How to Get Rid of Brown Dust on the Bottom of Your Pool?

Are you tired of seeing that stubborn dust in the bottom of your pool that just won’t go away? You may be spending ample time cleaning your pool, but your pool may still accumulate sediment every other day. Well, this is a common issue in pools. In this blog, we’ll learn the causes behind brown dust and the effective solutions on how to get rid of brown dust on the bottom of the pool.

What is That Brown Dust on the Pool Floor?

The brown dust in the bottom of your pool is actually due to various reasons. It could be due to:

• Dead Algae: It appears after pool shock or algaecide treatment. If it wisps away easily when disturbed, it’s algae.
• Mustard Algae: If the algae appears yellowish, brown, or yellowish-green, it’s mustard algae. It has a slimy texture, resembles sand, and returns quickly after vacuuming. It’s also highly resistant to chlorine.
• Dirt, Silt, and Pollen: These are fine debris that settle on the pool’s bottom. Pollen usually floats first but can sink.
• Filter Sand: If you notice sand at the bottom, it could be due to sand leaking from the damaged filter component, like a broken lateral. 
• Iron or Metal Staining: Sometimes, rust-colored stains appear, they are due to high iron levels in water. 

4 Ways to Remove Brown Dust from the Bottom of Your Pool

Vacuuming to Waste

You may vacuum your pool to remove brown dust from the bottom of your pool. It’s effective as it bypasses your pool's main filter. Instead of sending the vacuumed dirty water through the filter, it sends the water and debris directly out of the pool to a waste line or drain. This allows dust to leave your pool permanently.

Pool vacuum relies on your pool's main pump for suction by pulling water through your manual vacuum tool. You then set your filter's multiport valve to "WASTE" to direct this dirty water out of the pool.

This method is ideal for pools with sand, or D.E. filters with a multi-port valve with a "Waste" setting. Workarounds might be necessary for other filter types, like cartridge filters.

To do this,

1. Set the filter valve to "Waste" or "Drain." To avoid stirring up dust, use a wheeled vacuum head, not brushes.
2. Vacuum slowly and steadily across the pool bottom.
3. Be prepared to refill your pool water level afterward, as water is being removed.

Note: Multiple vacuuming sessions may be needed. If frequent vacuuming is required, robotic pool cleaners with fine-mesh filters can drastically reduce manual effort and minimize water loss. 

Optimize Your Filtration System

You must check your pool filtration system. You must inspect sand filters for damaged laterals. To optimize pool filter functioning, clean or backwash your filter. Use a clarifier to clump fine particles for better filtration. To catch fine debris, place skimmer socks or slime bags. You may use a robotic pool cleaner. It enhances circulation and reduces the load on your main filtration system by capturing fine particles at the source. 

Chemical Treatments

You may employ various chemical treatments to solve the issue.

• If your pool has stubborn algae, do a shock treatment. You must maintain an appropriate Free Chlorine (FC) to Cyanuric Acid (CYA) ratio to keep algae in check.
• Maintain a higher free chlorine level and use polyquat algaecide to combat mustard algae.
• Ensure the pool has a lower pH, as this increases the efficacy of chlorine.
• Brush your pool surface and walls vigorously.
• The brown dust at the pool’s bottom is usually sand, which is difficult to remove. Use a flocculant to settle the fine particles to the bottom. Add floc to the pool, circulate it, and then turn off the pool pump for settling. Afterward, vacuum the pool. 

Manual Methods

You can also clean your pool manually. Brush your pool regularly to dislodge settled particles. Before vacuuming, sweep walls to direct debris to the floor. Use a robotic cleaner with wall-climbing features in this scenario. It can help automate brushing and cleaning even when you’re not around. 

How to Keep Brown Dust from Coming Back

Succeeded in getting rid of brown dust? Great! Now follow these tips to keep it from returning to your pool.

• Maintain consistent and balanced water chemistry. Check chlorine, alkalinity, CYA, and pH levels. Make sure they are in the ideal range, as high CYA levels can prevent chlorine from working effectively.
• Run your pump for adequate hours daily to ensure proper filtration turnover.
• Regularly clean skimmer and pump baskets.
• Brush your pool regularly to keep particles from settling.
• Consider the source of your fill water if issues persist. This is because your water source can introduce fine particles which hinder water clarity. 

Conclusion

Brown dust is stubborn, but it can be tackled. It usually arises due to algae, sand, fine dust, or metals. Use a pool vacuum to remove brown dust to waste, and clean pool filters and pumps regularly. If the issue persists, do a pool shock treatment to get rid of it. You may also choose to manually solve this problem through regular brushing and skimming.

If you want your pool to be permanently free of brown dust, maintain your pool weekly and keep the water balance in check. You must note that getting rid of brown dust is a long process. Complete removal might require multiple vacuuming sessions and treatments. Why not opt for a pool robot to ease the maintenance burden?