Browse Forums Pools & Spas Re: Pool Water Maintenance 2Dec 19, 2013 1:46 pm A big question is - is the water clear. This is possibly one of the best tests for the pool. If you like - and I do - regardless of your kit - take your water to the pool shop monthly for a check. Its free - and they'll even give you a bottle. And they are generally OK - ie trustworthy. They'll tell you what to do - ie acid, buffer/stabiliser etc. IMO the recommended things are necessary - eg buffer. But many might try to save. Perhaps a false economy. You may not have to add salt if things are good. Or maybe every 3 - 4 months - if then. We have a self cleaner - so we don't need a creepy crawly - also auto ph and chlorinator. 8 hours sounds a long time to me to run the chlorinator - does the pump run with it ? I reckon 2/3 x 2/3 morning and afternoon - then adjust to suit your pool. 12 metres might mean 50-60k litres ? You didn't give width. So just learn the amount to feed and talk to the pool shop. They know you'll come back if they help - and the pool will be an ongoing thing for them. They won't try to rip you off - otherwise they'll lose your business. Filter - depends on size and surroundings I guess. I clean my main one as and when necessary - ie the one you can look in, but the big fellers - maybe every 2 months or so. I use the gauges to tell if they are starting to work harder. I am far from an expert - so always ask at the pool shop - find one you feel happy with the local one is not what you want. You can also have a regular check done - ie a mobile service. If you feel unsure have a service every 3 - 4 months maybe. BUT - look and taste - and feel (eg eyes) is a good way to initially know if there's a problem. The water should be clean and clear. It should not burn your eyes or taste of chlorine or salt. It should not smell like one of those indoor pools. Have fun. Re: Pool Water Maintenance 3Dec 19, 2013 9:06 pm Thanks Saint Mike, the pool water looks crystal clear, except when leaves and blossom from the flowering gums nearby drift in, but the skimmer box filter and robotic cleaner make fast work of them. The only thing untoward I have noticed is that sometimes it feels as though there are tiny biters in the water - I cant see them but I feel their bite, nothing serious just a little itch. We have seen at least one kookaburra diving into the pool and splashing about on many occasions and I am wondering if they might carry lice or something similar? Is there something to treat the water for such critters? As I said I have never seen them, and hope its not my imagination. The other thing is, when we test the water we always seem to be needing to add acid. I test weekly or fortnightly and about once a month it shows that we need to add at least a litre of acid. Does this seem a little strange? Or is it normal? Am I putting too much acid in the pool? Sorry for all the questions, but any or all advice would be helpful! Re: Pool Water Maintenance 4Dec 20, 2013 1:04 am Hi, I've had a fibreglass salt-water pool for since 1992 now, and have got to know its foibles. To take it in order - yes, use stabiliser (cyanuric acid) which slows the breakdown of the free chlorine due to sunlight. This means that the chlorine will be available instead of getting destroyed once a day, and your chlorinator will last longer too as it can be turned back a bit. I add it only in Nov and in May. It seems to last 6 mo. - the salt in the pool water is recycled by the chlorinator, so in ideal circumstances you would never have to add more salt, but of course with rain and splashout you do, occasionally. I eventually got a salt level meter like this http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Digital-TDS- ... 8f1&_uhb=1 but you can always get the pool shop to do that for you - don't put any other chlorine products in the pool, they aren't needed, especially those with calcium in them. This will deposit out on your chlorinator cell. - this type of pool gobbles acid - ours does - so just add it when indicated by the ph test. - you will typically never get your buffer (sodium bicarbonate) level up to 90-100 ppm as some leaflets say to, but you should still use it as it stops the ph from swinging up and down wildly. The total alkalinity test tells you how much you have, 60 ppm is pretty good. - I clean the filter when the pressure gauge on it rises to about twice the reading it shows when clean. Over time I've come to know when it needs cleaning by that gauge. If you buy a gauge now or in the future, get an oil-filled type because the salt water rots their guts otherwise. - the birds love our pool too, mainly a procession of noisy miners. I don't know what that feeling of being bitten is, maybe midges, no-see-ums. - if the chlorine is low, and the salt level is right. and the chlorinator cell is running OK, that is a sign you need some stabiliser in there. If the salt and stabiliser is OK, then turn the chlorinator cell up a bit. - the chlorine test pills go off, even in the foil pack, so only buy one foil card at a time. - sooner or later you will get algae problems, probably green slime. Don't put in any algae killer with copper in it except on the advice of the pool shop. There is only one kind of that which can be used as a last resort, other copper types will stain the pool. The common algae killer for our type of pool is the benzalkonium chloride type. - if the pool gets a lot of leaves on the bottom, the phosphates level will rise, which promotes algae. Ask the pool shop to test for that each year. - the salt water is hard on pumps, so budget for a new one every 5-7 years. We are on our 4th pump now! Enjoy Re: Pool Water Maintenance 5Dec 20, 2013 7:11 am That sounds good. As I said - I always have the pool shop use their fancy gadget to check my water - at least once a month. But try to keep the pool clear of debris. We don't get any bite problems. Mine has an auto PH feeder - it has a large bottle of diluted hyd acid attached. I top this up when needed. It is 25lts - ie 20 water / 5 hyd acid. You can add the acid direct to the pool - if you must - but be very careful - it is dangerous stuff. My gauge then tells me if the ph is right. I refill the tank about every 2 months or so. Just keep an eye on it. My chlorinator is great as I can see if its working - ie the gas. I can judge this from my gauge too. But - you have to watch it as you might need to jiggle it to meet your needs - depending on your pool and surrounds. It may be set too low and not be coming on. Agree with Geoff on salt - you may not need to add any for some time. But the pool shop should give you a printout each time you have water checked. Keep them and watch trends on what you need. This will help you decide if gauges need to be reset. However - they may tell you to add a small amount of acid. This may be due to when you take the sample. Try doing it after the system has done its thing - in one bottle - and before - in another bottle - then get them to test both. This might tell you if you need to increase/decrease times for system to work. Re: Pool Water Maintenance 6Dec 20, 2013 7:14 am As Geoff said - its a learning process. Or ... I think he did ... Re: Pool Water Maintenance 8Dec 20, 2013 10:24 pm Thank you so much, I am going to print off your replies and keep them with my pool testing kit. I can't express how impressed and grateful I am for the responses. Just wondering how much buffer to add at a time? Also stabilizer? Does anyone have views on whether magnapool mineral salts are worth the extra $$$$. I guess if we don't have to add it too often it might not be an issue. Ive read a few things that say its a gimmick, but I do like the feel of the water. The local pool guy stocks some but I get the impression I might be the only one buying it. Thanks again, Nicenurse Re: Pool Water Maintenance 9Dec 21, 2013 2:32 am nicenurse Thank you so much, I am going to print off your replies and keep them with my pool testing kit. I can't express how impressed and grateful I am for the responses. Just wondering how much buffer to add at a time? Also stabilizer? Does anyone have views on whether magnapool mineral salts are worth the extra $$$$. I guess if we don't have to add it too often it might not be an issue. Ive read a few things that say its a gimmick, but I do like the feel of the water. The local pool guy stocks some but I get the impression I might be the only one buying it. Thanks again, Nicenurse Our pleasure, Add stabiliser according to the instructions, no extra. Buffer, you could fling the instructed amount, or more, it won't hurt. As to Magnapool, I don't think myself there is much advantage to it. http://poolscam.blogspot.com.au/2011/09 ... forum.html http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2018024 Re: Pool Water Maintenance 10Dec 23, 2013 11:54 pm Thanks for the links, very informative, but I may now be more confused than ever... I don't have the magnapool system as such, which sounds like it was perhaps a waste of money (and no longer available, I was told, since the company has gone out of business), I just buy the Aque Therepe mineral salts, which are quite expensive for a small bag, but I do believe the water to be very silky and pure. Am I just wasting my money? At least the kookaburras seem to love bathing in it. And my hair and skin is looking and feeling better than it has in years. At least my hair hasn't turned green, like a previous pool I swam in! Re: Pool Water Maintenance 11Dec 24, 2013 1:58 pm nicenurse , I just buy the Aque Therepe mineral salts, which are quite expensive for a small bag, but I do believe the water to be very silky and pure. Am I just wasting my money? At least the kookaburras seem to love bathing in it. And my hair and skin is looking and feeling better than it has in years. At least my hair hasn't turned green, like a previous pool I swam in! I had heard of that myself, on Whirlpool.com I think. The advertising for it is very vague and nowhere says what it actually is by % analysis, but the consensus seems to be that it is some combination of chloride compounds, possibly magnesium as well as sodium. As such, chemically it does the same job as just common salt, that is, it generates free chlorine in the cell. The difference therefore is in the perceived benefits it gives in other areas. Even their own advertising can be read that way if you like. So as it is not harmful, and should not harm the chlorinator, I would go for it if you like it. Cheers Hi everyone, Looking for some advise. We are about to build an above ground pool in our backyard. There is a private sewer line running under the pool at 1.6m… 0 12156 Hi, I'm new to this forum so I hope I'm doing this post correctly. Please advise if it's not. I've just bought my place. 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