Helpful articles to help you maintain a beautiful pool.
Is My Pool Leaking? Is there actually a leak or is it just evaporation? Water loss in your swimming pool typically comes from: 1. Evaporation 2. Splashed out water 3. Plumbing lines/Equipment 4. Vinyl Pools: Liner holes/tears 5. Gunite pools: cracks in the surface SYMPTOMS OF A LEAK: Water loss of more than ½” in […]
Salt Choline Generator’s (SCGs) are not effective oxidizers. Oxidizing Shock should be used once a week for all salt water pools. Oxyshock benefits: 1. Eliminates and removes contaminants that cause odor and irritation to bathers: URINE PERSPIRATION POLLEN DUST SUNSCREEN 2. Helps Create sparkling clear water and reduces SCG Maintenance & extends cell life 3. […]
What is a Salt Water Pool? A salt water pool is a pool that uses salt in the water to generate chlorine. It is simply a pool that uses a chlorine generator, which through the process of water passing through an electronic cell, produces sodium hypochorite or liquid chlorine. So, a salt-water pool is NOT […]
Most pool owners find that automatic pool cleaners are a handy tool for easy pool maintenance. With these energy efficient machines, you can reduce your time spent on brushing, vacuuming and skimming, and have more time enjoying your pool for just a fraction of the cost of a full pool service. Robotic: Robotic pool cleaners […]
Salt Choline Generator’s (SCGs) are not effective at oxidation Oxidizing Shock should be used once a week for all salt water pools Oxyshock benefits: 1. Eliminates and removes contaminants that cause odor and irritation to bathers: URINE PERSPIRATION POLLEN DUST SUNSCREEN 2. Helps Create sparkling clear water and reduces SCG Maintenance & extends cell life […]
Pool Owners Guide to Water Care A regular water care routine – correct sanitation, pool circulation and filter use – is the key to a sparkling pool. This section is intended to be a quick course in water care and chemical use and is not meant to be a comprehensive handbook in water chemistry and […]
1. Clean the pool. Vacuum all debris off the floor of the pool. Brush down the walls. Empty the skimmer basket(s) and pump basket. A clean pool now will make a much better opening next Spring. 2. Test and Balance the Water. Adjust your pH to 7.2 to 7.6ppm, Alkalinity to 100 to 120ppm, Calcium […]
In order to maintain the cleanliness of your swimming pool, there are several tools, tips and tricks that can make this process a lot less troublesome. First off, the more you keep on top of your pool, the easier each cleaning will be and less need for vacuuming and backwashing. For example, daily skimming of […]
Read More… from HOW TO CLEAN YOUR IN-GROUND & ABOVE-GROUND POOL
Make sure you have all of the tools and supplies you will need: basic hand tools, an air compressor or shop vac, winterizing plugs and gizmos, winterizing chemicals, pool cover and water tubes. Pool should be vacuumed and the water should have all chemicals balanced PRIOR to closing. Pay particular attention to your pH, Alkalinity, […]
Make sure you have all of the tools and supplies you will need: basic hand tools, filter pump, drain plugs, gauges, cartridges, sight glasses, timer pins, summarizing chemicals, cover pump, garden hose, return eye balls, skimmer baskets and other accessories i.e. diving board, slide, ladder, hand railing, etc. First you want to try to clean […]
Read More… from How to Summerize your Inground Swimming Pool
Make sure you have all of the tools and supplies you will need: basic hand tools, filter pump, drain plugs, gauges, cartridges, sight glasses, timer pins, summarizing chemicals, cover pump, garden hose, return eye balls, skimmer baskets and other accessories i.e. ladders, handrails, etc. First you want to try to clean off the cover as […]
Read More… from How to Summerize your Above Ground Swimming Pool
From time to time, pool owners may experience a green, swampy pool problem. Many times it will be green or even black in color, and can require a great deal of effort, time and money to return to the point of swimmable. It is best to never let the pool get to that point, but […]
Backwashing a sand filter is very similar to backwashing a Hayward Pro-Grid D.E. filter except there is no replacement of D.E. or sand afterward. The sand should be replaced about once every 5 years. After 5 years, the sand loses its filtration efficiency and the filter cycle must run even longer to get the same […]
A regular water care routine – correct sanitation, pool circulation and filter use – is the key to a sparkling pool. This section is intended to be a quick course in water care and chemical use and is not meant to be a comprehensive handbook in water chemistry and problem solving. If you have any […]
About Ground Pools Size Shape Avg. Depth Gallons Avg. Depth Gallons 8′ Round 4′ 1700 5′ 2000 12′ Round 4′ 3398 5′ 3800 15′ Round 4′ 5310 5′ 5700 18′ Round 4′ 7646 5′ 8200 20′ Round 4′ 9400 5′ 10000 24′ Round 4′ 13593 5′ 14600 28′ Round 4′ 18500 5′ 20000 33′ Round […]
Gas Pool Heaters: Gas heaters use either natural gas or propane to heat your pool water. They heat the water up fairly quickly. Depending on the outside air temperature and the pool water starting temperature, they can heat the water up 1 to 2 degrees per hour, on average. While gas heaters usually have a […]
Water Care Routine water care as described in the water care section of this guide is an important part of your basic pool maintenance. Please read that section carefully. Debris removal and water line cleaning Empty out skimmer baskets daily. Clean scum line from inside skimmer, walls of skimmer and weir, and water line around […]
What are Nitrates and Phosphates? Phosphorous is a mineral and Nitrogen is a gas. Nitrogen enters the water & combines with oxygen to form Nitrates. How do Nitrates and Phosphates get into the pool water? Phosphates come into the pool water from lawn & tree fertilizers (blown or rained in from you or your neighbors […]
There are so many heater choices. How do I know which one is right for me? Gas heaters, electric heat pumps, and solar heating systems each have their own set of pros and cons. Gas heaters typically raise the water temperature between 1 and 2 degrees per hour. They raise the water temperature the fastest […]
Read More… from There are so many heater choices. How do I know which one is right for me?
How do I safely store my swimming pool chemicals? Click on the link for the EPA booklet: “Safe Storage and Handling of Swimming Pool Chemicals” Link: http://www.epa.gov/emergencies/docs/chem/spalert.pdf […]
Read More… from How do I safely store my swimming pool chemicals?
Why does my pool water have a very strong chlorine smell? What you smell are chloramines. Chloramines form when there is an insufficient amount of free chlorine in the pool water to sanitize the pool. A chlorine shock treatment is needed to dissipate the chloramines and establish a free available chlorine level in the pool […]
Read More… from Why does my pool water have a very strong chlorine smell?
Help! My pool is covered with algae! What do I do? Test your pool water. You will need to shock the pool and possibly add an algaecide as well. Balance all chemicals to proper ranges. Vacuum off the algae from the floor and walls. Brush off any algae that is in the corners, seams and […]
Read More… from Help! My pool is covered with algae! What do I do?
Swimmers in my pool complain that their eyes are burning. Am I adding too much chlorine? If swimmers are complaining that their eyes are burning your pool water chemistry is not in balance. It may be from too high levels of chlorine, but it may also be from pH or alkalinity being too high or […]
How long should I run my pool pump every day? That depends. Typically, you will want to run your pump enough to have a complete turnover of your pool water volume once a day at a minimum. Check the GPH (gallons per hour) for your pump and compare that to the gallons in your pool. […]
Read More… from How long should I run my pool pump every day?
How do I know which filter is right for my pool? There are 3 types of filters: Cartridge, Sand, and Diatomaceous Earth (DE). These filters pass water through their media so that dirt and algae particles are collected there and clean water is passed back into your pool. Cartridge filters have a fiber cartridge that […]
Read More… from How do I know which filter is right for my pool?
My in-ground vinyl lined pool is a swamp! Can I empty it, scrub the liner, and refill it? This could be a very expensive error. You do not want to empty an in-ground vinyl liner pool for several reasons. If you empty the pool the liner will contract and shrink. When you re-fill the pool […]
FAQS about using Household BLEACH and BAKING SODA in Swimming Pools Can I use Household Laundry Bleach instead of Liquid Pool Shock? Liquid Pool shock is 12.5% sodium hypochlorite as compared to household bleach which is 3% sodium hypochlorite. Pool shock is 4 times stronger than regular household bleach. A 10,000 gallon pool will require […]
Read More… from Can I use Household Laundry Bleach instead of Liquid Pool Shock?
BORATE for ALGAE and SALT WATER POOLS: USE for pH & Algae Control, and Corrosion inhibitor Buffers pH – keeps water balanced longer, less acid additions Inhibits corrosion and scale Rails, ladders last longer Softer feeling water on your skin Borate reacts with carbon dioxide – leaving less CO2 available for algae. It starves algae […]
