Why “Balanced” Water Can Still Cause Problems
Clear water and “in-range” test results don’t always tell the whole story—especially in Arizona. Here’s how we evaluate pool water and why certain issues keep coming back until the root cause is addressed.
Most pool problems don’t start with a green pool. They start with small warning signs: water that looks a little dull, a slight green tint in the deep end, chlorine that seems to “disappear,” or a pool that never quite looks as clean as it should.
A lot of the time, homeowners will say, “But my water is balanced.”
Sometimes that’s true—on paper. But in real-world pool care (especially in Arizona), “balanced” water can still cause problems.
Here’s why.
1) “Balanced” usually means a few numbers—not the full picture
Most quick tests focus on a short list:
Free Chlorine
pH
Alkalinity
Those matter, but they’re only part of what determines whether your pool stays clear and comfortable over time.
Two pools can have the same chlorine and pH reading—and one can hold water beautifully while the other struggles every week.
The difference is usually in the parts people don’t routinely test or understand.
2) Arizona pools build up things that don’t evaporate
In Arizona, pools lose water constantly from heat and evaporation. When you replace water, you aren’t removing what’s already dissolved in the pool—you’re usually adding more.
Over time, dissolved compounds build up, including:
Stabilizer (CYA)
Total dissolved solids (TDS)
Minerals and byproducts from regular treatment
This is one of the biggest reasons a pool can look “mostly fine” but still act unpredictable.
3) Chlorine can be present… but not effective
A common example we see:
Chlorine is being added consistently
The pool still looks slightly tinted or dull
The chlorine reading doesn’t match how the water looks
This often comes down to conditions that make chlorine less effective, such as:
High pH
Poor circulation
Dirty/loaded filtration
Excess stabilizer (CYA)
In other words: the pool may have chlorine in it, but the environment is preventing it from working the way it should.
4) Filtration issues can masquerade as “chemistry problems”
If a filter is loaded or pressure is high, your pool can:
Hold chlorine
Test “okay”
Still look off
That’s because filtration is what removes the fine suspended material that causes:
haze
tint
dullness
“never quite crisp” water
This is why we often recommend filter cleanings even when a pool isn’t green.
5) Our goal isn’t to chase numbers—it’s to keep the pool stable
At Happy Valley Pool Care, we don’t just aim for “passable readings.” We’re looking for stability.
That means the pool should:
stay clear week to week
respond predictably to treatment
hold chlorine normally
avoid recurring tint/haze/cloudiness
When a pool can’t do that, we don’t keep dumping in more product. We identify what’s actually causing instability.
What this means for you as a homeowner
If we recommend something like:
a filter cleaning
deeper water testing
a water reset / partial drain
circulation improvements
…it’s not because we’re trying to add services.
It’s because the pool is showing signs that the underlying system (water + filtration + circulation) is trending unstable—and if we ignore it, it usually gets more expensive later.
If your pool has been looking slightly off or doesn’t hold chlorine the way it should, you can request service and we’ll take a look at what’s going on system-wide.