How to Get Rid of Fine Dirt in Pool
Getting rid of fine dirt in pool water is easier than it might look. Although it can be a little frustrating, given that the dirt often sinks to the floor, where it forms a sediment layer, you can still remove it if you know what to do.
A pump and filter combo will eventually remove most of the fine dirt from the pool after several rounds of water circulation, but you will probably not want to wait that long. Other things that can be very useful include a pool vacuum and floc treatment.
In this guide, we provide directions on how best to deal with fine dirt in pool water but first, it is essential to know how the dirt gets into the pool.
How Dirt Gets into Your Pool
Dirt comes in several types, and almost all can somehow end up in your pool water. However, the most common types you are likely to deal with at some point are fine soil and silt.
In most instances, the dirt gets into your pool on swimmers’ feet. Also, wind can blow in dust over time, which is more so for those who do not cover their pools.
Using dirty pool cleaning equipment such as skimmers and pool brushes can also introduce dirt into your pool. If you do not clean your brush before using it might have some dirt clinging onto it, and so as you scrub the pool, you will shake it off into the water unknowingly.
How to Remove Dirt from Your Pool
There are several methods you can use to remove dirt from your pool, and in some cases, you may need to combine two or even more of them for the best results. Here are the most effective methods to use.
Method 1: Brush the Pool Surfaces
One of the reasons fine dirt is hard to get from your pool is that it often settles at the bottom. Therefore, brushing your pool surfaces several times every week allows it to float around, making it possible for your filtration system to capture it.
However, it is essential to take extra precautions when brushing your pool because you do not want to damage your finish or liner. No matter how problematic the dirt might be for you, make sure you use an ideal brush for the specific surface you have.
Those with gunite or plater finish a brush with stainless steel bristles like the U.S. Pool Supply Professional 18″ Stainless Steel Pool Brush is perfect. However, soft nylon bristles like what you get on the Lalapool Swimming Pool Wall & Tile Brush are ideal for vinyl surfaces.
Method 2: Vacuum the Pool
There are some special vacuums in the market for removing fine dirt from the bottom of the pool. This YouTube video shows one such vacuum that will allow you to suck out the dirt from the bottom of the pool.
You can use this method together with brushing the pool surfaces. Some of the dirt will still settle on the bottom when you brush the pool, meaning the filtration system will not capture it. Therefore, you need to vacuum it off carefully to ensure you suck out all the dirt.
You can use both manual and automatic pool vacuums but make sure the head is safe for your specific pool finish or liner to avoid damages.
Method 3: Run your Pump and Filter Longer
In most instances, your filtration system will get rid of all contaminants, including fine dirt. However, with fine dirt, it often struggles a little and will take more time. Therefore, if you have some fine dirt, you should run the pump and filter longer than usual.
Also, it will be good to clean up the filters first to ensure they are working well and are effective at trapping the fine dirt. Additionally, you can also brush any dirt sediment at the bottom of the pool to get it to float so that your filtration system can remove it.
Method 4: Backwashing Filters
Backwashing can also help you deal with dirt in the pool. Sometimes, the only reason you have the dirt in your pool is that the filters are clogged and are ineffective at trapping dirt.
By backwashing the filters, you will increase their filtration efficiency, which might be enough to remove dirt from your pool after a few complete cycles.
Method 5: Floc Treatment
If you notice that the dirt sediment comes back almost immediately after you finish vacuuming it off, the chances are you have lots of suspended particles. Therefore, a floc treatment will be beneficial.
Flock treatment allows you to sink all the dirt in the pool at the bottom, ensuring nothing remains when you vacuum it off. Besides getting rid of dirt, flock treatment also helps clear out cloudy water.
How to Prevent Dirt in Your Pool
1. Use Pool Cover: It is essential to ensure you cover your pool when it is not in use. By keeping the pool protected, you will minimize the likelihood of wind blowing in any dust.
2. Enforce Mandatory Showering: Besides the wind, swimmers are the other leading source of dirt in the pool. Hence, simply making it mandatory for the swimmer to shower before swimming can be highly useful in preventing dirt transfer to the water.
3. Keep the Filters in Good Condition: The pool filters play a crucial role in dealing with fine dirt. Therefore, keeping them clean and in good working condition is one of the best ways to prevent the accumulation of dirt in the pool as they will trap most of it.
Bottom Line
Fine dirt is troublesome to eliminate because, unlike large debris, you cannot skim it off, and the filter takes quite some time to trap all of it.
That said, it is still possible to remove dirt from your pool by running the pool longer, vacuuming, brushing the pool surfaces, and keeping filters clean.
Better yet, you can ensure there is never much dirt to deal with in the first place by covering the pool and enforcing mandatory showering for swimmers.
