My Pool Is Rusty & Cloudy

Cloudy Indicates Algae

• Cloudy water may indicate that algae is starting to flourish in the pool. Algae growth relates to the use of the sanitizing products that you put in your pool. If you are not adding enough, algae may start to grow. Even if you are adding enough sanitizer, other factors -- such as running the heater too hot -- result in the product being consumed before it has a chance to work well enough to destroy any algae in the pool.

Rusty Indicates Iron

• If your water is brown, it usually means that you have too much iron in your water. To treat this problem, shock the pool by adding additional chlorine into the water. This makes the metal drop to the bottom of the pool where it can be easily cleaned out. Rusty water can stain clothes or even the hair of someone swimming in the water, so treat it once you notice the problem.

Chlorine

• Chlorine is important both for preventing visible rust and for keeping the pool from becoming cloudy. To prevent a cloudy and rusty pool, stick to a rigorous schedule of chlorination. Know exactly how much chlorine your pool needs and how often it is supposed to be added. If you stick to that program rigidly, you greatly decrease the chances of anything going wrong with the pool water.

Mechanical Failures

• Whenever a pool has ongoing rust and cloud problems, check all the mechanical components at work in the pool. For instance, a clogged filter anywhere in the system could contribute to problems of this kind. In addition, any pumps, pipes or valves that are made of metal may rust over time and contribute to a rusting problem in the pool. Parts that are rusty should be replaced, if possible with a plastic counterpart.