped brushing the pool walls for several days. That meant algae had a comfortable home to bloom in.
Chapter Three: Solving the Case
I rolled up my sleeves and got to work:
- Backwashed the filter until the sight glass showed clear water.
- Cleaned the pump basket and skimmed every leaf I could find.
- Brushed all walls and steps, paying extra attention to shady corners.
- Shocked the pool and ran the pump for a full 24 hours.
Within a day, the water transformed from murky to a faint blue. By the second day, the pool looked inviting again.
Chapter Four: Case Closed
The green pool mystery was solved. It wasn’t bad luck or some chemical curse. It was me, missing the basics while thinking I had it all under control.
Lessons Learned
- Test water often, but also trust your eyes.
- Clean and backwash filters on schedule.
- Brush and skim consistently to stop algae from settling.
- Never underestimate the sneaky combo of leaves and warm water.
My pool forgave me, eventually. And the next time I saw my reflection in blue water, my face wasn’t green anymore. Case closed.
