A Beginners Guide To Pool Maintenance
A swimming pool will bring you hours of fitness, fun and the opportunity to spend quality family time with each other. With any pool, there also comes maintenance, and here at Barrier Reef Pools Perth, we’ve come up with a handy guide for any first-time pool owner.
Keep on top of your maintenance, and you won’t encounter any long-term problems. Our beginner’s guide to pool maintenance offers tips on what really counts to keep your pool clean and healthy.
Circulation
Your swimming pool water needs to be circulated every single day, and swim pool pumps enable this to happen. Water is drawn from your pool by the suction created from the pump and is then returned after it’s been filtered, heated and treated.
To maximise the best circulation, check that the pump basket is clean and run your pump for eight to twelve hours a day.
Filtration
Any swimming pool needs a filtration system to remove contaminants such as dirt and debris and prevent the build-up and growth of harmful bacteria. A pump and a filter work together to create good quality water. The pump is the heart of your filtration system, while the filter itself completes the process.
The pump pushes pool water through the filter system, and as water passes through, the dirt and bacteria are removed, and clean water returns to the pool.
Without this filtration, water may become cloudy. A build-up of dust, pollen and sweat from swimmers is not what you want harbouring in your pool. Sand, cartridge or diatomaceous earth filters (DE) are the three main filter types available.
Sanitation
People are the primary source of contamination in any pool, and any swimming pool owner should recognise the importance of ensuring proper sanitation. Chlorine is the most popular pool sanitiser which disinfects the water and removes debris.
Other sanitising systems include the use of salt chlorine, bromine, ozone and ionisers. Without sanitation, untreated water will become a breeding ground for bacteria which can cause ear infections, stomach illnesses and skin rashes.
As a pool owner, you will also need to keep on top of PH, total alkalinity and calcium hardness in your water. PH levels indicate acidity and alkaline levels, and you should aim for a pH level between 7 and 7.6. Alkalinity and pH are connected, and total alkalinity is the term used to measure all alkaline chemicals in your water. If it’s low, the pH balance won’t be stable.
Calcium hardness refers to the amount of mineral calcium dissolved in your water. If your calcium level is too low, then it could damage your grout and metal rails and even decking. If it’s too high, your water may become cloudy, and you’ll see a build-up of white scale. Depending on the size of your pool, calcium levels in the range of 200 to 400ppm (parts per million) are ideal.
Barrier Reef Pools Perth has the largest supply of fibreglass pools in Perth. We can advise you on all your swimming pool needs and offer guidance on maintenance. Our online reviews demonstrate why we’re the preferred choice, so come and look at our pools for yourself at one of our display centres in Perth.
