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Troubleshoot Your Water

Cloudy Water
Green Water
Brown Water
Eye Irritation
Chlorine Odor
Calcium Scale
Metal Corrosion

Cloudy Water

Cloudy Water Causes	Solution	Preventive Measures
High pH	Bring your pH into the desired range of 7.4 - 7.6 ppm.	Maintain a proper pH level by using Haviland pH Reducer.
Dirty Filter	Check filtration system. Backwash if necessary.	Use Haviland Liquid Filter Cleaner each spring and fall.
Low Free Chlorine Residual	Bring free chlorine into desired range of 1 - 3 ppm. Shock if necessary.	Maintain a proper level using one of the Haviland chlorinating products.
High Total Alkalinity	Test total alkalinity and adjust accordingly	Lower total alkalinity to their ideal levels using Haviland pH Reducer.

Green Water

Green Water Causes	Solution	Preventive Measures
Green Algae (hazy water)	Shock the pool using chlorine based shock at 1 lb. per 10,000 gallons. Let circulate overnight and then adjust free chlorine residual to 1 - 3 ppm.	Add Haviland Algae Kil 50 or Haviland Combat 60 every other week at a rate of 6 oz. per 10,000 gallons
Copper in Fill water (clear water)	Use Haviland Rust-N-Scale at a rate of 6 oz. per 10,000 gallons. Let circulate overnight before adjusting chlorine or pH.	Add Haviland Rust-N-Scale every other week at a rate of 6 oz. per 10,000 gallons to prevent stains due to copper in the water.

Reddish Brown Water

Red/Brown Water Causes	Solution	Preventive Measures
Dissolved Iron or maganese in water	Adjust pH to 7.4 - 7.6 range. Use Haviland Rust-NScale. Let pump run continuously until clear.	Add Haviland Rust-N-Scale every other week at a rate of 6 oz. per 10,000 gallons.

Eye & Skin Irritation

Eye Irritation Causes	Solution	Preventive Measures
Combined Chlorine (chloramines) level too high	Shock the pool using one of the Haviland shock treatments. Let circulate overnight and then adjust free chlorine residual to 1 - 3 ppm.	Shock treat every other week, after heavy use or rain. Test for free chlorine residual daily
pH level too high or too low	Adjust pH by using Haviland pH Increaser or Haviland pH Reducer to bring pH level to ideal range of 7.4 - 7.6 ppm.	Test pH level daily and maintain pH in 7.4 - 7.6 range.

Chlorine Odor

Chlorine Odor Causes	Solution	Preventive Measures
Combined Chlorine (chloramine) level too high. The cause is NOT too much chlorine but not enough free available chlorine	Shock the pool using chlorine based shock at 1 lb. per 10,000 gallons. Let circulate overnight and then adjust free chlorine residual to 1 - 3 ppm.	Test pH level daily and maintain pH in 7.4 - 7.6 range.

Calcium Scale Formation

Calcium Scale Causes	Solution	Preventive Measures
pH too high/Total Alkalinity too high	Add Haviland pH Reducer to bring pH into 7.4 - 7.6 ppm range and to bring total alkalinity down to 100 - 175 ppm.	Maintain pH level in 7.4 - 7.6 range. Maintain total alkalinity level in 100 - 175 ppm
Calcium Hardness level too high	If hardness level is too high, some water may have to be drained. Add Haviland Rust-N-Scale per label directions.	Add Haviland Rust-N-Scale every other week at a rate of 6 oz. per 10,000 gallons.

Corrosion of Metal Parts

Corrosion Causes	Solution	Preventive Measures
pH too low/Total Alkalinity too low	Add Haviland pH Increaser to bring pH into 7.4 - 7.6 ppm range.	Maintain pH level in 7.4 - 7.6 range. Maintain total alkalinity level in 100 - 175 ppm.
Calcium Hardness level too low	Add Haviland Water Hardness Increaser to raise the calcium to 180 -275 ppm.	Maintain calcium level at 180 -275 ppm.

About Test Kits

For a test kit to be trustworthy, you have to be able to easily translate the results to an effective treatment or maintenance action. That makes calculating treatment dosages easier and more accurate, so there are less wasted chemicals.

DPD

A DPD test is a swimming pool water test which measures the oxidizer level in the pool water, such as free and total chlorine, bromine, and ozone. It is the best method if you sanitize your pool with any type of Chlorine including tabs, granular or bleach. DPD is recognized by public health authorities as the best method for testing pools and spas.

FAS-DPD

This variation of the traditional DPD method allows users to measure both free and combined chlorine levels as low as 0.2 ppm (the maximum allowable level according to most health authorities as well as the Pool and Hot Tub Alliance). The high measurement is 20 ppm. By contrast, the color comparators used with the regular DPD generally allow readings as low as 0.5 and 1ppm and as high as 5 or 10 ppm.

OTO

One option for testing uses a liquid chemical OTO (orthotolidine) that causes a color change to yellow in the presence of total chlorine. Using a comparator, you would look for the color change. OTO is recommended for pools that are sanitized using Bromine. This method ONLY measures total chlorine and is not permitted to be used at regulated facilities. It does not measure free chlorine.

Speciality

Speciality Kits do not measure any sanitizers but concentrate on specific elements like hardness, copper, hydrogen peroxide, etc. These kits typically use a drop test and comparator system for a visual measurement.

Digital

Digital test kits use an electronic device to provide more precise measurements of pool sanitizer levels, pH, acid, etc. These kits are ideal for pool professionals and service technicians as they provide precise measurements within seconds.