First Pool
Balancing
- Chlorine keeps your pool algae free by eliminating bacteria,
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Acid lowers the pool's pH to ensure chlorine works best,
- Ideal pH: 7.2 (Chlorine is 62.5% effective)
- Not great: pH 8.8 (Chlorine is only 9% effective)
Achieving that crystal clear, refreshing pool water isn't about adding a random mix of chemicals and hoping for the best, it's quite a simple science. You need to add both of these chemicals on a regular basis to ensure the pool doesn't turn green (many Australians have a saltwater chlorinator which simply turns Salt into Chlorine, lowering chemical costs).
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Alkalinity (Sodium Bicarbonate) helps stabilise pH levels and prevent rapid changes
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Stabiliser (Cyanuric Acid) slows down Chlorine burn off, allowing it to last eight times longer during summer only
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Calcium (Calcium Hardness) protects the equipment and pool surface. Without it, you'll get white protruding stains (known as "Calcium leeching")
Some chemicals will only be used situationally:
- Phosphate Remover can be useful in areas with many trees/animals, as phosphates come from these sources and encourage algae growth
- Copper offers an alternative to Chlorine. It also kills bacteria but at much slower rate, typically used during winter
- Minerals like Magnesium, Potassium, and Boron can improve the feel of your water and have other benefits, they can be used interchangeably with Salt
- Clarifiers bind fine particles together so your filter can pick them up
- Flocculant also binds fine particles, however it's much stronger, dropping sediment to the bottom of the pool for vacuuming
- Oxidisers are used to remove Dead Chlorine, which builds up over time and stops your Free Chlorine from working effectively
- Bromine is used as an alternative to Chlorine in spas, as it's more stable at higher temperatures
- Scooping Debris from the top and bottom of your pool on a regular basis
- Emptying Baskets frequently to ensure you don't get water flow issues, includes skimmer basket, pump basket and the cleaner's basket if it has one
- Refilling Pool to at least halfway up the skimmer door, so debris gets caught and the equipment doesn't run dry
- Backwash Filter to flush fine sediment to the sewer, the filter handle should be moved to "Backwash" for 2 minutes and then "Rinse" for 30 seconds (pump must be off when moving the handle)
- Clean Cartridge if you do not have a media filter, simply hose the element down
- Vacuum Surface with the manual vacuum pole attachment and a hose connected to your vacuum plate (inside skimmer box), filter handle should be on "Waste" to get the sediment to the sewer, vacuuming may not be required if you do not get fine sediment or have a robotic cleaner
- Check Salt Cell for any calcification (if you have one), this can be easily removed by detaching the cell and pouring a solution (10% Hydrochloric Acid, 90% Water) inside and leaving it to sit for 30 minutes
Equipment
The main drain, skimmer and valves allow the water to leave the main body of water and return, however it will not do this alone. A pump is required to pull the water from the suction line to the return line. The whole reason the water needs to leave the pool is to be filtered. That's where either a cartridge filter or media filter come in, they remove fine sediment, algae and other particles from your pool.
Instead of manually balancing the chlorine levels daily, pool owners usually purchase an automatic chlorine doser or a saltwater chlorinator to have this part of maintenance done for them.
The same goes for debris that makes it way into the water. An automatic suction, pressure or robotic cleaner can be installed to make life significantly easier.
Heaters, covers and pool lights are truly optional, however can provide an additional level of comfort or style to any pool. There are three types of heaters and two types of covers that are put in for different purposes, whereas lights are only a cosmetic addition.
Use our free water analysis software to balance your pool from the comfort of home
