Pool Care 101

It’s that great time of year when pools are open and looking clean and ready to be enjoyed. The sun is starting to shine after a long, wet, and cold spring, so it’s good practice to start to get into your regular pool maintenance routine.

To prevent any minor problems from becoming serious, get to know your pool and watch for any irregularities.

Cloudy Water

If you notice your pool is starting to go cloudy, a clarifier can fix the issue. However, the cloudiness is usually caused by algae starting to grow or algae dying off. We recommend “shocking” the water with the appropriate type of shock for your pool. Allow the fine sediment to settle to the floor. If you have a sand filter, we recommend you vacuum the pool on the “waste” or “drain” setting on the filter, keeping in mind you will lose some water. This will take the dead algae out of the pool.  

Be sure to check the pressure of the filter and the flow of the water. It’s very common this time of year to have less flow due to filtration. If you find that your flow is low, or the pressure on the filter is increasing, we recommend backwashing your sand filter for four minutes. If you have a cartridge filter, you’ll need take the cartridges out and give them a good cleaning.

Expert Tips: What does it mean to “shock” your pool?
Shocking a pool refers to adding a granular oxidizer (pool shock) to the water in sufficient quantity to treat the pool’s water and get it ready for swimming.

Debris

Debris is everywhere and is your pool’s enemy.  From grass trimmings to your neighbour’s tree dropping everything into your pool, debris can cause issues. Check your skimmer basket often and clear out anything that may be in the basket. Be sure to check your pump basket as well.  Clean baskets help with circulation and circulation helps keep your pool looking clean.

Water Level

Always maintain a water level of about halfway up the mouth of the skimmer. In years where there has been a lot of rain, this probably would not be an issue, but as the sun shines, the weather warms, and the pool is used more, the water level can drop. Keep an eye on the water level and top up the pool accordingly. Please keep in mind that the more freshwater that goes in the pool, the more often you should be bringing in water tests to Cannonball Pools.

Green Pools

Green pools can be a problem, especially when we experience a milder winter or wet spring.  Here are some steps to help clean a green pool:

Dazzle™ Algae Destruction Method

The Dazzle™ algae destruction method is designed to be an easy-to-use, highly effective way to destroy algae problems with one application, including clearing up the water. It alleviates the need for messy, hard-to-use flocculants and filter aids, saving you time and frustration. The Dazzle™ method does not waste water and does not require a lot of work. Just apply the products and let them do their thing!

What is the Process?

1. Brush and vacuum the pool to remove as much physical debris as possible.
2. Where possible, test and balance the water – especially the pH (7.4 – 7.6). All swimming pool products work more effectively when the water is properly balanced.
3. Use Dazzle™ Ultra Shock: Provides an initial shock treatment to the water. Use at the rate of 125 grams per 10,000 litres to provide the necessary chlorine and oxidation pretreatment for the algaecide. Apply slowly into a clean, empty skimmer for best results. Wait 15 minutes before moving to step #4.
4. Use Dazzle™ Algae Clear 60. Our most powerful all-purpose algaecide. Use at the rate of 100 ml per 10,000 litres to provide the necessary algae destroying capability to the water. Apply by pouring the required amount around the edges of the swimming pool. Ideally, wait until the pool water turns a milky colour before moving to Step #5.
5. Use Dazzle™ Clear Rebound: Our most effective product for accelerating the destruction of algae and for digesting the dead algae to return the water to the desired clarity. Use at the rate of 160 ml per 10,000 litres by pouring around the edges of the pool. Dazzle™ Clear Rebound digests dead algae, removing it from the pool. In colder water, this may take more time but a return to desired clarity should take place in 2 – 4 days. In very heavily infested swimming pools, a second application of Dazzle™ Clear Rebound may be required after 2 days.

What you will see:

1. Pool water will turn from green to milky blue (usually within 24 hours).
2. Water will foam, bubble and milky appearance will gradually fade.
3. Water clarity returns!

General Maintenance

It’s good practice to pick a day that consistently suits you best to do your pool water balancing, cleaning, and general pool check. The balancing of the water and your weekly routine does depend on the pool, but if you stick to a regular day, you should have no problem keeping the pool balanced and clean. It’s easier to maintain than it is to clean a green pool.

Feel free to pop into Cannonball Pools for your free water tests, or if you have any questions about maintenance procedures that are specific to your pool.