Chemicals to use in a pool

andy

New Member
We are now the proud owners of our own pool. Apart from a few near neighbours telling us what to do, does anyone know where we can find a comprehensive guide to what chemicals to use and the amounts to keep it hygenic and fit for family use?
 

bobo

Member
Most pool water problems occur when there is no chlorine in the water, or when the pH level is wrong.

Buy a good chemical test kit and work out the volume of water in the pool in cubic centimetres - this is essential for getting the quality required.

You then need to check the levels of chlorine at regular intervals. In hot weather it is advisable to check every few days. Never allow the levels to go too low as it will stop killing harmful germs and algae.
At the same time check the pH level to ensure that the chlorine is working properly.

Keep the water circulating regularlyto help filter the water. The longer the pool water is being filtered, the better it cleans the water. It is advisable to run the circulation pump continuously for four hours out of
every twelve throughout the year. In the summer months when it is being used more regularly, use the pump to circulate for even more hours. This is because Algae breed more rapidly in sunlight so operating your system when the sun has gone
down will be more effective than just running it during the day.

Follow the manufacturer's instructions on your filter and backwash it (i.e. reverse the flow and drain the dirt that has
accumulated on the top. This should be done at least once every couple of weeks. Remember to watch the pressure gauge while doing this task so you don't go into the red zone, i.e.too much pressure.

Clean the skimmers at the end of the pool once a week taking out leaves/petals and anything else that obstructs the water
flow.

You will also need to vacuum the pool on a regular basis.

You can buy an automatic pool sweep to vacuum the pool on a regular basis. If you are using a hose to vacuum, exclude air from the vacuum hose before connecting it to the attachment in the skimmer.

Use a brush to clean the sides and bottom of the pool, to make sure that any algae that may discolour the tiles, grouting or liner is removed. Remember to check around the steps, under-water
lights and 'dead spots' where water movement is minimal.

Hope this helps - it was the content of most of an email from a friend that helped me get started some years back.
 

Helen

New Member
Hi Andy

Congratulations on the new pool. I know this isn't related to chemicals, but a useful tip anyway, about the cleanliness of your pool. Be very careful with the plants close to the pool. if you have something like a bourganvillia - the fallout of petals and flower heads is tremendous. If they keep falling in the pool, you are forever fishing them out and cleaning out the boxes at the end of the pool. We had one very close to ours and moved it eventually because of the mess. It is still a beautiful plant, but now situated well away from the pool.
 
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