Questions And Answers: Top Swimming Pool Care Problems

Swimming Pool Questions and Answers Help & Expert Pool Care Forum. Frequently asked maintenance questions about all kinds of pool related issues.

Hey, it's Robert from Clean Pool and Spa!! I'm really glad you're here!! If you have a couple of minutes, I'd like to share something with you. Fair enough?

Alright.

I've been doing this swimming pool gig since 1999. I've cleared up HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of pools in Arizona, Oregon, and now here in Florida. I'd say it's well north of 700 pools. I've talked to THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of pool owners, just like, both in person and on the phone. I've asked hundreds of questions and have received TONS of answers and feedback. And do you know what? When you've been doing something as long as I have, you tend to see patterns. These patterns come in the form of frustratingly green or cloudy pools, type of questions people have, and concerns that their Summer will be ruined if they don't get this pool situation under control. Does any of that sound familiar?

For those who have been sitting on the fence, I’ve seen and heard your Questions and Answers. I figure that if 1000 people are asking the question, then 10,000+ have the same question. So here we go!!!

Question #1 - Why is my pool cloudy or green?

Answer: There are many factors to consider when clearing up a green or cloudy pool. It's NOT as simple as adding chemicals or "shocking" the pool. There wouldn't be millions of green pools if those were true. But just because it's not simple, doesn't mean it's not EASY!! Yes, you read that correct!! It's EASY beyond belief!! How easy, you might ask? It's just understanding a few simple principles and basically doing what you're already doing. Can you take your chemical readings? Can you add chemicals to your pool? Can you filter? If you've said YES to those questions, your pool can and will clear up and stay that way!!

Go HERE for more information.

Question #2 - Do I need to use chemicals from the pool store? They're expensive.

Answer: While you can buy some chemicals and products from the pool store like chlorine tabs, you can find other chemicals at your local grocery store. Thousands of pool owners use bleach for their sanitizer. 20 Mule Team Borax is great to increase the pH, and baking soda can raise both the pH and total alkalinity. These can be found at a fraction of the pool store price.

Question #3 - What's the best test kit to use?

Answer: While we have many choices, I prefer and use the Taylor K-2006 pool water test kit. The TF-100 is also a very good choice. Test strips are easy and affordable, but won't give us the accurate readings we need. And that's what it's all about, right? Accuracy!! Here are some videos to demonstrate just how EASY the Taylor K-2006 kit is to use. These are just a couple of the videos you'll find in my exclusive POOL FIX IT VIDEO SERIES.

Question #4 - I'm thinking about building a salt pool/converting to a salt pool. Is this a good idea?

Answer: Salt water pools have many benefits. No more adding chlorine. And it sure makes the water feel better!! But, salt pools are not chlorine free pools. The chlorine generator still produces chlorine which is the sanitizer for your pool.

Question #5 - How soon can I swim after adding chemicals?

Answer: It depends on your situation, pool size, and amount of chemicals you've added. A good rule of thumb is about 30 minutes. This is especially true when adding acid or chlorine. Allow the water to circulate for at least 30 minutes. You'll want to wait until the chlorine level decreases to 3 -5 ppm after shocking your pool.

Go HERE to learn all about your swimming pool care and chemicals.

Question #6 - How often should I drain my swimming pool?

Answer: Draining your pool too often is expensive and wasteful. There are really only a handful of reasons why you should drain your pool. TDS, or Total Dissolved Solids is NOT a reason.

Question #7 - I have chlorine lock/block. What do I do now?

Answer: There is no such thing as chlorine lock. Their definition is your pool chlorine is somehow LOCKED UP and you must get it UNLOCKED by shocking the pool. Your chlorine can only be 1 of 2 things. Your chlorine is either EFFECTIVE or NOT EFFECTIVE. That's it. Your chlorine's job is to kill organic matter (bugs, swimmer waste, leaves, etc.) in the pool. But, it must be EFFECTIVE in order to do it. Go HERE to learn much more about your pool chemistry.

Question #8 - How long should I run my pump motor?

Answer: In general, 8 - 10 hours during the swimming season and 4 - 6 hours during the off-season.

Question #9 - I keep adding chlorine, but when I test my water there's no chlorine and the pool is still green/cloudy. What's happening?

Answer: Remember, our chlorine is either EFFECTIVE or NOT EFFECTIVE. There are many reasons why our chlorine is not effective such as:

Old chlorine
Not using enough for the size of the pool
Adding it during the day so it gets burned off by the sun and heat
Too high pH
Too low or high CYA
High chlorine demand (such as a heavily used pool)

It can be one or a combination of the above. Go HERE to learn how to EASILY clear up your pool.

Question #10 - Something is wrong with my pool filter pressure. It's running too high or too low? What's the problem?

Answer: Our filter is an integral part of our swimming pool. Sometimes it's overlooked. It cleans the water and must be working in order for us to have a safe and healthy pool to swim in. The videos below go into great detail on troubleshooting these issues.