Swimming Pool Cleaning

Keep your Pool Crystal Clear

There’s nothing worse than a murky, green swimming pool. Keeping your’s clean this season is certainly worth it if you want a cool, clean place to dip and relax all summer long. Read through our guide on how to keep your swimming pool blue and beautiful.

Firstly, it is important to understand why your pool goes green. The unpleasant green colour is attributed to algae which are visible because of their vivid green pigment; called chlorophyll. The more algae multiply in your pool water, the greener it will be.

Elements that exacerbate the growth of algae in your swimming pool include an increase of organic matter falling into it. This includes leaves, grass clippings, and other plant debris. Phosphates from substances like fertilizer also cause an increase in algae growths, as well as a general increase in the water temperature of the pool, which explains why algae blooms are more common over the summer months.

Because materials such as leaves, grass, and fertilizer; coupled with warm temperatures, act as food for algae, it is important for homeowners to keep such debris out of their swimming pool or to remove them as soon as they come into contact with the water.

Some top tips on how to keep up with your swimming pool maintenance include:

−    Making sure the pool filter works efficiently in order to prevent a buildup of organic material that fuels algae blooms. Backwashing the filter is a good way to make sure this is done well.

−    Thoroughly clean the sides of the pool if you notice a green, algae build-up. This needs to be done as soon as you spot a colony of algae growing, as replication is a rapid process.

−   Regularly maintaining the pH levels of your swimming pool is vital to ensure you prevent an algae build-up. A vacuuming device for the bottom of the pool, as well as additions of chlorine to the water to kill algae, are good examples of regular maintenance.

If you experience a rapid build up of algae and need to give the swimming pool a thorough treatment, a ‘shock treatment’ solution will help restore your pool water. Shock treatment is a temporary solution used when algae build-up becomes extreme. The treatment involves dosing the swimming pool with a large amount of chlorine and algaecide. After this step is complete, the pool is left to sit for roughly 24 hours, or until the algae or bacteria have been killed off. After which, the pool must be cleaned to remove the dead algae and the pool’s regular acidic levels must be maintained.