Why is my pool water blue?

SourChipmunk

SourChipmunk

SourChipmunk

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As titled. Not that I'm complaining, mind you.

The pool has white walls and bottom and at the deep end is almost 3 metres. When filling it from the tap, after it gets about 1 metre deep it starts to develop a noticable blue tint. Now this tint is not a reflection from the sky because it also can be seen under the flood light at night. Also, I don't think it could be from the chlorine in the tap water, else it would have that colour all the time as chlorine is added to the pool. This tint will go away in a few days and the water will be clear like it should be.

So what could be in the tap water that is causing this? Or could temperature have something to do with it (the water would be at about 13 C right now).

0512091257.jpg


Sorry about the image quality. The missus is still getting used to having a camera phone. :)
 
What is the colour of the actual like pool wall stuff :P

hard to explain, but it looks blue on the pic out of the water, perhaps it is the dye of the cement/material?
 
You have a pool? Nice.... where do you live? (guessing its not the uk!) Do you actually use it a lot?

Oh and google says :

Because the absorption which gives water its color is in the red end of the visible spectrum, one sees blue, the complementary color of red, when observing light that has passed through several meters of water. This color of water can also be seen in snow and ice as an intense blue color scattered back from deep holes in fresh snow. Blue to bluegreen hues are also scattered back when light deeply penetrates frozen waterfalls and glaciers.
 
the same reason the sea is blue

(ie) water is blue. it's just that there isn't enough blue in it to make it look blue when you're running the tap.
 
Red and White said:
the sky surely
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It also appears blue at night under a white floodlight. No blue from the sky then.

Scythe said:
What is the colour of the actual like pool wall stuff :P

hard to explain, but it looks blue on the pic out of the water, perhaps it is the dye of the cement/material?
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Walls and floor are white. There is a small blue strip near the top, but that wouldn't have an affect when the water is only 1 metre deep.

Andr3w said:
You have a pool? Nice.... where do you live? (guessing its not the uk!) Do you actually use it a lot?
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Detroit. It gets enough use to make it all worthwhile, especially when the neighbour kids come over and splash around.

Andr3w said:
Oh and google says :

Because the absorption which gives water its color is in the red end of the visible spectrum, one sees blue, the complementary color of red, when observing light that has passed through several meters of water. This color of water can also be seen in snow and ice as an intense blue color scattered back from deep holes in fresh snow. Blue to bluegreen hues are also scattered back when light deeply penetrates frozen waterfalls and glaciers.
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If that were entirely true, then why would it fade and go colourless in a few days?

I can certainly understand the whole red/blue spectrum thing, the same reason your veins appear blue through your skin.

TFleming said:
Is this just to show off the fact you have a swimming pool :P?
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Nah, if I were doing that I certainly wouldn't have posted that sad pic. :D
 
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Nah, just bad shadows and bad camera (the white blocks are still a little dirty as I am just opening the pool now after a nasty winter). I'll get it all cleaned up again.

Ok, so like Azagoth, mjt, and Andr3w said water is blue naturally - the red, orange, and yellow parts of the spectrum are absorbed leaving blue visible (in large quantities). It becomes clear after awhile because of other impurities (chlorine and stabiliser, suspended dirt, skin oils, etc.) that begin absorbing the blue light as well.

Curiosity satisfied. :)
 
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