Maintaining Your Pool System

The pool system is the machinery that drives your pool, this is the pump, filter, weir and piping that allows good circulation of your pool water. Maintenance on the pool system is not a frequent task but is essential.

The main part of maintaining your system is the filter. If you have a sand filter, you'll need to change it every +- 2 years. Filter sand is like the sand in a river, this is what traps all the dirty particles in your water so that you can back wash it later. Without a filter all these particles will be blown back into the pool water.

The weir is that part where the pool cleaner's pipes are connected to the system. Most weirs have a basket that traps all the debris picked up by the pool cleaner. This basket needs to be cleaned frequently to prevent blockage or water flow problem.

The pump is the machinery that allows for circulation. Without the pump the water can not be pushed to and from the pool. If the pump does not work properly or if it is too small for your size of pool, the circulation is not strong enough and maintaining the pool requires more attention and longer period of the pump running. The pump also has a basket to prevent debris getting into the pump itself. This basket doesn't usually contain a lot of debris but needs to be checked and cleaned every now and then.

Salt Chlorinators are machinery that transforms salt into a chlorine gas. In order for a salt chlorinator to work properly and produce chlorine you need to add salt into the pool water. Maintaining the salt level is like maintaining your chlorine level. Salt usually stays in the pool for a long period depending on the water temperatures and chlorine consumption. Most salt chlorinators have an indicator that shows the salt level and chlorine level. If this salt level is too low (see your machine's instructions) you will need to add salt accordingly. If the chlorinator shows that your chlorine levels are too low, you should switch it to a higher mode of chlorine production.

  Maintaining Your Pool Water

Eldoraigne PoolLAB is a retail shop specializing in pool chemicals and accessories. We also specialize in general pool services like sand changes, water testing, pool maintenance etc. Our objective is to provide a professional and friendly service in order to help our customers have a crystal clear pool. Our personnel have been trained at the leading swimming pool companies and are competent to help our customers resolve any problems with their swimming pool.

Maintaining your pool water is a continues process: Adding chlorine and keeping the balances right. If your pool water is not maintained frequently, algae may start growing and the water becomes un-healthy to swim in.

Using chlorine or bromine is one of the best sanitizing methods. Chlorine is used in our drinking water to keep it clean and healthy to drink. Bromine does the same job, but is more expensive. People who are allergic to chorine should consider using bromine or other methods of sanitation like minerals.

Copper is a good algae killer but may cause staining on your pool surface. Copper sulphate is used in some products as a pool maintenance. This is an inexpensive method of maintaining your pool water, but because copper is not a sanitation chemical your pool water is not necessarily healthy even though it is not green.

The balances of your pool water are the pH, Total Alkalinity (TA) and Stabilizing levels. These balances need to be within recommended levels in order to keep the water healthy and clean.

pH: Is the acidity or alkalinity of the pool water. In a marbilite pool the pH should be between 7.2 and 7.4 and in a fiberglass pool between 7.4 and 7.6. A pH of 7.4 is considered neutral in the industry. If your pH is not within these ranges, you may experience skin or eye irritation when swimming. If your pH is too acidic (below 7.4) you need to add something to increase the pH. The only thing to increase the pH is soda ash, which is the same as normal bicarbonate of soda. On the other hand if your pH is too alkaline (above 7.4) you need to add acid. When adding acid or soda ash please test the water first and then add accordingly.

Total Alkalinity (TA): Is how alkaline your pool is. This is a bit confusing with pH. I will explain as such. The TA acts as a buffer for your pH; if your TA is high it will try and drag your pH up and vice a versa. The TA of a marbilite pool should be between 80 and 120 where as for a fiberglass pool between 125 and 150. In order to bring down your TA you need to add acid in one spot (usually the deep end) and let it stay there for +- 8 hours with no circulation (thus pump must be OFF). Now this is again confusing with the pH; see our pool water education section for a detailed explanation on this "phenomena". If your TA is too low you will need to add an alkalinity increaser. Once again please test your pool water before adding acid or alkalinity increaser.

Stabilizer: Is like the bodyguard for chlorine. Stabilizer protects your chlorine from the sun extracting it from your pool saving on chlorine consumption. Stabilizing levels should be between 40 and 70 ppm (parts per million. This is not something that needs to be added frequently, usually twice a season (summer). Have your water tested for stabilizing levels and add stabilizer accordingly. A good sanitizing product will contain some stabilizer, which gradually adds stabilizer to the pool, preventing the levels to fall below 40.

We recommend testing your pool water at least once a month. If you have a water testing unit at home test your water frequently to see what your balances are like. If your balances are not within ranges your pool water will go green much faster and the longer you wait to treat it, the worse the situation gets and the more time and money you'll need to spent to get it clear again.

As you can see, having a pool is like having an extra child. You need to feed it (chlorine or bromine), give it some attention (brush, backwash and clean), give it medicine when it's sick (acid, soda ash, alkalinity increaser and algae killers) and then enjoy it (swim).

  Here is a method you may use in order to keep your pool sparkling clean and healthy

      Run the pump for +- 10 hours a day. (Small pools +- 8 hours Very big pools +- 12 hours).

      Add chlorine or bromine every second day (if you use non stabalized chlorine add every day)

      Give a shock treatment after heavy rain or pool parties.

      Clean baskets once a week or when there are a lot of leaves in your pool.

      Backwash and rinse once a week.

      Brush pool surface when dirty.

      Have your pool water tested frequently.

      Add stabilizer once a season (summer).

      Change your filter sand every two years.