Tips&Tricks

Pool School Tips

Pool School

WATER LEVEL:
NEVER attempt to empty your pool of water. Doing so may cause a collapse of the walls from ground surface pressure.
Always maintain a water level of at least four inches above the bottom of the skimmer opening.

  • If water level is above the top of the skimmer opening, the filter system well is unable to skim the floating debris from the pool surface
  • If water level is below the bottom of the skimmer opening, your pump may lose its prime.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPER CHEMICAL BALANCES
Upon completion of your pool, our employee has ensured the proper balance of your pool. In this process, 16 oz. of a sequestering agent (Metal Magnet) usually is added by your dealer because of the unusual amounts of minerals and hardness of our local water. We STRONGLY RECOMMEND continued use of this product every two weeks to help your filter remove these minerals and help prevent staining and scaling. Failure to use a metal chelating product may result in staining to the pool walls which is not covered by your pool warranty!
Recommended Ranges for Desired Water Balance:

Salt Pools
Chlorine 1 – 3 ppm
pH 7.2 – 7.8
Alkalinity 80 – 120 ppm
Calcium Hardness 225 ppm  (will cause staining and white chalk if higher than 300)
Stabilizer 60-100 ppm

Chlorine Pools
Chlorine 1 ppm or less
pH 7.4
Alkalinity 80 – 120 ppm
Calcium Hardness 225 ppm (will cause staining and white chalk if higher than 300)
Stabilizer 30-50 ppm

Understanding Chlorinators (If no salt system)

Chlorine Continuous disinfection of water must be maintained. The use of 3” chlorine tabs is recommended for this purpose. A level between .6 and 1 ppm pf chlorine residual is optimal. DO NOT USE LIQUID CHLORINE.

Understanding Salt Systems

AquaRite uses an electrolytic technology to convert a small amount of salt (1 tsp/gallon) into a virtually endless supply of fresh, pure chlorine. This process produces enough chlorine to satisfy the normal sanitization requirements of pools up to 40,000 gallons. And since salt doesn’t wear out or evaporate, additional salt is rarely needed.
pH Control
pH is the measure of acidity or alkalinity of the water. The maintenance of the proper pH level is extremely important as it is responsible for the bacterial action of the chlorine, swimmer comfort and prevents deterioration of the equipment and the pool itself. pH level of 7.4 – 7.6 is ideal.
Frequency of Testing:
Chlorine and pH levels should be checked 2-3 times per week. Total Alkalinity, Calcium Hardness and Stabilizer are all integral components of your pool chemistry and should be checked at least 5-6 times a year. Consult a Pool Chemistry Book on specific consequences of the above steps.

Salt Level
If salt machine is reading 2500 or below, add 1 bag of salt.
If the check cell light is on, and the salt light is on, check cell light, may indicate you need salt
If check cell light is on and salt balance is okay, clean cell with salt scape cell cleaner and hold the diagnostic button for 5 seconds.

Phosphate Guidelines (Either Salt or Chlorinator)

Make sure all chemicals are in balance.
If you have algae, kill is first.
Add Phosphate Remover to the skimmer and let the pool run for 48 hours.
After 48 hours, clean the filter and retest the chemicals.

CLEANING OF THE FIBERGLASS:

Use a damp sponge or rag to wipe clean dust or dirt marks. Scotch rite pads made by 3M do an excellent job. Of you have stubborn spots on the coping or around the water line, most non-abrasive household cleaners may be used. We recommend Soft Scrub.

For stubborn stain that cannot be removed by the above, use a mild abrasive cleanser on a piece of very fine wet and dry sandpaper. DO NOT USE BRILLO PADS OR ACETONE.

OTHER FILTER PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS:

  1. If the cartridge is coated with oily substance due to suntan lotion or body oils, these oils can be removed by soaking filter cartridge in detergent soap solution or preferably TSP (tri-sodium phosphate). Rinse thorough after soaking in either solutions.
  2. If the cartridge is coated with a hard, solid material it may indicate a calcium build-up on the fabric. Soak the cartridge in a solution of 4 parts water and 1-part muriatic acid in a plastic container for 2-4 hours. Rinse thorough after soaking.
  3. If the cartridge is coated with algae, soak in a solution of 1-part chlorine and 1-part water. Rinse thorough after soaking.
  4. If the filter seems to be stained, try all steps in the above order only. Doing Step 2 before Step 1 will cause oils and lotions to solidify.

LADDER AND RAIL MAINTENANCE AND CLEANING:
WHEN ADDING CHLORINE PRODUCTS TO POOL WATER, DO NOT ADD NEAR RAILS AND LADDERS.

STAINLESS STEEL PRODUCTS:
Stainless steels are iron-based alloys that contain chromium, which combines with oxygen to form an invisible protective film on surface: however, it is not entirely stainless. With proper care, your stainless-steel pool rails and ladders with provide years of service by doing the following:

  1. Regularly inspect and thoroughly clean mounting hardware, replace when needed. Corrosion is common in crevices, weld points, under gaskets and bolt heads where small amounts of liquid can collect and become stagnant.
  2. Routine cleaning is the only way to maintain the protective film on your stainless-steel pool rails and ladders and prevent rust. Rust and corrosion occur when contaminants become trapped and embedded in the protective film.
  3. Use warm water, a gentle soap or detergent and a soft cloth to briskly rub along the polish lines of the steel. Polishing with cotton cloth and Windex-type product with restore luster. In the event of discoloration or rust, Boni Ami or equivalent, applied with wet cotton cloth works well. Always be sure to thoroughly rinse after cleaning.
  4. So-called “stainless Steel cleaners” may scratch the surface and contain bleach, which can dull the surface.
  5. For stubborn stains, try Copper-Brite, Revere Ware Cleaner, Sta-Clean, Stainless Shine and Twinkle.
  6. For extra stubborn stains (they may scratch surface), try 3M Stainless Steel Cleaner, Soft Scrub.

MARINE GRADE STAINLESS STEAL PRODUCTS:
Follow the above procedures for inspecting and maintaining. To clean, you may use alcohol or other common household cleaners such as Formula 409, Lysol or Pine-Sol.

STAIN TREATMENT – SALT SYSTEM

  1. Put Salt Machine on Auto 0%, get chlorine reading 1 ppm or below
  2. Clean filter
  3. With pump running, add a bottle of Iron Stain Remover to pool on the stained area.
  4. Brush pool and stained areas.
  5. After one hour of adding stain remover and pumps on, add 16 oz. of Pool Magnet.
  6. Let pool run 24-48 hours. After 48 hours,
  7. Vacuum and thoroughly clean filter again.
  8. Test chemicals and adjust to ideal levels (get stabilizer cyanuric acid to 100 ppm).
  9. Put Salt Machine on Super Chlorinate 100%. Next day go back and put Salt Machine to Auto
    then back to Super Chlorinate making sure Super chlorinate light is on.
  10. Next day, test pool for chlorine levels. If reading is still low, repeat #9 and run pump. If reading is 3 ppm, put machine on Auto 30-50% (test chlorine levels following day to see where your salt system % should be. Different based on your pump schedule and use. 

PUMP OR MOTOR:
NEVER run your pump dry. The warranty on your pump and motor is null and void if the pump has run dry. An automatic timer is provided with your pool to turn the pump on and off daily. Optimum time for running the pump and filter is 7 hours a day.

Your pump may turnover approximately 3,000 gallons an hour during operation. Since algae will tend to grow in warm stagnant water, the pump should be running during daylight hours when the sun is the hottest to prevent algae growth.

Periodically, the leaf basket of the pump should be cleaned. Upon removing the pump cover, clean the O-ring thoroughly to prevent debris from causing air to enter the system.

FILTER EQUIPMENT:
Consult your manufacturer’s instruction on the operation, maintenance and warranty.