Pool & Spa SenseClear water. Confident care.

Symptom-first help

Start with what you can see, test, and verify.

Separate immediate safety, circulation, fresh measurements, and treatment so a guess does not become a bigger problem.

Pool water testing equipment beside clear blue water
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Pool & Spa

Cloudy water

FirstDo not enter if the bottom or drains cannot be seen clearly.

Check these in order

  1. Confirm the pump is running and returns have normal flow.
  2. Check water level, baskets, filter pressure, and the filter manual.
  3. Run a fresh sanitizer and pH test; do not estimate.
  4. Review recent weather, swimmer load, and treatments.

Then

Correct physical circulation problems first. Use the dashboard to prioritize fresh readings, then follow product labels one treatment at a time.

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Pool & Spa

Green water or visible algae

FirstKeep swimmers out when visibility is impaired or surfaces are unsafe.

Check these in order

  1. Confirm whether the color is suspended growth or possible metal staining.
  2. Test sanitizer and pH with a reliable method.
  3. Brush a small area and inspect circulation dead zones.
  4. Check the filter and recent sanitizer demand.

Then

Use a sanitizer procedure appropriate to the pool or spa, current CYA context, and product label. Clean the filter as directed and retest frequently.

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Spa

Foam in a spa

FirstStop use if sanitizer is low, water is cloudy, or the foam follows an unknown product addition.

Check these in order

  1. Test sanitizer and pH.
  2. Inspect the filter and waterline for oils or residue.
  3. Review lotions, detergents, swimsuits, and recent products.
  4. Check water age and the spa manual's replacement guidance.

Then

Restore sanitizer and filtration first. Persistent foam in older water may call for a manual-directed drain, clean, refill, and restart.

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Pool & Spa

Strong chlorine odor or irritation

FirstLeave the water if eyes, skin, or breathing are irritated.

Check these in order

  1. Measure free and total chlorine separately when the test method supports it.
  2. Confirm pH and ventilation, especially indoors.
  3. Do not assume the odor means there is too much effective sanitizer.
  4. Review bather load and recent contamination.

Then

Use measured combined chlorine and the applicable operating guidance. Improve ventilation and follow the sanitizer label; never combine products.

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Pool & Spa

Scale, rough surfaces, or deposits

FirstDo not scrape equipment or surfaces with an unapproved tool or chemical.

Check these in order

  1. Run pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, temperature, TDS, and CYA tests.
  2. Calculate LSI as a tendency—not a diagnosis.
  3. Inspect heater and salt-cell manuals before cleaning.
  4. Photograph and note where deposits form.

Then

Correct the overall water balance gradually. Use only surface- and equipment-compatible cleaning directions.

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Pool & Spa

Stains or colored water

FirstDo not add several stain, algaecide, or oxidizer products together to experiment.

Check these in order

  1. Compare the color in a clear container with the pool or spa itself.
  2. Note whether the stain brushes away or is fixed to the surface.
  3. Test source water when the issue followed a refill.
  4. Review metals, leaves, fertilizer, and recent product additions.

Then

Confirm the likely source before treatment. Surface material and metal type matter; seek a qualified diagnosis when uncertain.

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Pool & Spa

Sanitizer disappears quickly

FirstKeep users out when sanitizer is below the selected profile minimum.

Check these in order

  1. Retest with fresh reagents and confirm the test's range.
  2. Check sunlight/CYA context for pools and bather load for spas.
  3. Inspect circulation and filter condition.
  4. Review recent rain, debris, contamination, and water temperature.

Then

Address the source of demand, then use the appropriate sanitizer planner and label. Retest after circulation before adding more.

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Pool & Spa

pH keeps rising or falling

FirstDo not chase pH with repeated additions made before retesting.

Check these in order

  1. Confirm the test and total alkalinity.
  2. Review aeration, spillovers, spa jets, new plaster, and fill water.
  3. Check whether recent products also affect alkalinity.
  4. Use LSI to understand saturation tendency separately.

Then

Use the pH label-dose planner conservatively, stage the dose, and allow the label-directed circulation time before retesting.

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Pool & Spa

Low flow, air, or poor filtration

FirstShut down and call qualified help for electrical faults, gas odor, cracked components, or a suspected suction hazard.

Check these in order

  1. Check water level and accessible baskets with power handled as the manual directs.
  2. Compare filter pressure with the clean baseline.
  3. Look for closed valves, blocked returns, leaks, or air in the pump basket.
  4. Read the equipment error code and manual.

Then

Restore safe circulation before relying on chemistry corrections. Do not open pressurized equipment until isolated and depressurized exactly as directed.

Have current readings?

Turn them into an ordered review.

Open the water-test dashboard