Should pool water be blue?

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fordfampool

fordfampool

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Jun 9, 2011
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Wisconsin
Our pH was a little low today as well as our CYA - so I added a small amount of ph Increaser and CYA (from BioGuard) at about 2:30. Now (7:30) we noticed the pool is still nice and clear, but a blue tinge (we can see it where the water comes up on our steps). Pump has been running all day. We did shock it last night with a product called Bioguard Smart Shock (that you can swim 15 min. after putting it in the water?!) I don't think we'll be using that one again...


According to a quick dip test the pH is 7.2, FC 4, TA 120, and CYA 30.

Will do a more thorough test here after dinner.

Anyway, I noticed a lot of posts with people loving their "clear blue water"...so is pool water supposed to be blue?

Thanks, all! :)
Sarah
 
If a column of water is thick enough, it will be blue to the eye. Notice how pools with white plaster appear blue? Apparently, this is due to the bending of the bonds between hydrogen and oxygen.
 
I thought about that - but it was an obvious change from this afternoon to this evening from very clear to a blue - the amount of water I was looking at was the same. The sky wasn't blue either.

Strange!

Hopefully it will clear up by morning. I am starting to see how some of these "helpful" chemicals from the pool store have funny side effects...
 
Our numbers are:

pH 7.3
FC 8.5
CC .5
TAK -150
CH 300 (this could be high, we aren't 100% we did the test correct - the pink to blue was so subtle and appeared purple? for a bit)
CYA 35

We are still getting used to the test kit, but those should be more accurate than what I posted earlier.

Hoping for clear water in the AM! :sleep:
 
Our water is blue immediately (daylight hours, if it matters). For instance, we have fiberglass steps going into the pool. The water looks blue comparing the two inches above and below the water line. t doesn't seem right to us that it should be that blue.

- Mike

p.s. Sarah - post a pic ;)
 
I think it is looking less blue this morning but it's in the shade, hard to tell?! Tried to take a picture but in the shade it doesn't really turn out.

I am leaving the cover off today hoping to get the FC levels down a bit from 8.5.

Hopefully, the blue will clear up today as well, or we'll just get used to looking at it blue?! It was really weird though, all of a sudden looking like someone put blue dye in the pool!?!

Thanks for the responses! :) I will let you know if it does clear up, or if it is just our eyes that need adjusting. :-D
 
loop_pea said:
Are pools blue for the same reason that the sky is blue? The sky is blue because it scatters the blue light (short wavelengths) more than the red (long wavelengths), so more blue light reaches your eyes.
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We have a winner! :goodjob:

Both scattering and absorption are involved which is why the water heats up in the sun. Longer wavelengths (red) are absorbed and shorter wavelengths (blue) are mostly scattered.

Color of water
 
There are additives that will temporarily turn water a much deeper blue than natural. Is it possible the previous owners used some and it's still there? I only ask because if you are seeing a significant blue tint less than a couple of feet down it probably isn't normal unless the position of the sun is causing the liner to reflect on it.

Also, I don't think anybody mentioned this yet, but please read the Pool School info on shocking. You cannot properly shock the pool in 15 minutes. I actually found this site because I was trying to shock the wrong way and wasn't getting anywhere.
 

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fordfampool said:
CH 300 (this could be high, we aren't 100% we did the test correct - the pink to blue was so subtle and appeared purple? for a bit)
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I suspect possible copper due to the unusual blue of the pool water and the purple in the calcium test. You could have the water tested for copper and iron to see if that's what's causing the blue. Also, check all chemicals added to see if any contain copper.
 
Donldson said:
There are additives that will temporarily turn water a much deeper blue than natural. Is it possible the previous owners used some and it's still there? I only ask because if you are seeing a significant blue tint less than a couple of feet down it probably isn't normal unless the position of the sun is causing the liner to reflect on it.

Also, I don't think anybody mentioned this yet, but please read the Pool School info on shocking. You cannot properly shock the pool in 15 minutes. I actually found this site because I was trying to shock the wrong way and wasn't getting anywhere.
Click to expand...


I think they were referencing a non chlorine oxidizing shock such as mps commonly used in spas. My new pool came with a whole box of these packets....
 
Red Shirt Ensign said:
I think they were referencing a non chlorine oxidizing shock such as mps commonly used in spas. My new pool came with a whole box of these packets....
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I thought that too, but the only Bioguard Smart Shock I have seen is Dichlor.
 
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