poolonomics.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. You wouldn’t season your stew without tasting it. Most of these are used for dirt and microscopic particles, while leaves and larger debris still need to be skimmed out manually. The best way to test this is by using the bucket method. No matter which type of pool you have, it should be designed with some type of filtration system to keep the water circulating and debris skimmed off as much as possible. To find the leak, first look around with your pump running to see if you find any bubbles coming up from around fixtures or jet fittings. The vinyl liner is then secured into place to fit the shape of the formed construction. So, what’s the compromise? Vinyl inground pools are constructed with a frame of wood, plastic or metal inside a hole dug in the ground—sand is then poured along the bottom and as filler. Suction-side cleaners are automatic vacuums that connect to the suction side of the plumbing. They all do the same job but have different application methods. But you know what? Ideally, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Put away your lab safety goggles and your textbooks that barely fit in your locker. If your pool’s filter is its liver, then your skimmers and returns are its veins and arteries. Toss a few tennis balls into your skimmer basket, or even right into the pool, and they’ll absorb surface oils left behind by suntan lotion, cosmetics, etc. Here are the different types of swimming pools you should know about. By entering your email address you agree to get a weekly email newsletter from Swim University. The ideal pH range is between 7.4 and 7.6. 10/06/2020 03:48 pm UTC. Your pool has a filtration system for a reason, and none of the other steps will make much difference if you don’t use it. If you shock during the day, the sun’s ultraviolet rays will eat up the chlorine before it has a chance to do its job. Worst case scenario, you end up hating it and hiring someone to do it next time. Depending on your setup, you might have a cartridge filter, a sand filter, a diatomaceous earth (D.E.) These areas are commonly right by the skimmers, in the corners, and behind the ladder. And as annoying as it can be, it’s important to deal with them soon so that they don’t become an even bigger problem. Even if you never set foot in a Scout meeting as a kid, you probably know that stagnant, still water is (to borrow a term from our own childhoods) grody to the max. A pool with good circulation rarely has issues like cloudy water or pool algae infestation. It would be great to be able to run your pump 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, but… you don’t need me to tell you what that would do to your home energy costs. (Insert blood-curdling scream here). Sand filters have to be backwashed regularly as a way of keeping them clean. That means cleaning it at least twice per year. But remember, that just treats the symptom, not the cause, so it’s only a temporary fix. Once the frame has been constructed, the vinyl liner is smoothed into place and secured with the rim or fasteners. After it dries for several days, they then apply a finish to or paint it. The range you’re looking for here is 200-250 ppm (parts per million) for inground pools and 175-225 ppm for above-ground pools (with vinyl liners). You'll also need to use a pool brush to scrub the surface so that you are removing any algae spores from the sides that you might not be able to see. Do you require the purest water, the lowest maintenance, or the cheapest price? No two pools are alike, and you’ll no doubt encounter pool maintenance challenges specific to your pool as time goes on. Pressure-side cleaners uses the pressure side of the plumbing to move it along the surface. Either way, these levels are one of the most important chemical tests you can do in your pool care regimen. Best Suction Pool Cleaner: A Review & Buying Guide, How to Open an Above Ground Pool (Step-by-Step), Winterize Your Above-Ground Pool In 10 Easy Steps, How to Change a Pool Light Bulb: 11 Idiot Proof Steps, Interior wall (inground) or liner (above-ground). It uses the pressure of the suction to move it along the surface, and then pumps the mess through its hose into the skimmer baskets. The basic tools you’ll need are: Both Mother Nature and the folks using your pool bring all sorts of wild and wacky things into your pool, from leaves, mold, and the odd duck or frog to residues from shampoos, perfumes, and hair products. No problem. Most of the time, the components can be cleaned by hosing them off really well, but if that doesn’t work, you may have to use chemicals specially designed for this purpose. And assuming you’ve decided to be your own pool guy, there are just a few pieces of equipment you just can’t do without. Concrete pools are what you probably think of when you think of inground pools, but they're actually not the most popular (we’ll get to that next). So, to address the problem, you need to position your returns down so that water will circulate more thoroughly around the bottom and corners. If the alkalinity levels in your pool are too high or too low, the pH of the water is going to bounce all over the place, causing the same disastrous effects as we mentioned above.