Basic Pool Maintenance & Operation

Pool Heating Systems

BASIC WATER CHEMISTRY TERMS………

- CHLORINE - Is acting as the main sanitizer to kill algae and bacteria in the pool water. The level should be between 2.0 and 3.0 on your test kit. During hot weather, high readings are better.
- pH - Is the level of how acidic the pool water is. You must maintain a good pH level or your chlorine will not work effectively. The level should be between 7.2 and 7.6.

- ALKALINITY - Is a pH stabilizer. It helps to keep the pH within the proper levels so that the chlorine can work effectively. It reduces pH “bounce”. The level should be between 100 - 150.

- STABILIZER - Also known as Cyanuric Acid, this chemical forms a protective bond around the chlorine, making it more resistant to being burned off by the sun. Makes chlorine tablets last longer. Stabilizer levels should be checked and adjusted each season. Also, pools should be stabilized whenever a large amount of fresh water has been added. The level should be 35 ppm and is adjusted by adding Stabilizer / Conditioner (Cyanuric Acid).

- REMEMBER - Good water chemistry can only be achieved when all four of these chemical levels are kept constant. Good Alkalinity helps keep the pH in the right range so that the chlorine can do its job properly. Stabilizer keeps more of the chlorine in the water instead of being wasted !

2) DAILY POOL OPERATION……….
1. Pool Filter should run at least 8 to 10 hours per day (24 hours per day is best). Set your pool timer or remember to run the pool manually if you don’t have a timer. If you are not running your pool 24 hours per day, it is best to have it running during the daylight hours (instead of night). 
2. Make sure your skimmer baskets are empty and clear of leaves or other debris. 
3. Chlorine must be added to the pool daily in one of the following ways: 
- Best method is to use a Chlorine Floater with Slow Dissolving Chlorine Tabs inside it. Keep Floater in pool at all times and refill it weekly or as needed.
- Next best method is to use an Automatic Chlorinator. Make sure the unit is full and that the dial is set to a level that gives you a good daily chlorine reading depending on how long you run your system.
- Next best method is to place 3 Inch Slow Dissolving Stabilized Chlorine Tablets in the skimmers once per week (4-6 tablets are normal for 16x32 pool). 
- Next best method is to manually add either Granular Chlorine or Quick Chlorine Tabs to pool skimmer every day. Don’t forget !!!
o All methods of adding chlorine to the pool have their positive and negative aspects.  All in all, the simply floating chlorine floater is a time tested method and ensures that you ALWAYS have a good chlorine level.  Sometimes simplest is the best.

3) WEEKLY POOL MAINTENANCE………
1. Completely backwash filter (see How to Backwash a DE Filter or How to Backwash a Sand Filter).
2. Test water for Chlorine, pH and Alkalinity.
3. Adjust pH and Alkalinity as needed.
4. Add Chlorine to pool (see Daily Pool Operation).
5. Vacuum pool floor and walls if needed.
6. Shock pool and add Algaecide.
7. Check and adjust water level as needed. Water should be half way up the skimmers.

4) POOL CLEANING, CARE AND MAINTENANCE………
FILTRATION
There are several types of filters available for swimming pool water. Sand and gravel, diatomaceous earth, anthracite, and cartridge types are the filter mediums most commonly employed. Regardless of the medium used, the basic principles are the same. This consists of passing water through tiny passageways. Particles larger than these passages are trapped and thereby separated from the main body of the water. This process continues until all of these passageways are blocked. The filter must then be cleaned and the cycle repeated.

VACUUMING
A filter is designed to remove sediment and suspended matter from the main body of water, however, some dirt will inevitably settle to the bottom of the pool during periods when the filter is not in operation. The only way for this sediment to be removed is through vacuuming.
The swimming pool vacuum operates in a similar manner to the common household unit except it draws water through the vacuum head instead of air. There are two ways in which this may be accomplished. One method employs a jet of water supplied by a garden hose to power the suction which draws the dirt into the head to be trapped in a cloth bag. The other method uses the suction power supplied by the filter which draws the sediment and dirt from the pool floor for removal through the filter. When there is a considerable amount of sediment to be removed the filter valves should be adjusted so that the vacuumed water will bypass the filter and run to waste.
It is recommended that the pool be vacuumed about once weekly, the exact schedule to be determined from the pool owners experience.

SURFACE SKIMMING
Hair, lint, leaves and insects which enter the pool and remain floating on the surface can be easily removed with surface skimmers. There are two types of surface skimmers-hand and automatic. The hand skimmer is simply a plastic screen or net attached to a long pole and should be used to remove the larger floating objects such as leaves and grass.
The automatic surface skimmer is a device which is attached to the filtering system. During the filtering process, part of the surface water is drawn through the skimmer and into the filter, carrying with it dust, small insects, and other fine debris before these can settle to the pool floor.
The pool should be skimmed frequently since most dirt enters the water through the surface.

TEST KITS AND THEIR USE
The test kit is perhaps the most valuable aid to the pool owner and enables him to keep his pool in proper swimming condition. An adequate test kit is one which includes both a chlorine and pH test.
Most test kits use the ortho tolidine test for total available chlorine. This test produces a yellow color varying in strength with the amount of chlorine present in the water. When the color produced corresponds to a chlorine reading between 0.3 and 0.6 ppm, the bather is assured that the pool is safe for swimming. Since chlorine dissipates rapidly in hot weather and under heavy bathing loads it is wise to test frequently to assure a sufficient chlorine residual. Just how frequently is best left to the individual pool owners experience. A colorless reading means that all of the chlorine has dissipated and it will be necessary to add more. A reading greater than 0.6 ppm indicates the presence of an excessive amount of chlorine and bathers should not be permitted to enter the water until the chlorine had dissipated to a safe level.
Tests for chlorine should be made about thirty minutes after it has been added to allow the material to dissolve and mix throughout the water.

The phenol red method is the most common way of testing for pH. In this test, the color changes from amber at low pH to purple at high pH, each color between corresponds to a different pH number. When the color produced corresponds to pH readings between 7.2 and 7.8 the water will be in proper chemical balance. PH tests should be made at least once daily and more frequently during periods of adjustment. When adjusting the pH be sure to allow enough time for the chemicals to dissolve and to mix thoroughly throughout the water before testing.

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Pool Heating Systems