Maintenance For Your Above Ground Pool

Above ground pools are an excellent first step in pool ownership as they are easy to install, and relatively inexpensive to run. Just follow a few simple guidelines and you will have many hours of enjoyment. It is necessary to learn just a little of the background to water treatment in order to maintain clean and healthy water.



The most important considerations are the circulation and filtration of the water, and then the chemical treatment of that water.The circulation and filtration system consists of a pump to move the water around the system, and a filter to remove the small suspended particles, which would otherwise cause the pool to become cloudy.The pump needs to be run daily and the filter cleaned regularly.

The chemical treatment is required, as water which is left to stand becomes a breeding ground for numerous bugs and bacteria.The water needs to be treated with chlorine to kill off these unwanted bugs and prevent them from multiplying. Chlorine granules produce free chlorine in the water and this is the disinfectant that kills the bacteria and other pollution introduced into the water. The usual level of chlorine for healthy swimming is between 1.5 and 3 parts per million. A usual dose of chlorine granules is 10gm per 1 000 gallons of water, but always test the water before and after dosing to make sure the chlorine level is within the recommended range. Please take note of the Health and Safety information on chemical packaging.

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU MIX pH- WITH CHLORINE. DOING SO WILL LIBERATE HIGHLY TOXIC CHLORINE GAS.

It is important to also monitor the pH of the water. The pH is a measure of how acidic or alkaline the water is. The higher the pH the more alkaline the water is, whilst the lower the Ph, the more acidic it is. The correct level for pH is between 7.2 - 7.6. If the pH is too high the efficiency of the chlorine action will be affected, whilst the water could become cloudy. If the pH is too low it can be uncomfortable for swimmers, causing irritation and soreness. If you need to reduce the pH use dry acid, also known as pH-. For every 0.1 reduction required, use 50 gms per 1000 gallons of water. Low pH is increased using the pH+ (dry alkali). Use 25gms per 1,000 gallons for every 0.1 increase required. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU MIX pH- WITH CHLORINE. DOING SO WILL LIBERATE HIGHLY TOXIC CHLORINE GAS.

If the level of chlorine in the water drops, then it is possible that algae may start to form. The regular addition of an algaecide will help to prevent this. Should your pool become green with algae, it will be necessary to shock treat the pool before adding more algaecide. To shock dose the pool, add chlorine granules to raise the level up to 6ppm. Allow the chlorine level to fall back to the recommended levels before allowing further swimming.

As a final step it is important that the water is kept free from debris such as dirt and leaves. Use specialist pool nets and brushes and regularly clean the water, removing any foreign matter.