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How to Take Care of your Swimming Pool

Below are a few basic pointers on how to care for your pool and let’s face it, looking after your pool makes sense, it’s an asset you need to protect.

If you have a pool, it’s a good idea to establish the volume. If it has a regular shape, then you’re simply looking at length x width x average depth (measured at the mid point between the shallow and the deep ends (in metres) x 1000 = volume in litres. So… 8 x 4 x 1.2 x 1000 = 38400 litres. For an irregular pool – round, oval or kidney-shaped – use the same formula; multiply the length x average width x average depth. You won’t be 100% spot on, but you should get close.

If you are having a pool installed, take note of the time required to fill it. Then, with the hose running at the same rate, take note of the time it takes to fill a 20 litre container, for example. From there, it’s a simple calculation to establish the precise capacity: 9 hours 40 minutes to fill the pool = 540 + 40 = a total of 580 minutes. Time taken to fill the 20 litre container = 30 seconds. The flow rate is 40 litres per minute x 580 = 23200 litres.

What is pH?

pH runs from 0 (highly acidic) to 14 (highly alkaline) and is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. Distilled water is neutral, at a pH of 7.0. Your pool’s pH must be right or you will never get the best out of your pool. Experts agree that a pH reading of 7.4 is just about right – in other words, slightly alkaline.

The Basics

  • Buy a good chemical test kit.
  • Test daily (or more often in hot, sunny weather when the pool is in heavy use) The pH reading using the phenol red test should be between 7.2 and 7.6 (or as near to the average 7.4 as possible) .
  • To raise the pH, add soda ash (sodium carbonate) as per the instructions on the container until the correct reading is obtained.
  • To lower the pH, add 100g of dry acid (sodium bisulphate) as per the instructions on the container until the correct reading is obtained. When adding the dry acid, disperse it over as wide an area of the pool as possible.
  • Floating canisters of chlorine are the easiest means by which to ensure adequate supplies of chlorine, as they are maintenance free. The canister will normally last for about three weeks to a month and it floats on its side when the chlorine runs out. All you have to do is remove it from your pool and put another one in.
  • Keep a container of dry acid handy, ready for those shock treatments that will probably be needed just before or after a downpour, and every so often when the pool is being used virtually every day.
  • Keep your pool covered when it’s not in use so that leaves cannot drop into it and so that evaporation is reduced.

Shopping List

  • Chemical Test Kit
  • Soda Ash
  • Dry Acid
  • Chlorine

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