ep100 Pool Maintenance Basics, and Thanksgiving

Frank and Jacque introduce their sponsors for 2024, and then discuss back to the basics of pool care.

Our sponsors for the 2024 podcast season.

poolwerx.com jandy.com. bluerayxl.com

cyclonefiltertools.com. ipssa.com allsafepool.com

clearcomfort.com

00:00-11:00 introduction.

11:00-11:25 pool news update by Pool Magazine poolmagazine.com

12:44-13:39 Frank explains that the way he says Wisconsin is a Mike Tyson spoof.

13:40-16:10 Frank discusses why he is lowering the maximum pH target mark on the pools he services. Chlorine was not holding as well and with the extreme weather this year there were a few issues with the higher pH.

17:45-17:46 make sure you are considering the lower water temperatures when calculating your LSI or CSI. Colder water is more aggressive and adjustments to pH, alkalinity, or even calcium may be necessary to maintain proper water balance.

17:47-20:00 discussing the basics of pool maintenance. the 5 most important things in maintaining a swimming pool. 1. Water chemistry 2. Circulation. 3. Filtration. 4. Removal of dirt and debris. 5. brushing

20:01-24:44 water chemistry 2 parts water balance is keeping your water from being aggressive or scaling by managing your LSI or CSI. Two of biggest factors that change the LSI are pH and alkalinity. Cacium, TDS, CYA, and water temperature also need to be measured and monitored to maintain balanced water. there are several apps available to help you calculate LSI.

24:45-27:00 in warm water over 65 degrees, Sanitizer levels. if you are a borate pool then you should maintain 5% of your CYA in free chlorine, if you do not use borates then you should maintain 7.5% of your CYA in free chlorine. in cooler water you can simply super chlorinate to 8-10 ppm once a week or every other week with a shock product like liquid chlorine

27:01-28:00 circulation is extremely important in proper pool maintenance. water needs to be exchanged in all parts of the pool. we recommend turning the pool either clockwise or counter clockwise to help eliminate dead spots in the pool.

29:00-30:12 we also recommend turning the pool over a minimum of 2 times per day. a turnover is moving the entire volume amount of water in the pool through the filter once. in our area of north texas we recommend 3 times per day when the water is over 70 degrees

30:13-34:18 filtration. removal of fine particles from the water in the pool. 3 types of filters Sand filter (with sand media) filters 20-30 microns, which is pool. with glass media the sand filter can filter 5 to 7 microns which is excellent. cartridge filters filter 8 to 20 microns, and DE or diatomaceous earth filters filter down to 3 to 5 microns. proper filter maintenance is critical. know your clean filter pressure so you can evaluate how well your circulation system is operating.

34:19-37:15 removal of debris and dirt. organic material will release nutrients into the water that is algae food. do not allow dirt and leaves and debris to sit in the pool for extended periods. empty cleaners, baskets regularly

37:16 brushing. important to remove organics, algae, and other organisms off the walls and surfaces and into the open water where your sanitizer levels are typically more consistent and can kill the organisms.