Cloudy Pool Water: Why It Happens and How to Fix It
Before touching chemicals, check your filter — pressure 8-10 psi above your clean baseline means it needs cleaning/backwashing, and make sure your pump runs 8-12 hours daily.
Next, check chlorine. Low chlorine (below 2-4 ppm) lets algae/bacteria multiply, often clouding water before you see visible green. Shock and hold chlorine in range for a few days.
Check pH and alkalinity (7.2-7.8 and 80-120 ppm) — high pH especially causes mineral precipitation that looks milky.
If calcium hardness is above ~400 ppm, cloudiness can persist regardless of other balancing — partial drain/refill is usually the fix. If everything else checks out, suspect total dissolved solids or phosphate buildup.
Diagnostic order: filter → chlorine → pH/alkalinity → if still cloudy after 48 hours, suspect hardness/TDS.
Pool Balance's free calculator gives exact dosing for chlorine, pH, and alkalinity so you're not stacking guesses while waiting for clear water.