Turn your pool from green to clean

Turn your pool from green to clean

Swimart's top tips to get your pool back in shape for spring

"Coming into spring, our pool technicians often report they are treating pools that have turned green over the cold, winter months," says Chris Fitzmaurice, Swimart Australasian manager.

"It's tempting to put your pool into hibernation mode during winter, but that can result in untold problems. When the weather warms up and the sun hits the pool water, it reacts with the algae, which can quickly bloom out of control.

"A poorly maintained swimming pool can harbour a range of microbes including algae and bacteria, which can result in health problems such as ear, nose and throat infections. But don't panic! Pool algae is very easy to kill and control."

Heavy rain - which often occurs in winter - dilutes pool chemicals, especially salt and chlorine, which makes the pool turn green. So the first step is to take a pool water sample into Swimart in order to check the health of your pool. This indicates whether you need to adjust the pH, calcium and total alkaline levels. Swimart provides an excellent, free-of-charge service where your sample is analysed in a computerised system for an exact reading.

Swimart's tips for turning your pool from green to clean:

• Check your chlorine levels. If below 0.5ppm you need to 'shock' the pool water with a large dose of chlorine to 10ppm. Ensure the filters are running and don't use the pool until the chlorine level falls below 3ppm
• Lower the pH levels by adding acid. Then later add a copper treatment to the water to kill the spores. Aim for a pH level of between 7 and 7.6. Heavy rain, lots of swimmers and animals such as dogs can increase pH levels
• Use a quality algaecide to kill algae
• Brush pool walls to remove algae. Then vacuum the loosened algae from the pool floor the next day
• Make sure your filter is working effectively. Pool water needs to be filtered, and will not clear up very quickly if you have a filter that doesn't work properly. It doesn't matter how much shock you put in the pool if you have a poor filter. Your Swimart technician can check your filter and other equipment and advise what the next steps should be

General pool maintenance tips for spring and summer:

• Bump up the pool filter running hours from four to eight hours a day
• Regularly check sanitiser levels, ideally on a daily basis
• Check the pH every two days
• Check the Total Alkalinity (TA) weekly
• Check and clean the skimmer basket and hair and lint pot basket weekly
• Thoroughly clean the pool and vacuum the walls and floor
• Check the pump is working properly and organise a full pool equipment service by a licensed pool and spa technician
• Check or replace fittings and check for leaks
• Check your filter and change the running mode from winter to summer

Of course, if you're not sure how to do these things, or would simply prefer to get someone else to do it, you can arrange for a Swimart professional pool technician to come and do it all for you.