Living in Australia can be hot stuff. There’s nothing worse than going to jump in your pool at home, only to find it’s dirty and unhealthy. If your pool’s more green than clean, we’ve got a few maintenance tips to help keep your pool clean—all year round. From choosing the right pool cleaner for your needs to understanding the different chlorination techniques, there’s a number of things to consider when keeping your pool hygenic, so read on!
Pool Cleaning
Using a long-handled net or skimmer, skim the surface of your pool to get rid of any floating debris—before they submerge and become more difficult to remove. Also, remember to empty out the filter strainer basket regularly. While how often you complete these jobs depends on the size and location of your pool, as a rule of thumb try to do these at least once a week. When it comes to cleaning the bottom of your pool, you have multiple pool cleaning options:
Suction Pool Cleaner
The cheapest and most popular variety on the market, suction cleaners attach to your filter box and use the suction created to suck up grime. Popular models include the Zodiac and Kreepy Krawly.
Pressure Pool Cleaner
More powerful than suction cleaners, pressure cleaners require an additional booster pump and hose connection, but in return will pick up heavier debris and reach tight corners. They will also clean faster than suction cleaners.
Robotic Pool Cleaner
These are the most expensive pool cleaning option and require a power point connection close to the pool. They are good for larger pools, but need to be taken out after a cleaning session.
Pool Chemicals
Without the appropriate maintenance, your pool can develop bacteria. Whether your pool is chlorinated or saltwater, you will still need to make sure your pool has the right chemical compound balances. You need to properly balance the pH levels, total alkalinity and dissolved calcium levels to ensure your pool is safe for swimming. You can check these using a water testing kit.
Saltwater Chlorination Vs Manual Chlorination Vs Liquid Chemical Feeders
Choosing the right chlorination method for your pool is an important decision when it comes to pool maintenance. We’ve analysed the different choices you have to better understand what’s best for your pools at home:
Manual Chlorination
Extremely labour intensive, manual chlorination requires a heap of chemicals and regular testing to ensure it is properly maintained. This is not a very popular solution.
- Labour intensive
- Requires regular testing
- Chlorine can smell, as well as being harsh on skin & eyes
Liquid Chemical Feeders
Fitted to your pool’s filtration system, liquid chemical feeders work by automatically adding chlorine and other substances to keep your pool healthy.
- Despite monitoring pH levels regularly, it is still recommended to test constantly
- Expensive (prices starting from around $600)
- Chlorine can smell, as well as being harsh on skin & eyes
Saltwater Chlorination
The most popular selection for Darwin pool owners, saltwater chlorinated pools require less maintenance and surveillance. They are easily installed and work by converting salt crystals into chlorine gas.
- Requires more costs upfront, but you save in long term chemical expenses
- Produces less chlorine, so there are less harsh impacts on your skin & eyes
- Most salt chlorinator’s are self-cleaning and only require regular salt top-ups
Maintain The Water Levels
Everyday use of the pool, coupled with evaporation will cause your pool’s water levels to drop. You need to make sure these levels never drop below the filter box—as this can damage the pump. If you notice your pool is running low, just fill it up with a garden hose.
Cleaning The filter
When it comes to pool filters there are 3 main types: cartridge, sand and diatomaceous earth. Different maintenance procedures are required for each of these.
