Pool maintenance will keep the water clean and safe throughout the swimming season. The steps listed below should be included in your weekly pool maintenance routine.
Remove any leaves or debris
Skimming is the first step in your weekly maintenance routine and should be done on a daily basis. Collect leaves, insects, and other debris floating on the pool’s surface with a long-handled leaf skimmer.
Remove debris as soon as possible before it sinks to the bottom of your pool, where it becomes difficult to remove and may cause stains. Do you have trees around your pool? Trim them back to reduce the amount of debris that falls into the water.
Skimming the surface of your pool takes only a few minutes and keeps the water clear. More importantly, the debris you skim off the top of the water never has a chance to clog your filtration system or dirty the bottom of your pool.
Brush debris from Pool Walls
Algae and small debris can gather on your pool’s walls, as well as pool fixtures such as ladders and slides. Brush the pool walls and fixtures once a week to remove dirt and keep algae from spreading.
Remove dirt from the sides and bottom of your pool, as well as ladders, slides, and other pool accessories, with a brush.
Brush the debris toward the main drain so that it can be easily vacuumed up.
Vacuum the Pool
Once the algae and sediment have been brushed away from the pool’s walls, they can be vacuumed up, along with any other debris that has floated to the bottom.
Automatic Vacuum
If you use an automatic vacuum, all you have to do is plug it in, place it in the water, and let it do the work! Automatic pool vacuums are classified into three types: robotic, pressure, and suction.
Robotic vacuums use less energy and operate independently of your pool’s existing filtration system.
Pressure vacuums move around your pool by using a pressure line from the filtration system. To function, they require a pool pump and, in most cases, an additional booster pump.
Suction vacuums draw water from your filtration system and connect to a dedicated suction port or skimmer. They are the most cost-effective option.
Clean Skimmer
You should also clean out your skimmer(s) once a week, or more frequently if necessary. Debris removal allows the skimmer to operate at maximum efficiency, catching the majority of debris that ends up in your pool.
Maintain a close eye on the water level in your pool. If the water level is higher than halfway up the skimmer, debris will not be collected effectively.
Check the skimmer every time you skim the pool’s surface to ensure it’s clean.
Keep Your Pump Running
Your pool’s circulation system includes the skimmer, pump, pump strainer, drains, and filter. The system ensures that water is properly filtered and that chemicals work effectively.
Run your pump long enough each day to ensure that the water is properly filtered and that every component of the circulation system is clean and in good working order.
Backwash the filter as needed
The three most common types of pool filters – sand, cartridge, and vertical grid DE – screen out debris and particles from the water. You should clean and maintain your filter as directed by the manufacturer.
Check your pool filter weekly and clean out any debris that has accumulated.
As needed, backwash the pool filter (weekly for pools that see a lot of use; or when the filter gauge reads 8-10 psi higher than normal).
Test Pool Water and Add Chemicals
Test the water in your pool on a regular basis (daily or weekly, depending on usage) and add chemicals as needed, following the manufacturer’s instructions.
Chemicals are usually added to the pool on a daily basis. These pool chemicals include various disinfectants and sanitizers that work to control the growth of algae and bacteria in pool water.
Regular shock treatments remove algae, bacteria, dirt, and any other organic matter that has accumulated in the pool. For shock treatments, follow the packs’ instructions.
When your chemical treatment program and filtration system work in conjunction, pool maintenance is simplified. The rainy season will have an adverse effect on the water’s chemical balances, and rainwater brings nutrients from the air, which could be algae, as well as Ozone, which, when mixed with your pool water, will change the pH levels. This creates ideal conditions for algae to flourish.
The following are some helpful hints for pool maintenance during the rainy season:
- To be safe for people to swim in, your pool must have the proper PH level. Maintaining proper levels will be easier if you continue to monitor the PH level in your pool at regular times.
- Rain is frequently slightly acidic, and it also collects pollen and other organic materials that end up in a pool. During prolonged rainfall, it is best to check the chemical balance of a pool every few hours.
- The rainy season brings nutrients and Ozone, which, when mixed with pool water, alter the pH levels. This creates ideal conditions for algae to thrive. Algae may appear to be stuck to the pool’s sides, but it is actually free floating and will easily wash away.
- Brush the swimming pool’s walls and floor to remove as much algae as possible. This will significantly reduce the time required to kill and clear the algae bloom.
- If nutrients are present and a sufficient level of free chlorine is not maintained, algae can grow in swimming pools.
- Chlorination kills harmful microorganisms that can cause illnesses like gastroenteritis, Legionnaires disease, ear infections, and athlete’s foot.
- For more persistent algae problems, try an Africhem algaecide. Africhem Algaecide is classified into two types: metallic and ammonia. Both are effective, but ammonia-based algaecide is typically preferred because it is less expensive and less likely to stain the pool.
- During the rainy season, the water becomes discolored and contaminated with bacteria and algae. A chlorine shock treatment is highly recommended to eliminate all bacteria and algae. After a rain, shock it by doubling the chlorine. At least until the pollen count falls.
- Your pool should be filtered daily to ensure that dirt and debris are removed and that adequate circulation is provided.
- In general, the pH should never be lower than 7.2. Work to raise the pH level of the pool to 7.2 to 7.4. It is important to note that chlorine dissipates quickly when the pH level is less than 7.0 and performs poorly when the pH level is greater than 8.0.
Do weekly pool maintenance because it is critical to keep the pool clean and safe for swimmers. Allowing dirt and debris to sit undisturbed for extended periods of time will promote discoloration or staining. You may need to lower the water level in your pool during the rainy season to maintain the proper level (halfway up the skimmer opening.) Do not let the pool overflow. It is recommended that dead algae be vacuumed to waste rather than filtered. To ensure that dead algae are not trapped inside the pool filter, it should be backwashed or cleaned. If the filter is not thoroughly cleaned, the algae may return quickly.
If your backyard pool is turning green, you may have algae on the pool walls and in the water. Even if you take good care of your pool, it can grow different types of algae depending on the conditions. To get rid of slimy green buildup on the underwater surfaces of your pool, you may need to shock it.
What Are the causes of green pools?
Algae grow in chlorine pools when the chlorine level is low and the pH has shifted away from neutral. Algae can grow in a salt-water pool if the salt level is low or if the system malfunctions. Algae prefers hot weather and stagnant water, so if you leave your pool unused for an extended period of time during the summer, you may find an algae invasion. Keep in mind that the hot sun will burn off the effective chlorine in the water, so even if you think you’re doing everything right, your pool’s composition may have slipped below the critical point.
Green algae is the most common type of algae found in pools, and it can spread and grow quickly once inside. Green algae can accumulate on the pool’s walls and floor, making the surfaces feel slimy. It also floats in water, giving the entire pool a cloudy and green appearance.
How Do I Get Rid of Algae Stains?
While using the pool, keep an eye out for other types of algae. Yellow or mustard algae, which is resistant to normal chlorine levels, can grow in a shaded corner of the pool. Black spot algae are even more difficult to eradicate and can cause permanent damage to your pool’s underwater surfaces. It is difficult to detect and resistant to chlorine. Pink slime, which is caused by bacteria rather than algae and frequently grows inside polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, piping, may also be seen.
The first step in eliminating nasty algae is to repair and clean the pool. First, correct it by testing to determine the pH, chlorine level, and stabilizer or other important chemicals. What you test depends on the chemical system in your pool; you should understand what components are important and how they interact so that you can test properly.
Remove Algae on Pool Walls
To keep removing algae from pool walls, turn on your pump if it’s turned off and adjust your system until you’re in the ideal pH, chlorine, stabilizer, and alkalinity range. After that, skimmer the pool with a net for gross matter and then brush or vacuum the pool surfaces to scrub away the algae. Use a brush that will clean your pool’s walls and floor without damaging it.
Following this step, manually vacuuming the pool with a pool vacuum will help remove any stubborn algae that remain attached to pool surfaces. After you’ve completed this step, clean out your filters, which are most likely filled up with buildup and debris.
Next, shock your pool. Pool shock treatment is the process of dumping a high concentration of chlorine (or another shock chemical depending on the type of pool) into the water, which quickly kills bacteria, algae, and other potential contaminants. Because sunlight will burn off chlorine and make the shock less effective, shock the pool in the evening so it can work overnight. Continue testing the water and cleaning the filter with your pump set to maximum. Return to the pool only when your chlorine level has returned to normal.