Why is your pool water discolored?

Unlike a messy house, you can't exactly hide a dirty swimming pool, especially when it comes to the color of the water. A discolored backyard fixture isn't only seriously unattractive, but it's rather nauseating as well. If you're wondering why you can't see the bottom of your pool, or a number of related questions, it's time to get to the bottom of it, and figure out what's making it dirty. Brace yourself, it's not always a pretty truth.

Green like a swamp
O.K., so your pool doesn't have to look like a swamp for you to do something about it. But even a little greenish tint can indicate a problem. As expressed on Pool Forum, water can go from blue to green in no time at all, especially if you've recently shocked your pool. As one concerned pool owner aces3 explained, no matter he or she did, his or her pool wasn't coming clean. Even the filters were starting to get mucky. 

Multiple people wrote in to aces3 to explain that patience is needed following a pool shock. It may take a few days for the water to return to it's usual hue. There's certainly no harm in putting a call into Fort Worth, San Diego or Phoenix pool service provider to ensue that everything is operating up to standards. 

Brown as dirt
Brown pool water isn't just something you discover when you come home from work one day. It's a sign of some serious neglect in most cases. No matter the route of the cause, you can count on one thing for sure and it's that something has gone terribly wrong in terms of pool upkeep. 

According to Finishing.com, it's a visible sign that there's too much iron in the water. Resist the urge to dump loads of chlorine in the water as a means to remedy this situation.

With such a complex matter as this, it's best to call your pool service provider so you don't' further damage the structure. Not that anyone would want to, but don't let anyone go swimming until the water issue is all cleared up. However, if this isn't the root of your problem – the solution could be quite simple. 

In some cases, a slight brown tint can literally be from dirt. If your kids run around the yard barefoot and then hop in the pool, that could be the source of the problem. Instruct other people to rinse off before going for a swim, and vacuum or skim out any large debris. A good cleaning should have your water sparkling in no time. 

The Red Sea
If the water is red, it could also circle back to there being too much iron in it. A tomato hue can also mean that perhaps there's blood in the water, perhaps from an injured animal who fell in and made a run for it. As this is a surefire way to transmit disease, you'll want to be extra careful handling the clean up.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised pool owners take the following steps upon discovering an animal in the water: 

• Close the pool to swimmers
• Remove dead animals with gloves and a bucket
• Discard the tools in a sealed garbage bag and keep it out of reach from other animals
• Scrub hands vigorously with soap and water.

Again, you'll want to call your pool service professional for a cleaning, as it can be messy and unsanitary to handle on your own. Taking these steps can get your backyard looking good in no time.