Pool maintainance:

Weekly Checklist

Remove all toys, leaves and large pieces of debris.
Skim the surface.
Empty the skimmer basket.
Empty the pump strainer basket.
Turn on the equipment, make sure it's working properly.
Inspect the cleaner, maker sure it's working properly.
Vacuum the pool if necessary.
Brush the walls and steps.
Check the Ph, keep a record of the readings.
Check the chlorine, keep a record of the readings.
Add appropriate amounts of chemicals, keep a record of what was added.
If the water is cloudy or has a slight tint of green or has algae present, shock the pool.
Backwash or clean out the filter if needed.
Monthly check the calcuim hardness, alkalinity, cyanuric acid and total disolved solids. Make necessary adjustments.

Tips

Tip 1

Prevent staining by keeping your Ph balanced. When the Ph level rises in your pool the minerals in the water precipitate, (in other words they go from being disolved to turning to a solid). These minerals, mainly calcium, form a thin layer on the surface of your pool. What ever dirt happens to be laying on the surface gets trapped and a dirt stain is formed. If you balance your water quickly while the calcium is still soft, the dirt stain will lift off the surface of your pool. If you don't catch it in time it becomes permanent.

Tip 2

Properly adjusted alkalinity makes Ph much easier to keep in balance.

Tip 3

Chlorine is much more effective when the Ph is kept between 7.4 and 7.6.

Tip 4

Improper Ph is one of the main causes of skin and eye irritation. The Ph of the human body is 7.4 thus Ph that is not Ph balanced is an irritant to skin and eyes. Tap water has a high Ph of 8.0 or higher and burns the eyes. Salt water has a very low Ph and also burns the eyes. Saline solution has just the right amount of salt which brings the Ph in balance and does not burn the eyes. Note that eye drops are advertized as being Ph balanced and that's why eye drops do not cause your eyes to burn. Also, salt water pools have very little salt and are actually soothing to the eyes and skin if balanced correctly.

Tip 5

Improper levels of stabilizer in the water can cause excessive use of chlorine which can be expensive. Too much or not enough stabilizer makes the chlorine much less effective and can also be unsafe for swimmers.

Tip 6

Draining and refilling your pool regularly can be a very effective way of keeping harmful elements from building up in your pool water such as calcium, copper, phosphate, cyanuric acid, etc.

Tip 7

If your pool is not skimming properly it could be because of a broken or missing weir gate. The weir gate is the plastic door flapper that fits inside the skimmer throat. The weir gate has two purposes. It prevents debris from floating out of the skimmer when the equipment shuts off and it causes the surface water to speed up near the skimmer which pulls the debris in more effectively.

Tip 8

Leaves and dirt that blow into your pool will cause you to use more chemicals. You can save a considerable amount of money by trimming back bushes and keeping yard debris raked up. The less debris that blows into your pool the less chemicals you use.

Water Chemistry 101:

Chemicals

Understanding chemicals and keeping them in balance.

Alkalinity

Keeping the pH in balance makes the chlorine more effective and cost efficient. Also, proper pH balance lowers eye and skin irritation significantly. It is recommended that you maintain your pH between 7.4 and 7.6. Note: the pH of the human eye is 7.5. To lower pH (most common), add hydrochloric or muriatic acid. To raise pH add soda ash. Sometimes it is necessary to add soda ash initially after adjusting alkalinity. Never add more than one quart of acid per day for a pool and 4 ounces per hour for a spa. Always add acid to the deep end of the pool with the equipment running. Once the pH has been balanced check the alkalinity again. You may need to add more pH buffer (sodium bicarbonate). Repeat the process until both alkalinity and pH have been brought into balance. Once the pH has been brought into balance you should check and adjust it once a week.

Adjusting the alkalinity to between 80 and 120 ppm makes balancing the pH much easier and prevents problems with the plaster, thus extending the life of your plaster. If the alkalinity is below 80 ppm add a small amount of pH buffer (sodium bicarbonate) daily until it reads above 80 ppm. If the alkalinity is above 120 ppm add one quart (4 ounces for spas) of hydrochloric or muriatic acid per day, with the equipment running, until the reading is below 120 ppm. Low alkalinity causes copper sulfate staining, premature breakdown of the plaster and can corrode equipment parts. High alkalinity causes calcium scale to form on pool surface which causes a stained and rough surface. Once the alkalinity has been brought into balance you should check and adjust it, if necessary, once a month.

Chlorine

The purpose of chlorine is to keep your pool free of bacteria and algae. Maintaining the chlorine levels at 1.5 ppm to 3.0 ppm will help prevent algae and bacteria growth, this can be done by adding chlorine tabs to your floater, which will dissolve slowly, adding a small amount of chlorine every day. However, algae and bacteria can become immune to the normal maintenence chlorine and will occasionally grow inspite of the presence of chlorine, (especially in the warmer months or if the water is being heated.) So it becomes necessary to shock your pool occasionally with high levels of chlorine to kill the bacteria and algae. The best way to shock your pool is to add liquid chlorine. Depending on the size of your pool, add one or two gallons of liquid chlorine. Allways add liquid chlorine to the deep end of the pool. You can make the chlorine more effective by adding it at night as the sun burns off the chlorine very quickly.

Stabilizer

Stabilizer, also called conditioner or cyanuric acid, is used to make the chlorine more effective. Proper levels of stabilizer protect the chlorine from the uv rays of the sun. The recommended level is 30-50 parts per million. Low levels of stabilizer will cause excessive use of chlorine. High levels (above 150 ppm) of stabilizer will also cause excessive use of chlorine, will cause graying or pitting of plaster and is unsafe for swimmers. If your stabilizer level is low, add stabilizer. If your stabilizer level is high you can drain the pool partially and add fresh water. Anytime you drain your pool completely and refill, you must add stabilizer. Chlorine tabs come with stabilizer but this is only to maintain the level in your pool. Stabilizer should be checked monthly and adjusted if necessary.

Also check the calcium hardness and total desolved solids once a month. It is a good idea to take a sample of water to your local pool store once a month and have it checked.

(Desktop Version works best)

Solutions

Causes

Problems

Add more tablets to the floater and/or open the vent more on the floater.
Shock the pool.

Add phosphate treatment or drain and refill.
Make necessary repairs to equipment. Clean filter, back wash if possible.

Increase run times on equipment.

Balance Ph between 7.4 and 7.6
Shock the pool
Adjust alkalinity between 100 and 160 ppm.

Shock the pool.
Adjust to proper levels.
Drain all or part of the pool and refill.
Drain all or part of the pool and refill.

Balance Ph.
Adjust alkalinity.
Drain all or part of the pool and refill.

Make necessary repairs.

Balance Ph.
Add cyanuric acid.
Drain all or part of the pool and refill.

Adjust alkalinity.
Adjust Ph.
Add small amounts at a time. (1 quart for pools 4 ounces for spas).
Only pour acid in the deep end away from the skimmer with the equipment running.
Drain all or part of the pool and refill.
An acid wash may help even out the discoloration. If the plaster is excessively stained or discolored then a replaster may be needed.

Only add tablets to a floater.
Only pour acid in the deep end away from the skimmer with the equipment running.
Make necessary adjustments or repairs.

Chlorine level is too low.

Algae has become immune to regular maintainence levels of chlorine.
High phosphate.
Pool equipment is not filtering and/or circulating properly.
Equipment is not running long enough to properly turn over the water.

Ph is not balanced correctly
Chlorimine level is too high.
Alkalinity is low, making it difficult to maintain proper Ph level.

Algae is present in the water.

Ph and/or Alkalinity is too high.
Calcium hardness is high.
Total Dissolved Solids are high.

Ph too high or too low.
Alkalinity too high or too low.
Calcium hardness too high or too low.
Cyanuric acid too high.
Equiment not working properly.

High Ph.
Low cyanuric acid.
High cyanuric acid.

Low alkalinity
Low Ph
Adding too much acid at one time.

Pouring acid over step or bench areas or the shallow part of the pool.
High cyanuric acid

Tablets added to skimmer.
Acid poured in too close to skimmer.
Automatic chlorinator set too high or not working properly.

Algae present in pool.

Skin and/or eye irritation

Cloudy Water

Stained Plaster

Excessive Chlorine use

Etched or rough plaster, premature surface deterioration.

Discoloration around fittings, jets and/or floorheads.