Oh, look at you proudly holding your little test strip, smiling at your “perfect” water. You shocked it last month. You even bragged to your neighbor about your maintenance routine. Cute.
But guess what? Your pool is green, and it’s laughing at you. Why? Because your chlorine is embarrassingly low. Let’s talk about the mistakes you’re making while thinking you’re some kind of pool wizard.
Mistake One: Testing Once A Week… Maybe
You dipped a test strip on Sunday, decided everything was fine, and walked away for seven days. Meanwhile, your chlorine evaporated in the sun and left the door wide open for algae.
Fix: Test chlorine levels at least 2–3 times a week, especially during hot weather. Chlorine burns off fast.
Mistake Two: Ignoring Chlorine Demand
You invited 20 kids over for a pool party, dumped in some shock afterward, and thought you nailed it. Nope. Heavy use and organic debris (hello, sunscreen and sweat) eat up chlorine like candy.
Fix: After heavy use, double-check and boost chlorine accordingly. Your pool isn’t magic, it needs help.
Mistake Three: Forgetting About CYA (Stabilizer)
You don’t even know what CYA is, do you? Cyanuric Acid protects chlorine from burning off too fast in the sun. If it’s too low, chlorine disappears. If it’s too high, chlorine becomes less effective.
Fix: Keep CYA between 30–50 ppm. Check it at least monthly.
Mistake Four: Over-relying On Tabs
You toss a few chlorine tabs in the skimmer, pat yourself on the back, and call it a day. Tabs alone often can’t keep up with demand and may raise CYA to problematic levels if overused.
Fix: Use liquid or granular chlorine as needed to supplement tabs, especially during peak season.
Mistake Five: Ignoring Your Filter
You keep adding chlorine but ignore that your filter is clogged and barely circulating water. Stagnant water breeds algae fast.
Fix: Backwash and clean your filter on schedule. No excuses.
Your “Stop The Green” Checklist
Ready to stop pretending everything is fine? Here’s what you actually need to do:
- Test chlorine 2–3 times per week
- Adjust chlorine after heavy use or storms
- Keep CYA between 30–50 ppm
- Don’t rely solely on chlorine tabs
- Clean and maintain your filter regularly
Your pool isn’t turning green to spite you. It’s turning green because you stopped paying attention. Fix it. Then go ahead and brag but this time, you’ll actually deserve it.
