How to Properly Maintain Your Swimming Pool

It’s essential to keep up with proper maintenance. Here’s an overview of the most important things to keep an eye on.

Pool Chemicals

1) pH & Alkalinity Level

Once a month, check the pH & Alkalinity level of your water to make sure it has the proper measurement of acidity and alkalinity. The ideal pH reading is 7.2 to 7.6 & Alkalinity is 80-100 ppm

2) Chlorine

When using Sustain you will need to add 1- 3” Tab per 10,000 Gallons of water and 1 8oz scoop of Energizers per 5,000 Gallons of water.

Your Salt Generator should be running at 3000ppm of salt.

When using Ez Clor Big Tabs add 1 – 3” Tab per 10,000 Gallons of water and add 1lb of shock it per 10,000 Gallons of Water once a week. (Ex. if you have 20,000 Gallons of water add 2- 3” tabs and 2lbs of shock it.)

3) Algae Prevention

Nothing ruins the appearance of your pool more than algae growing on the surface. This happens when you have either a heavy bather load (pool party) in the water, or contaminants in wind and rain will deplete the chlorine supply. It’s a good idea to use an Algaecide when you open the pool to help prevent any algae growth. If you end up with some algae you should add 1lb per 5,000 Gallons of water to shock it daily till the pool until clean and also 8oz per 10,000 Gallons of water of Ez Clor Mustard Algaecide(only once to prevent foaming).

4) Stain Prevention

Metals have become an increasing issue due to well water, and metal components in your pool equipment. The best way to prevent any metals in the pool is to add 1 qt of Metal Magnet per 10,000 Gallons of water to your pool right after you open your pool (before any chlorine is added to the pool). If you start to see metal stains you can use a product called Pool Stain Treat.

Maintaining the Water Level

It’s important to keep the water level ¾ the way up the skimmer. A lower level will damage the pump and filter, but if the level is too high, the skimmer will not work efficiently. Check the water level at least once a week.

Surface Skimmers, Strainers, and Filters

Skim the pool’s surface every few days to remove floating debris. Strainer baskets should typically be cleaned of leaves and other debris once a week. Your filters will also need to be maintained.

Vacuum and Brush

Dust, soil, and sediment will gather periodically at the bottom of your pool. If the water is adequately circulating, the skimmer can catch most of it. However, you’ll still want to vacuum about once a week to remove all debris. First, remove any leaves with a leaf rake or leaf net. Do not vacuum large items as they may clog the plumbing lines.

Once you’ve vacuumed, lightly clean the interior walls with a soft brush approved for vinyl walls. At the water level, you may see a ring caused by suntan products, body oils, and contaminants. You can remove this with a gentle surface cleaner.

Your Pool Cover

A pool cover is essential for preventing unsupervised children and pets from falling into the water. Over the course of the year, it is exposed to harsh environmental conditions and chemicals, so it needs to be maintained properly.

How long to run your Filter/Pump?

You want to make sure you run your pool 8-12 hours a day. Make sure it is running during the day to prevent any algae grown. During the day is when the pool is getting the most use, it is the warmest part of the day with the sun shining and all these are perfect combinations for algae growth.

As you get ready for days of suntan, barbecue, and family fun, take some time to go over these maintenance steps to ensure your pool gives you the maximum enjoyment this summer.