Welcome to the pool & spa hotline membership program

IMPORTANT facts about owning, operating, or using a pool/spa: Each area’s water quality is different. If you try to treat water in the Midwest like a person treats a pool in Arizona or Florida, you will be in for an unpleasant surprise: IT WON’T work.  Be aware of what brand of chemicals are being used. The wrong brand in the wrong area can create a whole set of problems that is both time consuming and expensive to correct.  There are 2 components to having CLEAR WATER. (1) Proper circulation (2)   Proper chemicals

If the pump is not properly sized or the filter is not the proper size or type, green water or cloudy “murky” water may result. Many pools are designed (through “value engineering”) with too small a pump and filter; some are up to 3 times too small for the pool. 

One of the 2 most important water tests you can do on a daily basis is pH, the RED indicator. If your pH is not between 7.3 and 7.6 none of the chemicals you put in the water, including chlorine, will work properly.   Test kit indicators (the clear liquid with the yellow lid for chlorine and the red liquid with the red lid for pH) are not good for more than 12 months. Test strips do not work well or read accurately, so stay with the liquid 5-part test kit. In addition to the daily chlorine and pH test, test regularly for available chlorine, total alkalinity, and cyanuric acid level. The goal of pool water testing is to maintain a healthy, clean pool environment. 

Filtration:  The water chemistry can be perfect but if the filtration or circulation is inadequate, there can still be problems. Proper filtration is 50% of the water clarity equation. There are 3 main types of filters: 

1. Sand Filters will not remove suspended particles smaller than 30 to 40 microns. 

2. Cartridge Filters will remove suspended particles down to 15-20 microns if the filter cartridge is made from the right material. 

3. DE Filters (Diatomaceous Earth) will remove suspended particles down to 3 to 4 microns

The smaller the size-number of microns the better the filtration. Filters must be cleaned on a maintenance schedule and media changed. Proper monitoring and maintenance is imperative.     

Liquid chlorine has become a preferred method to treat pool water. All chlorine’s/bromines are not the same, in fact, seldom are any 2 identical. Some use calcium, potassium, or lithium for a base. Others use industrial or technical grade sodium. It is not the chlorine that makes one brand superior to another, but the base, the inert ingredients, and the processing methods. Some of the chlorines on the market today are not suitable for pool use. So why are they sold? Possibly because people buy them and then buy the “corrective” chemicals to solve the problems they create. A large amount of the advertising for pool chemicals is false and the pool owner/manager is the one who suffers. 

The same advice holds true about algaecides, except there are even more products to choose from. Polymer based algaecides seem to work best and have no undue side effects. Again, watch out for the inert ingredients. Many times, green water is not caused by algae. It is usually caused by a chemical reaction that knocks the metals out of the water. Sometimes this can be the fault of the type/brand of chemicals used, other times the fault of the filter, then sometimes the problem can be more complex. Regardless of the cause, the problem cannot be solved by adding chlorine, bleach, muriatic acid, clarifiers, algaecides, shock or metal-out. These compound the problem and make it harder to correct. 

Stabilizing or sun screening the water can save some money over the summer season. Stabilizer is not necessary, but it can make sodium-based chlorines burn more effectively in the hot sunlight. Stabilizing is something not just automatically done every season because the chemical in stabilizer lasts for years in the water. If too much stabilizer is in the water nothing will take it out; the pool will have to be drained. Test the water for cyanuric acid content to see how much stabilizer is needed. Do not stabilize indoor pools.

Not really. Chlorine (Bromine) kills the bacteria and viruses that form in the water. They are a necessity for a safe pool. Even saline pools that are advertised as “chlorine free” are NOT. They create chlorine and can cause a whole separate set of issues. Learn what is safe and keeps your pool clear. 

To make pool accessories (hoses, vacuum heads, nets, games) last as long as possible, store them out of the direct sunlight when not in use. The ultra-violet rays of the sun cause deterioration of anything made from plastic-type material. Protect filter hoses and filter housing from as much sun as possible. Most commercial accessories and pool covers/liners are made with ultra-violet inhibitors in the material. They cost only slightly more than the standard pool accessory but will last noticeably longer. 

When the pool pump/filter is on a timer to save electricity by turning off at night, the pool will experience a higher chemical usage. After the water has been setting un-filtered for 3 hours the chemical life has been cut in half. More than 3 hours it has been cut by 2/3. Saving $2 in electricity may cost $5 in pool chemicals. Lack of proper circulation is the main cause of improper oxidation of chemicals. In addition, pool pumps will last longer if allowed to run continuously. Spas are designed differently.

Many times, pool owners are their own worst enemies. They talk to friends who own pools and they say someone else tried this or uses that and it works great; they try it. Don’t do it! Very seldom will a person admit to trying something that failed. Many of the “miracle treatments” are urban legends from the manufacturers or re-sellers. Keep track of what is spent; at the end of the season you know how much it cost to operate the pool. This is the only way you can prove to yourself that not only is a specific brand of chemicals better and easier to use, but it actually saves money when looking at the entire pool season. 

NOTE! Many gimmick chemicals are introduced to the pool market each year. Most of these chemicals or treatment systems will damage pool equipment, cost more to use, and will not kill all types of dangerous bacteria. If you feel uncomfortable about asking people in your area you can contact the HOT LINE. Most of the gimmick chemicals or equipment have already been banned for commercial use in pools and spas. 

There are literally a hundred things that can make you wish you had never bought a pool. The HOT LINE has over 100 solutions. CONTACT: Mick at: mick@totalaquatic.llc