Clearing Up Cloudy Spa Water

When spa pools are sanitised and balanced correctly, they offer a clean, fresh, and inviting environment for you to bathe in. But every now and then you’ll open the lid and find the water has changed from blue and clear, to murky or cloudy leaving you wondering what you did wrong. Not only is it unappealing, bathing in cloudy water poses potential health risks, which is why we need to make sure you know how to rectify this situation should you need to.

What Causes Cloudy Water

There are many circumstances that can result in cloudy and uninviting spa pool water. It could be as simple as insufficient amounts of sanitiser (chlorine) or perhaps the water parameters such as pH or Alkalinity are out of range. 

When you have unwanted contaminants such as leaves or dirt, or you have had more people in your spa pool than normal, your sanitiser has more jobs to complete. It may not be able to keep up with killing all of the bacteria, because it’s too busy destroying leaves and algae. These unwelcome guests can also cause issues for your spa’s filtration system, preventing it from working effectively. Debris breaking down is another situation that can leave you with cloudy water. 

Improperly installed or misaligned filters are also potential perpetrators. If your filter is clogged up or has not been properly put in place, those pesky particles are going to slowly decompose in your spa water, which, you guessed it – can turn your water cloudy.  

Curing Cloudy Water

If you find yourself in the situation of your spa’s water turning cloudy, you’ll want to act swiftly to avoid damage to your spa, such as scale buildup, or staining. 

For a quick fix, you can reach for some Iluka Seachange, which is designed to quickly clear up any cloudiness. This solution works by coagulating the particles causing the issue, grouping them together making it easy work for your filters to pick up. For this reason, it’s crucial your filters are clean and working effectively for Iluka Seachange to do its job. We recommend giving them a thorough clean before adding Crystal Clear or alternatively rotating it/them out with a spare one/pair.

It’s important to note Iluka Seachange will only treat the symptom, and cloudiness may return if the root issue still exists. 

To get to the bottom of the issue, we suggest starting with your filters. As soon as you notice any cloudiness in your water, pull the filters out and give them a thorough clean. If your filters are completely compromised with clogged-up contaminants, it may be time to replace it/them all together. 

Get out your test strips and Test the pH and Total Alkalinity – these parameters being balanced are paramount for clear, clean water. 

If that doesn’t resolve the cloudiness, give your spa water a ‘Shock Dose’ of chlorine to completely remove any unwanted nasties. This is when you add a higher concentration of Chlorine than usual to the water and allow 24 hours for it to work some sanitising magic. After this step, your ozone generator burns that chlorine level down to one that’s safe for bathing.

Keeping the Cloud From Coming Back

There’s no better way to fix cloudy water than to stop it from showing up in the first place! If you follow these tips you should be able to keep those cursed clouds far away from your spa pool. 

• Fill your spa with clean water. Using a hose filter is a great way to ensure you’re doing this. 
• Follow a consistent maintenance schedule to keep your water chemistry balanced. pH and Alkalinity out of range can often be a culprit for cloudy water. 
• Ensure your filter is kept clean, and replace it when necessary. 
• Stay on top of your sanitiser – take your spa’s bather load into account and add more if you’re getting cloudy water often. 
• Test your water before adding your chemicals. Test it again afterwards to make sure your parameters moved to where you need them.
• Drain and refill your spa every three months, or more often if you are experiencing yucky water or you have a high bather load.