Unbalanced Pool Water? Learn the Warning Signs & Fixes

When Your Pool Water Feels Like Algebra — But Doesn’t Have to

Maintaining properly balanced pool water can sometimes feel like solving a cryptic chemistry puzzle. If you’ve ever uncovered your pool to see cloudy water, noticed a weird smell lingering after a swim, or grabbed a towel because your eyes sting more than usual — congratulations, you’ve just unlocked the “unbalanced water” level.

But before you resign yourself to a lifetime of guessing and over-chlorinating, let me reassure you: identifying and correcting these imbalances is far more science than magic. With a few checks, adjustments, and the right mindset, you can restore your pool to that pristine clarity your family expects. Let’s walk through how to spot trouble and fix it — without letting your water chemistry become your primary hobby.

Why “Balanced Water” Actually Matters (Beyond Pretty Looks)

Balanced chemistry is the foundation of safe, long-lasting aquatic enjoyment. We’re talking about four interlocking pillars: pH (ideally ~7.4–7.8), total alkalinity (TA), calcium hardness, and free chlorine. When one is off, the whole system wants to revolt.

Unbalanced water doesn’t just irritate swimmers’ eyes or ruin equipment — it invites real risk. Low sanitizer levels let bacteria (E. coli, anyone?) and parasites (Giardia, Cryptosporidium) creep in. (Yes, pools are not magic — they require chemistry.) A lack of effective disinfection opens the door to Recreational Water Illnesses (RWI) and outbreak liability.

And don’t be fooled by transparency—clear water doesn’t equal safe water. Your pool can look perfect and still be chemically unbalanced in hidden ways. Normal appearances won’t warn you when pH is off or sanitizer is weak. That’s why regular testing is non-negotiable.

Left ignored, chemical imbalance becomes a money trap. Corrosive water eats away at liners, plaster, and plumbing. High pH or calcium causes scale, cloudy filters, and mineral crusts. Over time, those fix-up bills stack higher than your initial “pool purchase” budget.

Five Common Clues That Say “Test It Now” — and How You Fix It

1. Cloudy or Hazy Water
When your pool starts to look like morning fog, it’s often a sign of misaligned pH, low chlorine, or calcium mismatch. High pH weakens chlorine’s effectiveness, and contaminants bloom when sanitizer is low.
Fix: Test everything. Adjust pH back under 7.6, dose liquid chlorine (which doesn’t bring extra CYA or calcium baggage), and consider a shock if clarity won’t return.

These graphs represent some of the relationships between pH, CYA, and chlorine. With no CYA present in the water and the conditions stated, the amount of HOCl, which is considered the active disinfectant and oxidizing agent part of chlorine, will be dependant on pH, and so will the amount of the hypochlorite ion OCl-. This is observed in the graph in the left, as pH decreases, HOCl increases which is believed to directly impact chlorine oxidation activity which is coined with the term "Chlorine Strength".

So one could argue a lower pH will mean strongher chlorine with the same chemical dose. 

Of course a lower pH is nearly impossible to maintain long term in a swimming pool without chemical automation as modeled by Henry's law. Unless the incoming tap water is extremely acidic one can expect the pH to rise overtime. If chlorination is performed with a non instantaneous form of chlorine such as trichlor or dichlor of course the benefits of lowering pH with the intent of higher oxidation will be non existent as pH will rise before the tabs or granular/powder substance has had the chance to dissolve. The situation with liquid chlorine is rather the opposite as it dissolves immediately.

This and a lot more valuable information has been absorbed like a sponge with muriatic acid and Gysar "F" Tile Brite, by our live AI troubleshoot chemical expert, Crystal. Available at orendatech.com, and hasa.com, exclusively, ask your problems away.

Going back to our conversation, what happens in the right? the HOCl represented with the red line is at at all time low, like bitcoin in 2013, but you didn't want to listen. 

In reality you have plenty HOCl, and OCl, the problem that most of it is chemically bond to CYA in mysterious chlorine-cyanuretes relationships that are pH dependant, the chemical compounds are represented as CYA + CYA, or what seems to be purple line.  

The problem is that as pH rises, the OCl- becomes unseparated, free and happy from CYA. This then alters the %s between OCl- and HOCl, causing less HOCl to be protected. SO indirectly, a higher pH will lead to less chlorine protection against UV, which means? Higher pH means more chlorine loss against UV, did you know that? yeah that also include UV systems. How do you stop pH anyways?

2. That “Strong Chlorine Smell”
If the pool smells like a strong bleach factory, it’s probably not “too much chlorine” — it’s chloramines (combined chlorine) screaming that your free chlorine is too low to oxidize contaminants.
Fix: Invoke breakpoint chlorination (i.e. shock) to break apart those chloramines. After that, maintain free chlorine so new chloramines never get a running start.

3. Slippery, Slimy Surfaces
When walls or floors feel slick, you’re likely hosting a biofilm or early-stage algae. Biofilms protect microbes from chemicals, making them harder to remove.
Fix: Brush thoroughly, shock aggressively, and maintain your chlorine residual so they don’t get a second chance. Incorporate enzymes into your weekly routine to avoid bio-film formation and the subsequent oxidation and disinfection issues it promotes. 

4. Red, Irritated Eyes or Itchy Skin
Yes — someone standing in your pool might report “burning eyes,” but it’s rarely from too much chlorine. Usually, it’s pH off-target or combined chlorine irritating tissues.
Fix: Get pH into the comfortable window (7.2–7.8), balance alkalinity, and ensure you maintain proper free chlorine. That combination reduces irritation and increases disinfection speed.

5. White Mineral Dust or Scaling
Seeing white streaks or chalky crusts? That’s mineral precipitation—often calcium carbonate—caused by excessive pH or hardness pushing the water into scale-forming territory.
Fix: Lower hardness or partially replace water, drop pH slightly, and keep your Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) within the safe window. Avoid letting LSI go too high by managing proper calcium hardness, and lower alkalinity levels to establish a convenient pH ceiling. 

For more on how the LSI governs these behaviors, check out Orenda’s deep dive into LSI principles by taking our academy courses. 

 

A Few Smart Moves That Turn Chemistry from Chore to Advantage

• Minimize CYA whenever possible. CYA slows down chlorine's kill speed. Use liquid chlorine (unstabilized) so you don’t keep ratcheting CYA up.

• Embrace Orenda’s Four Pillars: LSI balance, organic removal (enzymes), phosphate control, and minimal CYA. These pillars drive chemistry that responds better, wastes less, and protects more. 

• Use tools like the Free Orenda App to dose precisely, avoid overfeeding, and track your long-term trends. Rely on Crystal, or our team of experts to maintain your pool safe, clean, and clear. 

Parting Words (with a Dash of Sarcasm)

Chemistry doesn’t have to be your enemy — it can be your co-pilot (with attitude). The goal isn’t to drown in spreadsheets or menus of chemical product names. It’s to let your pool look effortless while your water behaves predictably The smartest pros lean on LSI-first, minimal CYA, and strategic oxidizers to stay ahead.

You don’t have to trust every marketing claim. Test. Track. Learn. Adjust. And when things don’t work as expected, dig into the data (or ask Crystal — your sarcastic AI sidekick now at Orenda and HASA).

Let your pool be a masterpiece. Let your chemistry be precise. And let your Sunday swims finally stay blue — not green.