Tips for looking after your swimming pool

Bahamas Pool

Here are some simple tips to keep your pool in great condition

Tip # 1

Water Balance is the key to ensuring everything works well, by regular monitoring you will be able to control any fluctuations and get on top of problems quickly. During warmer weather when pools are used more frequently it should be tested at last every two weeks as a minimum.

Tip # 2

Check your equipment regularly, your pool equipment is subjected to:

• harsh chemicals
• The environment
• Everyday operation
• Chemical imbalances
• Bather overload ( That's lots of people )
• Animals ( Yes all types of animals love hiding in your equipment where possible )

If you notice any leaks or your cell has calcium carbonate encrusted on the plates or your pump is making a strange noise or anything that just doesn't look right, then ask your local pool shop about it and get it fixed. Leaving any problem can result in big costs to fix if not done early.

Tip # 3

Clean your filter.

Any filter such as a sand filter or cartridge filter must be cleaned often.

Filters are the lungs for your pool, dirty filters means dirty or cloudy pool.

Sand filters must be back-washed and rinsed when required, most have pressure gauges and once the pressure hits an upper limit you must do this, by not back-washing and rinsing ( it is important to rinse, just imagine this process like a dishwasher, first you clean ( back-wash ) the you must rinse to get rid of all the dirt, if this is not done together, then you are only putting the grime back into the pool )

Cartridge filters need to be taken out and hosed down frequently, at least every two weeks, if the filter still looks dirty after hosing down then you may have to soak this in a cartridge cleaner solution and this will break down all of the fats or dirt which will be cleaned more easily.

If your pool water looks cloudy all the time even after cleaning filters then it may be time to change your sand filters media or a new cartridge is required. Typically you will have to change these every 7 to 10 years depending on bather load or usage of the pool or spa.

Cave Thermal and Mineral Baths @ Miskolc-Tapolca, Hungary

Tip # 4

Clean your pool often.

You need to spend as much time vacuuming your pool as you do cleaning your home, even more if there is a lot of debris falling into it. Dirt, dust, plant material or animals can quickly turn a pool into a swamp which isn't pleasant, phosphates will infiltrate your pool water and with this plus debris provides a paradise for algae to grow.

The costs of cleaning up algae and balancing your water again, far out weighs the cost of vacuuming your pool, this is why pool cleaners and robot pool cleaners are so popular as these do all the work for you, it's not a sin to use one as we are all time poor and well worth the money.

  

Tip # 5
Your pool is a luxury destination.
Look after your pool and it will look after you with years of enjoyment, it is a fun place for the family an entertainment hub for bbq's, pool parties or just a place to escape from the world to be by yourself, your own private oasis.

The Pool Professor

Deep Diving Pool

Swimming Pool History

Welcome to the wonderful world of swimming pools and the start of a series of handy information to make your pool experience so much better.

But first some history and thoughts.

Swimming pools have been in existence for thousands of years, some of the first known pools date back as far as 2,500 B.C. in ancient Egypt, the Romans and Greeks also implemented swimming schools as part of their educational system.

The swimming pool however never really gained popularity till after the 1896 Olympics held in Athens, Greece, where the sport was first hosted and has always been a part of the Olympics ever since.

When you consider the overwhelming requirement for water in our everyday lives to survive, having been nurtured in our mothers womb of liquid, the fact that we are approximately 65% water and as a species evolved from the oceans eons ago, it is no surprise that being in water for most is as natural as breathing.

As you can see below our Planet is abundant in water, albeit only a small proportion of it is drinkable, but that is a discussion for another time.

So the urge to capture and tame water for our own enjoyment is natural to us and one of the best ways to do this is with the humble swimming pool, to be enjoyed all year round if we choose, our own liquid connection to nature.

Over time these pools have evolved from simply built holes in the ground filled with water, to luxurious architectural masterpieces.

Advances in equipment for swimming pools have brought about easier maintenance and with technology advances, actual swimming pool water qualities have evolved to give you everything from basic straight chlorine to fresh water bio systems and a lot in between, which we will all cover later on.

As we go through each type of system i will provide you information to help you make your swimming pool experience just that much easier and make your pool what it should be, Enjoyable.

See you next time where we will discuss the importance of water balance in your pool.

The Pool Professor