First, decide…
whether you would like the water in your pool to appear blue or green.
For water that looks primarily blue, select a finish with white, blue or gray pigment. For water that appears green, look for green, tan, brown or black pigment. The darker your finish, the darker your pool water will be.
The deeper the water, the darker it will appear.
Water will seem lighter in shallower areas like steps, ledges, benches, and beach entries where the finish itself is more visible.