Countrywide Pools Northam CountrywidePools Looking After Your New Pool ................................. 3 Sanitising Your Pool .................................................. 4 Table of Chlorine .............................................................. 4 Pool Water Testing .................................................... 5 Contents Daily Testing ........................................................ 5 Weekly Testing .................................................... 5 Pool Water Testing cont. .......................................... 6 Monthly Testing .................................................. 6 Periodic Testing .................................................. 6 Water Balance ............................................................ 7 pH Level, Total Alkalinity, Calcium Hardness ..... 8 Stabiliser, Total Dissolved Solids ........................... 8 Safe Chemical Handling; Emptying your Pool ..... 8 Salt Water Chlorination ........................................... 10 The Importance of Filtration .................................. 11 Sand Filter Cleaning and Maintenance ................ 12 Vacuum Cleaning Your Pool ................... ................ 13 Countrywide Pools Northam 2 CountrywidePools Looking After Your New Pool Swimming pools bring with them many benefits including many hours of fun for the whole family, a good form of exercise as well as adding value to your home. Your new pool will be both easy and a pleasure to own provided that you take some simple steps in looking after it. In order to get the best from your swimming pool it is important that you test your pool water on a regular basis. This is to ensure the water is chemi- cally balanced, which is important in maintaining a bacteria free environment safe for you and your family to swim in. Countrywide Pools offer complimentary pool water testing, simply bring a 500mL sample of your pool water at your next visit and we will supply you with the information you need on what chemical your pool requires. This booklet contains the basic information about taking care of your new pool. The information along with our advice at Countrywide Pools will ensure you and your family enjoy many years of trouble-free enjoyment from your swimming pool. Countrywide Pools Northam 3 Sanitising Your Pool Many people believe that, as long as your pool water is clear it is clean and Regular testing and balancing of your pool water requires no treatment. However, is critical and takes very little time. even crystal-clear water can harbour potentially harmful bacteria. CHLORINE Chlorine is the most commonly used water Untreated or improperly treated pool sanitiser in the world. It is a highly effective water can be a health risk. Chemically product and comes in the following forms: balanced and sanitized water, on the other hand, will provide a healthy Calcium Hypochlorite (65% active granular chlorine) visually appealing environment for Sodium Hypochlorite (10-15% active liquid chlorine) you and your family. Stabilised chlorine available in 2 forms: Pool water is contaminated with a) Dichlor - granular chlorine approx. 60% active algae and bacteria from various b) Trichlor - slow dissolving tablets approx. 90% active sources including wind, top-up water, swimmers etc. Controlling these Salt Water Chlorinators – these units produce influences is an ongoing requirement 100% active chlorine through the electrolysis of salt in the pool water. and involves some simple steps. Countrywide Pools Northam 4 Pool Daily Testing Water It is necessary to test the free available chlorine level Testing of your pool water daily. This is the level of chlorine in the pool water that is ready to fight bacteria. We recommend conducting this test daily before It is critical to test your pool water re-dosing or when a heavy bather load is expected. regularly with a pool shop professional. At Countrywide Pools Weekly Testing we offer our customers complimentary water testing and comprehensive advice on keeping pH Level – This test tells you whether your water is your water balanced. too acidic or too alkaline. To achieve the correct balance, we recommend testing the pH weekly during the swimming season. The control of the pH helps It is important to make sure you use maximize the efficiency of chlorine therefore an uncontaminated bottle or minimizing the quantity of products you will need to container. We will supply you with a use. water sample bottle at the Total Alkalinity – This will test the quantity of handover of your pool. Avoid using alkaline materials in your water which help stabilize empty juice, cordial, sauce bottles the pH. Conduct this test at the beginning of the etc. as these can contaminate the swimming season, get the levels balanced and then water to be tested. test once a week. Countrywide Pools Northam 5 Pool Water Testing cont. Monthly Testing Stabiliser – This is the component that extends the effective life of chlorine in your Periodic Testing pool water by protecting it from the sun’s UV rays. The level of stabilizer in your pool We recommend periodically water can determine how rapidly chlorine testing your pool water for is used up. Total Chlorine. Calcium Hardness – This test will tell you the amount of dissolved calcium If you notice a chlorine odour, components in your pool water. chloramines or combined This is important for balanced pool water chlorine may be to blame. as high calcium levels can contribute to The problem is in fact insufficient cloudy water and low levels can cause chlorine and a shock treatment corrosion of the pool. will restore the water Countrywide Pools Northam 6 Water Balance Your swimming pool is a water Balanced water means that its chemical container and the water it contains demands have been met. should be suitable for both the If the chemical levels are too low the swimmers and the container. water will aggressively seek the products it needs by attacking the pool surface The term “water balance” refers to the and equipment. This can lead to severe interaction between pH, total alkalinity (TA), corrosion. calcium hardness and total dissolved solids (TDS). On the other hand, high chemical levels will precipitate from the water and form These factors work in conjunction with one scale on the pool surface and within the another to provide sparkling clear water equipment. and protect the pool surface, tile grout and equipment from damage. Therefore, unbalanced water can lead to expensive damage your pool and may The principles and benefits of water inhibit the sanitizing process. balance apply to both fresh water and salt water pools. Countrywide Pools Northam 7 Water Balance pH Level Stabiliser pH is a measure of how acidic or alkaline your Ultra-violet light attacks chlorine. To pool water is. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14 stabilize your pool water you will need to with 7 being neutral. Values below 7 are acidic add Cyanuric Acid. This chemical reduces and values above 7 are alkaline. the amount of chlorine destroyed by sun light, acting as a “sunscreen” for the With pool water, we are seeking a pH balance chlorine. suitable for the pool users, the pool itself and the sanitiser or chlorinator. Australian Standards For both health and financial reasons it is 3633 defines the operating range as 7.0 to 7.8; important to overcome this effect as however, 7.2 to 7.6 is ideal. much as possible and so keeping the Since the human tear has a pH of 7.4, the pH of water stabilised is strongly recommended. the pool water should center on this value to To initially stabilize the water in your new prevent skin and eye irritation. pool, Cyanuric Acid should be added to achieve a recommended level of 30 to 50 ppm. Total Alkalinity (TA) Stabiliser is lost through splash-out and Total Alkalinity refers to the measure of backwashing of the filter therefore will bicarbonates, carbonates and hydroxides in need to be replaced regularly. your pool water. The recommended range is 60 to 200 parts per million (ppm) according to Australian Standard 3633. The ideal TA level is Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) dependent on calcium hardness, pH, the type of pool surface and the type of sanitiser. It is Total Dissolved Solids or TDS are the essential not to confuse the TA with pH. TA is the soluble salts and organic matter dissolved quantity of alkaline materials in the pool which in the water. The most common soluble help to stabilize the pH. salts in swimming pools are sodium and calcium chlorides and bicarbonates. They If the TA level is too low, there will be rapid originate from the water supply and changes in the pH. Low TA is frequently chemicals added during treatment. associated with coloured water, stains, etching plaster and accelerated signs of corrosion. Excessive levels can cause scale to form on the walls of the pool and pipes as well as corrosion of the metal fittings. It can Calcium Hardness also make it increasingly difficult to clarify the pool water. Calcium hardness is a measurement of dissolved calcium in the water. Low calcium hardness can be very damaging because it increases the “aggressiveness” of the water. This can result in etching of the cement based pool surface or causing the tile grout to dissolve. The desired range is 80 to 500 ppm according to Australian Standards 3633. A reputable pool company will provide you with the specific requirements for your pool finish, water supply and equipment at the handover. 8 Water Balance Safe Chemical Handling Never mix chemicals! This could lead to a violent reaction or explosion, as well as the production of toxic fumes. Even different chlorine can react violently when mixed together. It is recommended that you use a different bucket for diluting different chemicals. When transporting chemicals in your vehicle, do so in a manner that prevents them from mixing in the event of a spillage or accident. Chemicals should be stored in this way also; that is so that accidental breakage or leakage does not cause the chemicals to mix with each other or with other stored substances. Emptying Your Pool As a general rule, swimming pools should not require emptying. If you think that your pool needs to be emptied for any reason, please consult with one of our team at Countrywide Pools before doing so.