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Don’t Let Your Pool Turn Green

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No Green Here?

The basics and more

If you want to do more than the basics of pool water management, (scooping and vacuuming) then you need to spend some time understanding pool water chemistry.

The greatest issue with pools (and spas) is inconsistent or simply no pool water maintenance. There is a learning curve for sure, however if you want to save money, then this is one area where a little time on your part will bring big savings.

If your pool water goes green, then its going to take time and money to bring it back to a healthy and swimmable state. And a green pool is simply not swimmable but can be causing issues with the pump and filtration equipment as well. So, if this scares you, and you are tempted to engage a pool water technician, not all of them are as caring as you. Yes, they may come at $50+ per call (say $100 – 200 per month) plus chemicals and on a regular cycle, or as needed. But what happens if the pool goes green between visits. How will they attend then? So, it’s in your interest to know beforehand anyways. And even your regular pool technicians’ attention may not be fool proof as they are on a time limit per pool to get through the daily number. And if your pool goes “off” well of course they get to add chemicals at your cost.

Keeping it healthy every day does require a retune and consistency in maintaining the correct balance. Fortunately, there is plenty of information available to guide you and make sure you know what you are looking at and how to keep your pool healthy.

So, ether way its best you are familiar with pool water chemistry and understand what is going on with your pool, what chemicals are being added and why. As it is, pools are mild chemical baths and the fewer chemicals the better for your health, of course keeping pool water swimmable at the same time.

For many pools maintaining a healthy, well-balanced pool is not difficult and you will only ever need a few chemicals. Many of the chemicals you see in your pool shop are only there for when there is problem. By monitoring the key 4, Chlorine, pH, Calcium Hardness and Total Alkalinity, you will have covered most of the key factors. And this will prevent issues from arising. The complexity (or lack) of pool water chemistry management is related to a few key factors and these include:

weather conditions (rain, drought, heat or cool).
supply of pool water (town supply, bore – well, rain), the first 2 may contain a range of minerals and metals, that add issues.
pool usage profile (none, little, weekly parties or irregular usage profiles)
actual surface of the pool, (Paint, Fiberglass, Marcite, Pebble Tec or the more modern plasters), the first 2 provide a non-reactive, hard, smooth surface meaning less chemical needs as the surface is inert. The remainder in the list above are softer, reactive surfaces, which need more chemicals and management, and surfaces are absorbent, (mold and algae growth).

As you can see there are a range of factors to consider and once you are knowledgeable about them and then you can look after your most times or at least know what the technician is doing and why (why the charges)

How to test

Chlorine, best to plan ahead so the level is never 0. Big weekend coming with kids etc, then be proactive a few days in advance and keep the chlorine level up 1 – 3 ppm and after the party add some more (night-time). After heavy rain, or several hot days also check and add etc chlorine even to the 3 – 5 ppm free chlorine level. Letting it get to 1 ppm means you have no leeway, and it can soon be 0.

You can test the Chlorine level with Test Strips however you are much better to get a proper test kit such as Taylor K2005, (online or pool shop). This will allow you to test daily and get a good understanding of how your pool Chlorine level fluctuates, due to weather and bather activity. Then you can be confident of your pool and its hygiene needs and be proactive, saving it going green. This will save you a good amount of cash, for a few minutes work each day.

For the pH, Calcium Hardness and Total Alkalinity, see the separate “I’m A Pool Water Chemist Now”, Blog Page.

If you do want to take on the chemical maintenance in addition to the scooping and vacuuming maintenance then you will need to invest some time into learning about pool and spa water chemistry. Improper water chemistry is obviously a problem if your water turns green and you can’t go swimming…but it is also potentially much worse than this. Poorly maintained water can absolutely cause damage to pool surfaces and pool equipment so you definitely do not want to drop the ball being the person responsible for maintaining your water. If that sounds scary to you, and sounds like too much responsibility, just know that many “service companies” actually do very little to protect your pool from chemical damage. Certainly there are many good, and totally legitimate service and maintenance companies…but so you can also say that there are many bad ones. When you learn about water chemistry you will have control over the chemical levels in your water. I can assure you that nobody, not even good service companies, will care about your pool and your pool water as much as you will care about your own.

Staying with the above example of taking on your own chemical maintenance you need to be aware that many of the chemicals available for sale in a pool and spa store you actually do not need. Many of the chemicals for sale in pool and spa stores are something that you would add to your pool once a problem has developed. If you are proactive with caring for your pool then you can probably avoid using the vast majority of these chemicals completely.

One of the most important things that pool owners can do to reduce the water chemistry and maintenance costs is to plan ahead to avoid letting the chlorine in the pool drop to zero. If you have a pool party be sure to add extra chlorine at the end of the night. If it is going to rain, or has rained a lot recently, be sure to add some extra chlorine. If it is extra hot and sunny for extended periods…you guessed it – check on those chlorine levels and top them up to the 3 to 5 ppm range. If you run at 1 ppm of free chlorine regularly this leaves you essentially no room to have the chlorine levels fluctuate before you are at zero…which you need to never do. Minimal chlorine exposure is good but not if it means that your water is constantly a problem for you to maintain.

Test strips are cheap and work reasonably well for testing sanitizer levels (although every pool owner should have the Taylor K-2006 test kit). This means that you can easily afford to test your chlorine levels every day. This will enable you to understand the range at which your pool tends to operate, as well as how much of a difference heavy bather loads or rain makes to your chlorine consumption rate. Knowledge is power when it comes to your pool water chemistry and the more you endeavor to learn and know about it, the more you will be able to effectively control your day to day chemical maintenance costs. Keep your chlorine levels a little higher than the minimum safe level of 1 ppm, closer to the 3 to 5 ppm range, and this will reduce on the amount of green water situations you encounter throughout the year.

Adding Water and Chemicals to Your Opening Up Pool

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Adding Water and Chemicals to Your Opening Up Pool

Now is the fun part, getting your pool read to dive in (well if its warm enough of course)

It’s likely that there is insufficient water in your pool to start your system and so you will be adding more. One way to save time is to run the garden hose into the pool before you remove the pool cover. This may save a day or 2 of filling now.
Now you got all the equipment connected or soon will have you don’t want the pool water turn green. So, if the water level is still too low for the equipment to function, just add liquid chlorine to the pool water and then move it about using a telescopic pole and attached brush – broom. It’s not too effective but better than nothing. Don’t overdo the chlorine though. A little and a repeat each day is better.
Water chemistry check is the next step once the pool water is at the correct level. It’s very likely your pool chemistry will be way out at start up so it’s important to bring up to spec quickly.
- Stabilizer: This is known as water conditioner, cyanic acid or stabilizer. It helps prevent the UV burning off the chlorine in your pool. To be effective needs to be in the range of 30 – 50 ppm.
- Total Alkalinity: always check this first and follow the alphabet in correcting aspects of pool water chemistry. Alkalinity first and should be 75 – 180 ppm.
- Calcium Hardness: is required in all pools to prevent the water either finding its own minerals by leaching from the pool surfaces or metallic components in the plumbing system or depositing mineral residues on the same. Ideally it needs to be kept with in the range of 200 – 300 ppm and in saltwater pools nearer the 200 – 220 mark to prevent scaling.
- Chlorine levels: as you know chlorine is the main sanitizer and so its levels need to be maintained within prescribed range to be really effective. 1 ppm of free chlorine (1 – 3 is ideal) and for total chlorine no more than 1 ppm above the free level. If more than 1 ppm you have combined chlorine or chloramines.
- pH: is the relationship between acid and alkali in your pool.Though if often of as being complex, there is only one basic thingyou need to keep in mind. The pH needs to remain close to neutral which is 7, and also close to the pH of your eyes (7.0 – 7.3) to save upsetting your eyes. So, keep it with 7.2 – 7.8 but much better to keep it within 7.3- 7.4, slightly alkali.
- Phosphate levels: This is something you may never have to worry about, as its largely the result of run off from golf courses or places where fertilizer has been used. You may also find if your pool has become the local duck pond also. By keeping the Chlorine levels 1 – 3 ppm you should not have an algae issue, however if it drops away and you have phosphates in your pool, it may start an algae garden. Levels over 500 ppb (parts per billion) then stat a treatment.
- Salt Levels: if your pool as a chlorine generator it means you have salt in your pool and this needs to be monitored for maximum effectiveness. Do test the salt level in the pool after the reopening in the spring and then determine how much slat is needed to bring it back to the required level. Use only pool salt or pure sodium chloride. Note that you want salt with the least amount of impurities in it and the maximum amount of sodium chloride. Impurities can damage the cell and also leave a white film over the pool surface, which is quite a nuisance. It is best to dissolve the salt in a 5 gal bucket (repeat as needed) and then tip into the pool. This saves the potential for discoloration on the pool floor from a large mass of undissolved salt.
- Langelier Saturation Index: Is a very useful unbiased calculation to determine if your pool water is aggressive/corrosive (low LSI < -0.3) balanced ( – 0.3 to + 0.3) or scale forming (high LSI >+0.3). Your pool shop can do this for you when you take in your water samples for testing. Ideally keep a record of the results and see the trends. If you follow these, you can prevent a deterioration in your pool water getting out hand and save money. So, if going from balanced and slowly increasing, you will start to see scale forming. But you can prevent that by adding the right chemicals to prevent it happening. Your pool shop can guide you.

Concrete OR Fiberglass pools The REAL Truth

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Concrete OR Fiberglass pools The REAL Truth

We are not pushing any construction style of pool (As we don’t sell them) but we see many, many pools over the years and note there are important features of both. Most of the pools we see have an issue and its usually to do with the original installed surface. So, if you want an unbiased opinion, read on. It could save you a lot of money and increase your pool enjoyment beyond belief.

The first notable difference is the type or surface.

Fiberglass (and for that matter epoxy painted and vinyl liner pools) have an unreactive surface. Meaning they really do not react with the pool water or the chemicals with in.

On the other hand, plaster type surfaces, (anyone of them that’s has cement as part of its composition) is reactive. This indicates that the chemicals, react with the cement, and so becomes an issue to manage throughout the life of the pool.

So, what can you expect during the life of your pool?

Those non-reactive surfaces: Fibreglass, paint, tiles do not react during the life of the pool. So, they tend to remain less effected, and algae growth is limited to not at all. Fiberglass is generally a great surface, though slowly chalks, but is long lasting, non the less. Sure, some paints will chalk due to UV light effects and slowly wear away, like epoxies. And Acrylic paints will have a shorter life, overall. Fluoropolymer coatings are non-reactive and not effected by UV light, so will be longest lasting. Tiles withstand pool conditions very well, but the grout much less so and will allow algae to take root.

Those reactive surfaces: Plaster surface like Pebble Tec, Marcite and Quartzon varieties with cement binder, do slowly erode. The cement matrix is eaten away, and the surface becomes rougher and provides micro crevices that allow algae to take root. So over time maintenance costs increase, to keep the surface clean, deal with stains and then resurface as the surface become too rough, for comfortable bathing.

Fiberglass pools’ structural integrity is much less than for concrete, so in high water table or unstable soils, they are not generally recommended. But careful installation is needed to ensure long term pool stability, in the right situations. They come in many shapes and sizes though the are limited by transport issues and ability to be placed correctly. Also, the quality of the construction is important to ensure durability.

Structural integrity: It is well known that a properly engineered, and installed concrete pool has a great deal of resistance to ground movement, high water table and similar concerns. The important points being installed as designed, with no contractor short cuts. Also, flexibility in design allows a personalized approach. Then comes the finish that will offer the best looking and least costly (install and over the lifetime) surface. Fiberglass pools’ structural integrity is much less than for concrete, so in high water table or unstable soils, they are not generally recommended. But careful installation is needed to ensure long term pool stability, in the right situations. They come in many shapes and sizes though the are limited by transport issues and ability to be placed correctly. Also, the quality of the construction is important to ensure durability.

Summary: If you are about to embark on a new pool look at the conditions in you location to select which type is best from a structural point of view. And of course, consider the usage now and into the future along with aesthetics. Then look at the surface type that will give you the least maintenance issues, throughout the pools life and maximise the swimmability of it. A non-reactive surface will do this, and fluoropolymer coating offers this prospect, if having a concrete pool. For less demanding site situations a fibreglass or liner pools offer great advantages economically in the short and long term.

For existing pools be they concrete or fiberglass, then at the time of resurfacing – upgrading, look get or maintain a non-reactive surface. A fluoropolymer coating offers this prospect for both surfaces, but not liner pools.

Pool Leak Detection

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Always Thinking You Need To Top Up, Why?

Do you feel your pool is leaking or even know it may be?

Do you add water when you think you should not be having to do so?

If you have this thought or feeling, there is an easy way to see if your hunch is right or not. Of course, pools lose water to evaporation so you will see this for sure, more so on hot windy, low humidity days.

To check if your pool is losing water and not by evaporation, do the following on a warm to hot sunny, windless, rainless day

1 Fill the pool to its normal level and make a mark or note exactly where it is,

(Smartphone image close up will often do and don’t drop the phone!).

2 Take a 5 gal or similar size bucket and near fill it, and mark its level also.

3 Place the said bucket on a top step or somewhere where is about half-submerged in the pool water and note the time. (Early morning before the sun gets too high is best)

4 Late afternoon or early evening, note the difference if any in the levels of the water in the pool and bucket. If they both drop by say 1/2ins, then no leakage. If the pool drops 1 ins and the bucket ½ ins, the pool is leaking.

So you now know your pool is leaking but from where?

There are a few common suspects no matter the type of pool. At this stage, you can call in a pool leak detector company to go over all aspects and see where the pool leak is. Or you can save money at this point and do some detective work yourself, to pinpoint the lucky location.

It depends on your preferred option. Here is a sequence of steps you can take to start with.

1 Let the pool level drop till it stops. If at or just below the skimmer box, then the leak is there or in the pipework connecting it.

If it drops down further to a point where you have a water entry pipe or light fittings and stops, then the leak is most likely at one of those points.

If the water level drops to being almost empty, it is more than likely the hydrostatic valve. Of course, if it just stops at some other point, then there will be a crack or hole in the pool itself, that is the culprit.

With letting the water continue to drop below say half full be mindful there is a lot of water going someplace and your pool, fiberglass especially, will become unstable and may move, creating additional issues.

Ideally, you should not let the water level drop more than 1 – 2 ft and if no obvious issue is found or seen, it is probably a good time to call in a leak detector.

Be aware that clay soils and some other (reactive) soils also vary in their stability and load-carrying capacity as they get wet (rain, pool leakages, or broken water pipes) and then dry out. It’s quite usual for pool shells (fiberglass more so) to move slightly when this happens. In so doing, on a regular or only once-off basis, fracturing the (aged) pipework where it exits the pool shell, creating the leak. It’s often the cause of many pool leaks. A leaking aged hydrostatic value is also common. If so, your pool will need to be emptied to replace it.

Other Pool Factors to Know About

Be aware that concrete pools (gunite) are NOT waterproof everywhere or indeed anywhere and so there may be an area of porous concrete that provides a slow leak.

The plastered or mineral surfaces are not waterproof either, only a good quality well-installed coating would be waterproof. (e.g. PaintnForget).

For fiberglass the gel coat, that decorative protective top layer slowly wears through, and you may see glass fibers. At this point, the FG pool is no longer watertight either.

Vinyl liners may develop small splits or holes and so will lose water to the space behind, which may not be waterproof either and so the water leaves the pool “shell”.

In summary, many pools leak a little, and it is not a big issue. However, if you start to be adding water on a 2 – 3 times a week basis, it is time to seek out the problem and then get it fixed.

Have The Right Pool Environment

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Having The Right Pool Environment Will Save You $$$

The Pools\’ Environment Is Important

What does this mean?

All things being equal your pool should be situated as follows:

In an open space where it gets the most sun, to heat it naturally
The pool pointing south or west is best.
Away from any and all trees (loss of sunlight and debris and leaves)
In a stable ground location, no elevated areas that can create slips or substantial runoff (into your pool)

Easy to access and walk around and good access to pump and filtration system, ideally undercover

Getting a new pool, there will be constraints and guidelines as to where to pool can be located. This will be largely the result of boundaries, slope, and condition of the site and city regulations among many.

You may need to look outside the box, to make the best of some conflicting issues. Maybe a smaller size or a different shape will allow you to get better results.

How about your existing pool then?

It\’s not something you can move so can you improve its environment even so?

Remove any trees, more so if they are or soon will impinge on the pool with shadow or leaf debris.
Improve the surroundings if access is difficult, create greater and open surroundings, such as a patio.
Make sure no rain runoff enters the pool, from the adjoining garden or hillsides.
Is the pool equipment in a protected, covered location?

Look After Pool Water Chemistry

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Good Chemistry Means Great Pools

Pools are very simply, mild chemical baths. Most pools and spas use some form of chlorine for sanitation.

In order to not waste your money on unnecessary (and often dangerous chemicals), you should manage or have managed the pool water chemistry, well. An out-of-balance pool may not only be uncomfortable to swim in (it may be unhealthy even), but it can also result in the shortening of the life of the pool filtration system and pool surfaces themselves.

So close and well-managed pool water chemistry will save you money both in the short and long term.

Chlorine is a strong oxidizing agent and is quite dangerous if mishandled. Hence for pool use its either sold in diluted liquid form (12.5%) tablets or generated via a saltwater chlorinator.

There is a lot of information written about pool water chemistry. Much of it is done by commercial enterprises who are keen to sell you something. There is little unbiased information available for the home pool user.

Pool water can be a very complex mixture of metals, nonmetals, salts, oxides, chemicals, oils, and phosphates etc.

Also, the water you put into your pool (well or town supply) may also contain many salts & metals in small and varying concentrations. These can vary daily (and within your street) and impact quickly the pool water chemistry and how you need to deal with it.

The most important aspects to monitor are pH, Water Balance, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and Chlorine (Bacteria) ,

In one sense having a low maintenance pool is the most delightful experience and some owners achieve this year in year out. Others struggle to get theirs to run well. Why?

The best place to get good advice is your pool shop, however, not all are run by knowledgeable persons who can discuss your pool issues and take the time to work out what’s going on. Many shops run a simple computer test for pH, Chlorine, TA (Total Alkalinity), and CH (Calcium Hardness) and sell you some chemicals to add to your pool, in the expectation all will be well. Yet a few weeks later you are back seeking a solution to an issue. Why? Could the TDS or LSI be getting too high, causing additional problems?

Saltwater Pools

These are now quite common but are not “NO” maintenance. They do require care and attention.

Firstly, in an average size pool, some 800lbs of pool-grade salt is used. And it’s topped up from time to time. If salt is from seawater, so it has the same composition as seawater, including sodium chloride (NaCl) along with other minerals like Calcium, Magnesium, and salts of these, plus biological items. There are many trace minerals and some metals too, along with fine sand. Not all are soluble and can drop out as fine white powder over time when the water temperature changes. Filtration systems cannot remove all. There is also salt from mechanical evaporation with different compositions and potential issues. Lastly mined salt is considered the purest.

Also, the Chlorinator itself may assist in creating insoluble materials such as calcium and alkali precipitate and resultant scale in the pool itself.

Chlorine pools

In pools with liquid or granular chlorine, Sodium Hypochlorite is the most common sanitizer used. Calcium Hypochlorite (increases Calcium load) and Lithium Hypochlorite (higher cost, lower effectiveness) less so.

However, even Sodium Hypochlorite leaves a residue that’s about 85% salt, NaCl. This is reactive and may combine with other minerals and salts in the pool (water supply, rainwater flowing across cement) to form insoluble salts too, much like those seen in Saltwater pools.

Fibreglass, Vinyl, Painted Pools

Pools with non-mineral surfaces can suffer from a low Calcium level. If there is no Calcium in the pool lining, (non-mineral) then with rainwater entering the pool, (that’s calcium-free) plus any limited Calcium in the pool is being filtered out, a deficiency exists. This upsets the water balance, leading to a loss of “buoyancy” to hold dissolved solids in suspension. Within a matter of minutes, the dissolved solids drop out as a white film over the pool surfaces.

What to do if your pool shows these signs?

Discuss with your pool shop. We can also provide more information on the white film and how to get rid of it.

Usually, a flocculating agent will do the job

Note there are two Types: Aluminium Sulphate and Synthetic Polymer and either one may work. You may need to try both. If not successful then it may be that TDS is too high and the pool needs to be partially emptied to remove water and some of the TDS and replaced with clean, water. Only further testing will confirm this last approach as being needed.

In a nutshell, there are remedies to overcome these issues and, in some cases, they are straightforward. In others, more detective work and some trial and error is needed to get your pool back to being in tip-top condition. Do not let your pool just sit and get worse as the longer it is left the more difficult it can be to fix.

The BEST Measure of Pool Water Balance and being correct is the Langelier Saturation Index, (LSI).

It should always be in the range of +0.3 to – 0.3. This means the water is balanced.

If higher than + 0.3 the pool is in the scale-forming mode, so it deposits minerals on the surfaces, pipes etc. You may well start seeing a white dusty film forming on the pool surface below the waterline (and a hard scale above the waterline). This can be very abrasive and “sand” the coating off, blue hands feet etc.

If the LSI is less than -0.3, then the pool water is corrosive. This means the pool water will be dissolving any mineral surfaces or eating away at any metal fittings connected to your pool, steps, pumps valves etc.

As Stabilizer Increases	LSI Decreases
As Total Dissolved Solids Increase	LSI Decreases
As Temperature Increases	LSI Increases
As Total Alkalinity Increases	LSI Increases
As pH Increases	LSI Increases
As Calcium Hardness Increases	LSI Increases

How Changes In Your Pool Chemistry Impacts On LSI

The LSI is a VERY useful and easy way to see if your pool water is in balance or not.

Your pool shop can calculate this from the pool water tests they do. Ask them to show you and discuss.

For maximum life of the pool finish and equipment, the pool water quality should be maintained continuously in accord with accepted pool water management practices and the following criteria;

The recommended ranges for each variable are.

pH	7.2 – 7.6	Temp	40 – 95 F
Total Alkalinity (TA)	80 (min)–180(max) ppm	Chlorine Levels	1 – 3 ppm
Calcium Hardness (CA)	250–350ppm	Watch CA carefully

The Key Facts To Manage Pool Water Balance

Pool regularly cleaned, brushed (at least each 2 weeks in summer and monthly in winter).
Check water balance at least twice weekly in summer and monthly in winter.
Pool chemicals to be correctly mixed and not dumped into pool,
Pool remains full of water (unless winterized)
If using a Cu/Ag system monitor and keep ion concentration low to prevent staining.

If having your pool professionally maintained, then make sure they set the testing equipment to the correct surface type of your pool. Otherwise, incorrect chemical dosage may result, in shortening the life of the current surface.

Also, Total Alkalinity should be carefully maintained to prevent a powdery surface from developing with attendant “pick up” on hands and feet and a shorter life.

Calculate Your Pool\’s LSI Here