By following the tips and tricks we give you here, you can be sure to enjoy a clean, well-maintained pool with clear, sparkling water.ย
As soon as temperatures soar, bacteria also feel like fish in water. And anyone who has a pond or aquarium knows that algae love light-rich conditions. Algae create a green deposit on the bottom and edges of the pool and also discolour the water itself. And, of course, other things get into the pool. Think of sunscreen, hair, blades of grass, insects, foliage... A well thought-out disinfection strategy and meticulous pool maintenance is therefore extremely important.
Top tips for pool maintenance
TIP 1: Fill your pool with tap water
Ok, this tip is indeed not so eco-friendly. For your washing machine and toilet, you might use water from your rain tank. So why not also to fill your swimming pool? This has everything to do with the chemical composition. With rain or groundwater, it is not optimal to find a good balance. So there will be a lot more work involved in maintaining your pool. You don't have to do it for the price. The cost of an endless stream of maintenance products and disinfectants will probably be higher than the amount you save by using rain/groundwater instead of tap water.
TIP 2: When treating, keep the temperature between 18 and 28 degrees Celsius
Pool maintenance products such as a pH reducer or chlorine work best at a water temperature between 18 and 28 degrees. At higher or lower temperatures, they become a lot less effective or even stop working altogether.
TIP 3: Measuring is knowing
There are three parameters that determine the water balance and proper maintenance of your pool, namely alkalinity, pH and chlorine levels. Alkalinity represents water hardness and should be between 100 and 150 ppm. The pH value should be between 7.0 and 7.4 and chlorine between 1 and 2 ppm.ย
Too high a pH value makes the chlorine less active, making it easier for bacteria to develop in the water. In turn, too low a pH value can cause irritation to the skin and eyes.
You test the water values using a test set. It is best to test alkalinity first, then pH and then chlorine. This is because disturbed alkalinity affects the pH value, which in turn affects the chlorine value. Be sure to test extra in very fluctuating weather conditions.
If the alkalinity or pH level is too high or too low, you can restore it using a remedy that lowers or raises the alkalinity or pH level.
The extent to which your water balance is up to par depends largely on the weather. Sunny, warm weather causes an increase in chlorine consumption. Heavy rain or thunderstorms can wreak havoc on the pH value of your surface-mounted pool.
How often should you check the chlorine level?
It is best to test the chlorine level of your pool once a week. During the pool high season, feel free to increase this to twice a week.
Prefer a chlorine-free pool? You can! Be sure to read our blog!
What is chlorine shock and how do you perform such a shock?
A chlorine shock is the addition of an extra dose of chlorine to the pool in order to restore the chlorine level. Such a shock is best carried out when the pool is put into use, after winter, after a longer period without control, after a few days of very intensive use of the pool. To perform a chlorine shock, you can use the following step-by-step plan.
- Before adding chlorine granules to the pool, make sure the pH level of your water is up to par (between 7.2 and 7.6 pH). So add pH-min or pH-plus if necessary.
- Dissolve the chlorine powder in a bucket of water before distributing it evenly throughout the pool. Preferably open the container outdoors while out of the wind.
- For a chlorine shock treatment, add 3 measuring cups of 40 grams of chlorine granules per 10 mยณ of water. It is best to add this after swimming or in the evening so the product can spread well in the pool.
- Filter the water after adding the chlorine. That way, the effect of the chlorine in the pool will be more effective.
- Check the chlorine level of your water regularly, preferably weekly. The ideal value is between 1 and 1.5 mg per litre of water.
What cleaning products are there?
Maintaining your pool consists of a number of components. Testing and adjusting the water values is one of them, but keeping the water crystal clear is at least as important. There are plenty of remedies for that too. The filter system is of course primarily responsible for purifying your pool water. But it is not flawless either, and tiny particles of dirt slip through the net - literally! Flocculant then causes such floating particles to flocculate together, making it easier for them to remain in your filtration system. Anti-algae products are also a real must!
To know how much of a certain product to put in the water, it is necessary to know how many litres of water are in your pool. And exactly this is something that many people cannot easily remember. Fortunately, you can calculate this yourself. The easiest way is to calculate the volume of the pool in mยณ and convert this to litres. 1mยณ = 1000 litres.
Rectangular pool: length x width x depth
Round pool: ฯ x (radius x radius) x depth OR length x width x depth x 0.78
Oval pool: ((length - width) x width x depth) + (ฯ x (radius x radius) x depth) OR length x width x depth x 0.89
Circulation is key
Stagnant water gets dirty very quickly. Continuous circulation using the filter pump ensures that dirt is removed as well as chemicals. To ensure sufficient water circulation, all pool water should pass through the filter at least 3 times a day.
Regularly clean the filter baskets and rinse out the cartridge. It is recommended to replace the cartridge in the case of a cartridge filter pump after 2 weeks of use.
Reading tip: FAQ pool pumps
What do you do when the water becomes murky?
Murky water is obviously not very nice to swim in. To get cloudy water clear again, it is important to identify the cause.
- A malfunctioning filter pump: A first (obvious) possibility is a filter pump that is not working properly. With a sand filter pump, in that case, you can first run a backwash. Then let it filter again over a longer period of time.
- Too high a concentration of cyanic acid: chlorine tablets or chlorine granules can cause too high a concentration of cyanic acid. This prevents the free chlorine from working adequately. Measure the concentration of cyanoic acid. If the value exceeds 70mg/l, add fresh water to neutralise. You can avoid cyanoic acid using liquid chlorine.
- Excessive water hardness: Lime in the water causes excessive hardness. Measure the concentration of calcium hardness and reduce if necessary. A concentration between 100 and 200 mg/l is good.
Cleaning your pool
Pool robot
A pool robot does all the work for you so you can relax. There are also two types of pool robots: on the one hand, pool robots that you connect to the filter pump, and on the other, rechargeable ones that work completely autonomously like a robot hoover at home.
And you can throw some extra cleaning power into the fray. Leaves, insects and other debris always collect on the water surface. With the help of a skimmer, you can easily remove these unwanted items.
But the best tip we can give? That is to try to ensure that, for example, a skimmer is not actually needed. This can be done with the help of a pool cover. Moreover, a pool cover minimises evaporation. So you don't need to refill water as often. Before you go swimming, rinse yourself off. This will prevent loose skin flakes or sun cream, for example, from getting into the water. A footbath is not a luxury either.
What do I do if there is a leak in my above-ground pool?
Help a leak! In itself, a leak in your set-up pool does not have to be a huge problem. In fact, you can repair it with a repair kit.
To do so, remove all the water from the pool and grease the surface around the crack/hole. Make sure you provide a repair patch that is large enough. That way it will stay in place.