Atlantis Pool Service & Supply Co.
13811
S. 80th Avenue, Orland Park, IL 60462-1707
(708) 349-6783
Pool Care
Pursue a routine maintenance schedule iin order to help achieve and maintain water chemistry. Initially, pool maintenance may seem complicated and time-consuming. But, once routine maintenance becomes an integrated part of your life as a pool owner, it will be very easy to maintain your pool.
Once
your pool is clean, clear, blue, and sparkling, it becomes much easier
to maintain. It is always easier to maintain a pool and prevent problems
than it is to rectify problems. With far less time and effort, as well
as money, you can maintain your pool and keep it inviting all season long.
Due to varying bather loads from pool-to-pool and varying climates from
region-to-region, there is no maintenance schedule. You must recognize
your personal pool needs and you must budget your time in order to follow
a routine maintenance schedule that works best for you and your pool.
To Start
Basic Pool Care
Chemicals
Hardware
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You must constantly test for chlorine (or its alternative), pH, and Alkalinity at the poolside. About once per month, or if unusual pool readings occur, take a water sample to your local pool professionals and have them test every chemical reading on the computer. Test chlorine (or its alternative), as well as pH and Alkalinity, 2 - 3 times per week during normal weather conditions and under normal use. Test chlorine (or its alternative) daily during periods of scorching temperatures, unbearable humidity, and intense sunlight, because that's when swimmer load is at its highest. Test chlorine (or its alternative), as well as pH and Alkalinity, after heavy rainfall, before and after a pool party, and, of course, if water appears to be cloudy, murky, or beginning to form algae. The only way that you can accurately depict the condition of your water is by administering the actual tests. Either with test strips or test kits, the tests only take minutes to perform. Test strips and reagents (or tablets) for test kits are also inexpensive.
What products you use to dose the pool depends on (a) whether you own an outdoor pool or an indoor pool (b) whether you live in a soft water or hard water area and (c) how much time you can afford to look after your pool (high maintenance/low maintenance).
To Start
- Buy a good chemical test kit.
- Any discussion of testing chemicals and making the subsequent chemical additions assumes that you know the approximate gallons of your pool. Knowing the capacity of your pool (in terms of gallons) is mandatory if chemical additions are to be made correctly. To assist in finding the gallonage of your pool, there are pool industry-endorsed formulas based on the shape of your pool.
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Basic Pool Care
- Test water - but do not add chemicals until the maintenance schedule for that day is complete.
- Use your net to remove all leaves and other large debris from the pool.
- Use your brush to remove dirt, algae, stains, or scale from the pool walls and floor.
- Clean all baskets - for the skimmer and the pump.
- Vacuum - remove any settled and remaining dirt, leaves or other debris from the pool.
- Clean the filter - if it is a sand filter or a DE filter, then backwash. If it is a cartridge filter, then rinse the individual pleated filter elements with a garden hose and a pressurized nozzle.
- Add the necessary chemical(s) - from the test(s) taken earlier that day.
- Shock regularly
- You will have to create your own maintenance schedule. With your bather load and with your climate, routine maintenance is very individualized.
These are the most important factors in achieving good water quality. As an absolute minimum, you should aim to:
- Maintain Free Chroline Levels
Make sure free chlorine never falls below 1.0ppm. This is to kill harmful germs and algae. - Shock Dose
Superchlorinate the pool once a fortnight to bring the free chlorine up to 6-10ppm, using a shock chlorine. This will break down chloramines and organic pollution. - Check the pH
Correct the pH if it falls below 7.2 or rises above 7.6. Correct pH will ensure the chlorine is working effectively.
Most pool water disorders occur when there is no chlorine in the water, or when the pH has strayed. For best results, however, it is strongly recommended that you should also keep a watch on water balance, the most important features of which are::
- pH - as above
- Total Alkalinity. Low alkalinity can make it difficult to maintain the pH. High alkalinity can lead to cloudy water or scale on the surfaces.
- Calcium Hardness Correct calcium hardness will help protect pool surfaces.
and for pools using stabilised chlorine donors: - Cyanuric Acid (stabiliser). You need enough stabiliser to prevent
waste of chlorine to sunlight, but not so much that it impairs the effectiveness
of the chlorine.
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Chemicals
Free Chlorine
Test daily (or more often in hot,sunny weather when the pool is in heavy use). The free chlorine reading using the DPD no 1 test tablet should be between 1.0 - 2.5ppm (or up to 4 - 5ppm for pools using stabilised chlorines like dichlor and trichlor).Dose rate
For dichlor - 125g per 15,000 gallons to raise free chlorine by 1ppm
For trichlor - recharge the skimmer or feeder device with tablets and control chlorine levels by adjusting the water flow
For calcium hypochlorite - 100g per 15,000 gallons to raise the free chlorine by 1ppm
For sodium hypochlorite - 0.4 of a litre per 15,000 gallons to raise the free chlorine by 1 ppm
Superchlorinate
Once a fortnight, superchlorinate, preferably with an unstabilised chlorine such as calcium hypochlorite or calcium hypochlorite to raise the free chlorine to 6-10ppm. Calculate the dose rate from the figures in the preceding section.WARNING: NEVER MIX DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHLORINE TOGETHER BEFORE DOSING, AND DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO MEET IN A CONCENTRATED FORM. IF SUPERCHLORINATING VIA THE SKIMMER, ENSURE THAT ANY CHLORINE TABLETS ARE REMOVED FROM IT FIRST.
pH
Test daily (or more often in hot,sunny weather when the pool is in heavy use). The pH reading using the phenol red test tablet should be between 7.2 and 7.6 (or as near the mid-point - 7.4 as possible).Total AlkalinityDose rate
To raise pH - 0.7kg of soda ash (sodium carbonate) per 15,000 gallons per day until the correct reading is obtained.
To lower pH - 0.7kg of dry acid (sodium bisulphate) per 15,000 gallons per day until the correct reading is obtained. Dose the dry acid by dispersing over as wide an area of the pool as possible.
Test once a month. The alkalinity reading using the Alkalinity M tablet count test should be between 100-200ppm for pools using stabilised chlorines; 80-120ppm for calcium hypochlorite or 120-150ppm for sodium hypochlorite.Dose rate
To raise the alkalinity - 2kg of sodium bicarbonate per 15,000 gallons per day until the correct reading is obtained.
To lower the alkalinity - 1.4kg of dry acid (sodium bisulphate) per 15,000 gallons per day until the correct reading is obtained. Dose the dry acid in one spot in the pool - in this way it will affect alkalinity more than pH
Calcium Hardness
Test two or three times a season. The calcium hardness reading using the tablet count test should be above 350ppm - the top limit is not too important.Dose rate
To raise the calcium hardness, add calcium chloride flakes at the dose rate recommended on the pack. If it is difficult to keep calcium hardness above 350ppm, you should consider changing to calcium hypochlorite as your principal pool sanitiser
Cyanuric Acid
Test once a fortnight. The cyanuric acid (stabiliser) reading using the turbidity/disappearing dot test should be a minimum of 30ppm to prevent decomposition of chlorine to sunlight in outdoor pools. The maximum level is a matter of debate - most professionals take the view that the performance of the chlorine is adversely affected if cyanuric acid goes above 160ppm. Dept of the Environment guidelines are for a ceiling of 200ppm. Best to aim for the lower figure - 160ppm.Dose rate
To raise the stabiliser level (which will usually only be necessary in pools on unstabilised chlorines) - 2kg of cyanuric acid per 15,000 gallons.
To lower the stabiliser level - there is no chemical additive to achieve this. You will need to replace part of the pool water with fresh. The volume of water to be replaced will be pro rata e.g. to lower the stabiliser level from 180ppm to 160ppm, it will be necessary to replace just over 10% of the water.
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Pool Hardware
Cycle time
In general, the longer the pool water is being filtered, the better it
cleans the water. As a minimum, run the circulation pump continuously
when bathers are in the pool, and for four hours out of twelve at all
other times.
Filter
The purpose of the filter is to trap suspended particles in the sand or
other media and stop them getting back into the pool. It is essential
that the efficiency of the filter is not impaired. Follow the manufacturer's
instructions and backwash it (i.e. reverse the flow and drain the dirt
that has accumulated on the top of the media to waste). This should be
done at least once a fortnight, but watch the pressure guage and do it
more often if necessary. Sand should need renewal every 7 to 10 years.
Check that flow through the pump strainer is not impeded by rubbish as part of the backwash routine.
Skimmers
Clean the skimmers once a week taking out leaves and anything else that
could obstruct the water flow.
Vacuuming
If you are not operating an automatic pool sweep, vacuum the pool once
a week to remove solids that are not floating in suspension. Some (aluminium-based)
water clarifiers will drop accumulated solids to the bottom of the pool,
and vacuuming may be required shortly after treatment - see the instructions
on the pack. Exclude air from the vacuum hose before connecting it to
the attachment in the skimmer.
Brushing
Brush the sides and bottom of the pool frequently, ensuring that any algae
that may be discolouring the tiles, grouting or liner is removed (look
for this around the steps, under-water lights and 'dead spots' where water
movement is minimal). Brush towards the drain so that debris and dirt
is drawn into the hopper and onto the filter.
Tide Marks
Clean dirt from the water line with a chlorine compatible tile and liner
cleaner if it appears. Greasy deposits can act as breeding sites for algae.
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