Cara's Pool School

It is recommended to test your water at least once per week, when there are no issues with clarity, algae, or other problems to be addressed. At a minimum, you should be testing for Free and Total Chlorine, pH, and Total Alkalinity. There are other parameters that should be tested monthly, such as TDS, Clacium Hardness, Cyanuric Acid (CYA), and metals; but a visit to a trusted local pool professional can perform those tests for you, usually free of charge.

There will be times that the steps, floor, and walls may need to be vacuumed to remove sand or other heavy debris. Unless an automatic pool cleaner is in use -- and sometimes as a necessary compliment, after heavy storms and the like -- a manual vacuum can be used. When vacuuming manually, a hose is attached to either a suction port in the pool's wall or in the base of the skimmer opening and the opposite end is attached to a vacuum head after that has been attached to a pole for manual direction. It is imperative to pre-fill...

It's recommended to pre-mix the D.E. powder in a bucket of water prior to adding it to the filter. Once mixed, the slurry should be added slowly into the pool's skimmer while the filter is running and set in normal operation mode. The D.E. powder can also be added directly to the skimmer and without pre-mixing; but be sure to add it slowly with the pump running and ensure that all material works its way through the skimmer. As a note of safety, always ensure you do not directly inhale any powder during mixing or application.

You will need to know the internal area of your filter (square footage, usually listed on the manufacturer's label on the filter) prior to adding D.E. powder. The proper dosing amount is always listed on the powder's label; however, as an example, a 60 sq.ft. filter should take approximately 7 lbs. of D.E. after backwashing. Keep in mind that backwashing does not physically remove all of the powder and debris from the filter each time, so it's usually a good idea to only use about 80% of the recommended amount unless a full filter tear-down and cleaning has been performed.

Although sometimes referred to as mold by description, this is more commonly known as black algae. Because of the nature of black algae, scrubbing the surface prior to treatment is necessary for effectiveness -- usually with a wire-bristle brush, if the surface allows (plaster or pebble). Most liquid treatments should be applied with the filter running, while some dry chlorine treatments may require a period of exposure without circulation (white plaster pools only). In any case, adequate pH levels and other water balance parameters should be maintained to ensure proper effectiveness. Also, because of the high potential for repeat blooms,...