Top tips for new pool owners
The pool is built, the fence is up, the equipment is installed and the water is in. What next? Jump in and have fun may seem like the obvious answer, but before you yell: “Last one in’s a rotten egg!”, there are a few things you need to do to ensure the safety of your friends and family, as well as keep your big investment in tip top condition.
1. Fill the pool You’ve just paid a lot of money for this pool, so don’t toss the hose in willy nilly. Tie a piece of cloth over the nozzle so it won’t scratch the pool surface and place the hose in the deepest part of the pool. Then turn on the tap and don’t turn it off again until the water level reaches the middle of the skimmer box or the level specified by the builder. Whatever you do, don’t turn the tap on and off – you want the pool to fill quickly and steadily. Otherwise you could end up with a ring (or two) around the pool’s sides. 2. Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines Motors is a more accurate word. Get that pool filter running as soon as the water reaches the right level. 3. Test the water Not all drinking water is created equal, so you need to test the water thoroughly as soon as the pool is full to see what you’re dealing with in terms of pH balance. Test the water is several places and take the samples from 600-900mm beneath the surface. Once the water is tested, balance it to the recommended levels.
4. Add the chemicals Yes, it’s time to play scientist! Be warned that this will be a slow process the first time you do it, but it’s important to get it right or you could damage your pool equipment and, more importantly, the health of anyone who enters the water. Add one chemical at a time and allow it to filter through the system for about 12 hours before re-testing and making any adjustments. Then add the next chemical and repeat the process until all the water levels are within the recommended range. Chlorine comes in three forms, liquid, granular and tablet. Each varies in its strength and its efficiency in direct sunlight. All types of chlorines can be made resistant to the effects of the sun. The correct dosage of chlorine in a pool has no smell, so if you have a distinct chlorine smell it is probably due to chloramines. Aqua-Health Pool Shock or Aqua-Health Ultrashock will eliminate this smell. Sunlight can destroy up to 5 mg/l of chlorine in less than three hours, but cyanuric acid in the form of Aqua-Health Plus can help to minimise this loss.
5. Start a maintenance program Phew. You’re almost there. There’s just a couple more things before you jump into that sparkling cool water.
And finally, if this all seems like too much effort, you can always contact your local Swimart store to manage the whole process for you.
|
|