Zodiac Pool
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“The hotter the weather gets, the more the pool is used, which means that more chlorine is required to keep it sanitised,” explains Chris Fitzmaurice, Swimart national manager.
“Algae blooms in the heat – and chlorine is the best defence against algae. When the weather gets really hot, pools don’t cool down overnight, so the chlorine demand remains high. If you have a salt pool, you can use the ‘super chlorinate’ button on your salt chlorinator to fix the problem.”
The safest approach is to take a pool water sample from below elbow depth to your local Swimart store to check it for balance and sanitisation.
“Another demand on pool water is the level of phosphates in the water,” says Chris. “Algae love phosphates and feed on them. Phosphates are introduced to the pool primarily via bird and bat droppings, although roof water added into the pool and swimming costumes washed in detergent containing phosphates are other potential sources.
 Image from Parterre |
Concept Pools |
“Chlorine alone can’t eliminate phosphates. However, a chemical called Phosphate Starver will eradicate the phosphates so the chlorine can work on killing the algae.”
If the PH is too high, you can get scaling on the surface of your pool and salt chlorinator. This can be addressed by adding acid to the water. If too low, the water will start to hurt eyes and skin and make you feel uncomfortably itchy. It can also etch away the surface of the pool. This can be fixed by adding ‘buffer’ or alkali. Correct PH levels make the pool comfortable to swim in. If PH levels are incorrect, it can affect the efficiency of the chlorine in the pool.
“If in doubt, your local Swimart store will also be able to advise on PH levels,” says Chris.
So get your pool ready now to enjoy a summer of swimming fun!
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