Pool Tips & Swimming Pool Chemistry

Swimming Pool Care

Any be by this it will help reduce your pool maintenance cost. You need the best information and swimming pool maintenance tips for your inground or above ground pool.

Swimming pool care is easy when you have the right information and maintenance schedule.

So brush off your swimming pool water testing kit, grab your brush and vacuum, and let's have some fun.

If you have some great swimming pool care ideas you'd like to share, I'd like to hear about it.

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Pool Tips Made Easy

To maximize these swimming pool maintenance tips, you'll need to perform the following a minimum of 1-2 times per week, regardless if your have an above ground or inground swimming pool. Your spa and Hot Tub are no exception to the swimming pool chemistry rules.

Normally, green algae in your swimming pool water is one of the first signs something is wrong.

To get the most out of your pool water maintenance and NOT have swimming pool problems, stay on top of pool water chemistry with regards to the

Cyanuric acid is a stabilizer and is mainly for outdoor above ground and inground pools. Pool "experts" have all kinds of pool tips. One of these pool tips is to keep your pH around 7.2. This is based upon the Langelier Index which was originally designed for public water systems and not for swimming pool care.

Pools were introduced to this index back in the mid 1950's because there was no other index by which to maintain pools. Basic swimming pool care was just beginning back in the day.

If you have any type of pool chlorine allergy, you may want to invest in non chlorine pool chemicals or non chlorine pool shock. There are many types and sizes of chlorine free pools and natural swimming pools.

How To Get The Best Swimming Pool Care

You want the best pool tips and water chemistry, so here they are:

1. Test and maintain your swimming pool chlorine between 1.5-3.5ppm. Most pool techs that understand basic pool care will tell you to keep your chlorine levels between 1.5-3.5ppm. This will help keep the pool algae away.

I choose to keep the chlorine at 3.0ppm because I want to have a “buffer zone”, especially when I'm expecting a large bather load.

Nothing eats up chlorine faster on a bright sunny day than having a large bather load with kids……who stay in the pool……for very long periods of time……and don’t come out of the pool……for anything……and I mean ANYTHING.

I strongly suggest you get a good Taylor Reagent K-2006 Water Testing Kit. This kind of test kit is, in my opinion, the best on the market.

2. Your swimming pool pH should be between 7.6-7.8, not 7.2. You'll use too much acid to keep your pool at this level.

If you have any kind of pool fountain or waterfall I would suggest using it as you want to keep the water circulating while increasing the pH level,

3. Test your residual chlorine demand and make the proper adjustments when needed
4. Total alkalinity, or TA, should be between 80-100ppm
5. Calcium hardness between 150-250ppm.

This pool tip is mainly for concrete swimming pools and not fiberglass inground pools. If you have a salt water swimming pool, with an in-line chlorine generator, keeping your calcium hardness between these levels is even more critical. Too high or low and your cell will burn up.

6. Cyanuric acid between 20-40ppm

An easy pool tip for your cyanuric acid is 7.5% of your free available chlorine. If you keep your chlorine level at 2.5, then just take 2.5 divided by 7.5% and you'll get 33. Actually 33.3, so excuse me if I was " Juuuuuust a bit outside." Compliments of Bob Uecker.

This is the stabilizer for the chlorine and is only used for outdoor pools.


7. Keep an eye on your swimming pool chlorine tablets. Check your pool tablet floater or your swimming pool chemical feeder and keep it full of chlorine tablets at all times.

   NEVER put chlorine tablets in your skimmer. Trichlor pool chlorine tablets contain cyanuric which is a stabilizer for chlorine so keep an eye on this level as well.

When your swimming pool filter pump turns off the tablets keep dissolving. When the pump turns back on your system will get a highly concentrated dose of acid and chlorinated water that will, over time, wreak havoc on your filtration system.

If anyone tells you it's alright to put chlorine tablets in the swimming pool skimmer, just nod and smile, then walk away. They either don't know or understand proper swimming pool water maintenance, or they're trying to sell you something, like a new filtration system.


8. Once per week empty the skimmer baskets, pump basket, and use a wide-mouth and deep pocket leaf rake to remove leaves, insects and other debris from both the pool surface and the bottom. You'll need the right kinds of cleaning parts to pull this off. You may also want to invest in a brush that can easily remove the hard-to-reach debris that collects and sticks to the tile at the water line.
9. Brush the walls and steps weekly and vacuum the bottom when necessary.

   You may want to use your swimming pool vacuum every other week but especially after a windy dust storm. Be sure to backwash your filter after you vacuum or after excessive sweeping of dirt and debris found on the bottom of the pool.

Vacuum as you would vacuum your carpet, beginning at the shallow end and work your way down.

Remember these pool tips and go slowly because the dirt will seem to "fly up" and you'll get frustrated because more dirt is floating in the water than going into the filter.

10. Backwash once per month or when the pressure is too high, usually about 8-10psi above normal operating pressure.
11. Only use the water you need to keep your pool at its proper level, about 1/3 to 1/2 up from the bottom of the skimmer. You may want to invest in a automatic water-filler or just keep an eye on the hose while you're topping off the pool.

These are just common sense water saving tips for pool water maintenance.

12. If you have an automatic pool cleaner, be sure it's in proper working condition. Check with your pool professional if there are signs of wear on your cleaner or it's simply not cleaning properly.

Too Green For You?

Remember, pool tips and basic pool care should be simple and easy to follow. Get the right chemicals for your pool and use them.

Prevention is the key to a crystal clear, clean, safe, and great looking swimming pool.

You can also use these pool tips to reduce the cost of your normal swimming pool care. This pool owner was just way TOOO busy to listen to any good swimming pool care instructions and look what happened.

Don't let this happen to you. YUCK!!

Do You Have A Great Swimming Pool Maintenance Tip? Write About It Here!

Have you found a swimming pool maintenance tip that nobody else knows? The best way to reduce calcium hardness or reduce metals in your pool water? How about a new product your pool can't live without?

Or better yet, create a page about YOUR pool, including a photo, type of pool, and what you're doing to keep it looking and running its best!

It's YOUR page with YOUR story and pictures!

Share your story, secrets, swimming pool maintenance tip, or review about your swimming pool and why your pool is the best!

Click on the links below to see some other great tips and secrets. They were written by other visitors that love their pools.

There's alot of information out there in internet-land saying all kinds of things and telling you what's best for your swimming pool care, spa, and Hot Tub maintenance. If you can't understand their swimming pool tips and what they mean, what's the point?

Swimming pool care should be fast and easy when you have your pool balanced the right way and these pool tips will help.

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