Pool Sharks

1. Check water levels
2. Clean and brush pool surface, walls, and floor
3. Empty skimmer and pump baskets
4. Clean pool filters
5. Vacuum pool floor
6. Test water
7. Sanitize water
8. Preventive chemical maintenance

Water levels

Water level should be in the middle of the top tile or skimmer opening.  Low water levels can create problems with your filter pump and cause it to disfunction.  If adjusting water let the water run for one or two minutes before putting the hose into the pool. This will keep dirt or residue that’s on the hose from getting into the pool.

Clean and brush pool surface, walls, and floor

Start with skimming the pool surface with skimmer net or leaf rake.  Make sure to clean walls, floors, and surface.  If you notice scum lines along the tile use a tile cleaner and a scrubber to clean.  Brush pool surface, walls, floor and setps with a nylon bristle brush.

Empty skimmer and pump baskets

Now empty skimmer baskets, and pump baskets – you can use a garden hose to help get it clean. Check baskets for cracks.   A cracked basket has to be replaced immediately.  Check pump lid on pump strainer housing for leaks.  When reinstalling pump lid, lubricate first.

Clean pool filters

There are  3 types of filters. –

D.E. filter – uses D.E. earth media (wear gloves, masks) .
Silulous (fiber clear).  Finer filtration than D.E.
Sand filter – uses silica sand and replace with Zeosound. Filters at a comparable level as a DE filter.

For sand filters and D.E. filter, backwash (reversing flow of water) to clean filter.

How to backwash -

1.  Turn off pump
2.  Set backwash to reverse.
3.  Turn pump back on.

Only back wash when pressure gauge reads 8-10 psi higher than normal starting pressure, or once a month, whichever is first.  After backwash refill D.E. the cartridge filter should be clean when the filter is 8-10psi higher than the starting pressure.  Use a cartridge cleaner, and check your filters reference book for more information.

Regardless of type of filter: pump and filter should run 8-12 hrs. a day in the swim season and 4-6 hrs. in the off season.

Vacuum pool floor

Attach one end of your vacuum hose to your vacuum head which is attached to your telescopic pole.  Put the pole in the water with the vacuum head and vacuum hose attached.  Now start putting the vacuum hose into the water “hand over hand” until you get to the other end.  This is called priming, it’s filling the vacuum hose with water so there is no air in the hose, which can cause problems with your filter pump.  When you get to the end, remove your skimmer lid and basket and attach your vacuum hose into the hole through the bottom opening.  Now start to vacuum the pool floor.  Note:  DO NOT remove the vacuum head out of the pool with the hose attached.  This will cause air to go into your filter pump and cause it to dysfunction.

Test water

1. Ph reading
2. Total alkalinity
3. Calcium hardness
4. Total dissolved solids (T.D.S.)

Ph reading

Test water every day and 2 times a week in the off season and raise or lower Ph to proper level if necessary.  Use test strips to test water.  Ph reading is how acidic or basic.

Ph acceptable range: 7.2 – 7.8
Ph ideal range: 7.4 – 7.6

If Ph is too low use soda ash to raise to ideal level.
If Ph is too high use granular dry acid or liquid neuriatic acid.

Make sure to follow directions exactly and add product when filtration system is working.

Total alkalinity

Total alkalinity is related to Ph.  You can’t adjust one without effecting the other.  Most Ph problems are due to alkalinity.

Ideal range: 80-120 ppm, based on type of sanitizer used.

Lowering alkalinity – use granular dry acid or liquid neuriatic acid.
Raising alkalinity – use sodium bicarbonate, sometimes pool stores have their own names for chemicals such as, “alkalinity up”.

Calcium hardness

Test calcium hardness – keeps water balanced.

Acceptable range: 150-500ppm
Ideal range: 200-400ppm

To increase a low calcium hardness use “calcium harness increaser up”.  To lower calcium hardness, partially or completely drain the pool.  Contact your pool supply store before draining pool for recommendations.

Total dissolved solids (T.D.S.)

Check TDS (total dissolved solids): measure of the sum of all dissolved materials in the water.

Ideal range: 1000-2000 ppm.

Sanitize water

Always maintain a proper sanitizing level.  Recommended to use stabilized tables in an automatic feeder. Test chlorine daily during swim season.  You can use test kits or test strips.

There are 2 different chlorine levels.

Free available chlorine (FAC).  Ideal fac: 2.0 – 4.0 ppm.
Total available chlorine (TAC).

FAC and TAC should be equal, if not then it’s an unsanitary pool due to combined available chlorine (CAC).  Which can create eye and skin irritation and offensive odors.

Maximum CAC – 0.2 ppm

Super chlorinate if the pool has low or no chlorine or algae.

Shock with a non chlorinate product if FAC level is at least 1.0 ppm and no algae present.

When testing water and using chemicals – read all directions, test water before adding chemicals.  Always add chemicals to a bucket  of water first unless noted.  Add chemicals to pool when pump is running unless noted.  If you have any questions, contact your pool supply store, they have trained employees who are always happy to help.

Preventive Chemical Maintenance

Perform preventative chemical maintenance during swim season.

Once a week use algae control

Add “Pool Perfect” to prevent scum lines.

Add “PhosFree” to remove phosphates.  When phosphates are removed algae can’t grow in a sanitized pool.

Twice a month add chemicals to prevent discoloration and stains.  (Contact pool supply store)