Don't Wait Too Late to Prepare Your Pool for Summer Fun

Winterizing chemicals only last through the winter! 

As temperatures rise in the spring, the water under the pool cover begins to heat up. Even though the pool is not exposed to the sun, the warm water under the cover begins to encourage the growth of bacteria, water molds and algae. Very quickly, any traces of sanitizing chemicals left in the water disappear as they react with the growing organisms. This leaves the pool water unprotected. This has now become the perfect environment for bacteria, water molds and algae to grow and multiply very rapidly.

Problems always cost more than prevention!

Some pool owners think they are saving money by waiting until the end of May or early June to uncover and begin operating their pool for summer. This couldn't be further from the truth.

Consider the following, CHEMICALLY, you would need:

For a really green 10,000 gallon pool, you would need, on the average at least 10 lbs (usually much more) of a superchlorinating product, a bottle of flocculant, a bottle of stronger-more costly algaecide to fix the problem.

For the same sized pool, opened 4 weeks earlier, you would need on the average 1lbs of superchlorinating product per week, 2-3 Smart Sticks per week, 3 ounces of algaecide per week.

Not factored into the first scenario above...YOUR TIME and TROUBLE!

BELOW: Steps to open your above ground pool: (For a personal prescription and friendly advice, bring us a water sample! We will tailor your opening to your needs.)

Plan to attend Pool School at POOLCO!

Clean the cover with BioGuard StowAway (or it WILL SMELL really, really bad next fall when you need to winterize your pool!) Do yourself a favor and dispose of any cover that has developed pinholes from the cover fabric pulling apart (or you will be pumping pool water from under the cover next spring when you open the pool....)

Tighten all hose connections -  SUPER TIGHT! 

Tighten connections

The manufacture of flexible filter system connection hose recommends changing these annually. 

Biofilms develop inside the hoses that will require additional chemical treatment. 

In addition to this, the sun is very harsh and drying on the plastic. The bend in the hose can crack and then leak (and unwanted "fountain"...)

Remove skimmer plate.

How high is the water level? If there is enough water added to the pool - and the water is clear (you can easily see the bottom) - then beginning running the filter system.

Immediately test and chemically treat the pool water.  Winterizing chemicals are often used up by end of April, sometimes sooner, if winter and spring temperatures were above average.

Bring a sample of water (16 ounce) to POOLCO for a complete water analysis. We will make opening dosage recommendations and customize your instructions based on your pool's needs, your budget and your time!

Run the filter 24 hours a day for several days until the water clarity and chemical balance are perfect! Then you may reduce filter time to 8 - 12 hours per day (with the use of a timer - or you WILL forget to run filter!)

** If there is a layer of fine dirt (or worse) on the bottom of the pool you must remove this from the pool. Come see us with a water sample for how to best handle this situation.

Our friendly advice is always free!

Something Must Be Wrong With These Test Strips...Or Is It Chlorine Demand?

Chlorine Demand

Definition of Chlorine Demand

High chlorine demand is the inability to keep adequate chlorine in pool water, even though the water is balanced and properly maintained. Various contaminants increase oxidation levels, consuming chlorine faster than it can be replaced by automatic feeders or normal shocking. Symptoms include slimy or slick pool walls and cloudy water (although water can be clear and still have a high chlorine demand). A sudden drop in cyanuric acid can be an indicator that there is a chlorine demand problem, as the CYA reading is often masked by the demand. If this occurs, do not add stabilizer.

Another form of chlorine demand is a high level of combined chlorine that cannot be broken by successive shock applications. Often this is caused by the presence of ammonia in the water. This can come from fertilizers, pesticides, and even fill water.

High chlorine demand can be frustrating to solve. It may be caused by a number of factors and is especially common during spring start-up. For outdoor pools subject to many environmental factors, it may not be possible or feasible to isolate the exact cause. However, this is less important than beginning immediate elimination.

NOTE:  A zero chlorine reading does not necessarily indicate that there is no chlorine in the pool. The chlorine level may be so high that it is bleaching the color out of the reagent.

Common causes of Chlorine Demand

Chlorine resistant algae, fungus or bacteria: An infestation can exhaust normal chlorine levels and require a specially formulated algicide to solve the problem. Often, the growth is not visible on the pool surface itself. Pink slime and water mold are notorious for growing first inside lines, skimmers, and behind light niches before becoming visible. Growth in these areas can continue to deplete chlorine levels steadily until removed.

Nitrogen contamination:  Lawn fertilizers and other nitrogen products in pool water produce a high level of chloramines, which require larger amounts of chlorine for oxidation.

Source water: Lake water is usually contaminated with algae, metals, and other debris, and should not be used to fill pools. Well water may have some of the same problems. Even local municipal water supplies can create high chlorine demand, especially if the contain chloramines. Every time fill water is added to the pool, chloramine and nitrogen levels rise, requiring more chlorine. Shocking after fill water addition helps prevent excessive chloramine levels in this situation, as does avoiding the addition of large amounts of fill water at a time.

Rain and Pollution: Contaminants from factories, highways, airports, and other sources may be deposited in pool water, especially during rainfalls. Clouds sometimes transport pollution over long distances. Rain and wind also carry algae spores, leaves and other debris which raise chlorine demand. During the winter, stagnant water in uncovered pools exposed to air, rain, and snow often develop chlorine demand problems. Older pool covers will develop pin holes as the fabric weave stretchs from the weight of heavy water and/or the force of strong wind. These small holes allow fine particles and the contaminated water on top of the cover to pass through to the

winterized pool water under the cover.

High bather loads: A large crowd using the pool over a few days can introduce a lot of undesirable compounds, (such as perspiration, cosmetics and suntan oils), into the water. Requiring all swimmers to shower before swimming can help prevent this. Shock after any heavy bather load.

Eliminating Chlorine Demand

The best way by far to handle chlorine demand is to perform a chlorine demand test. This test is contained in a separate lab available to BioGuard Dealers. This test can give the exact amount of chlorine needed to break the demand. In some cases, this may be quite high. It may be a more feasible option to perform a partial drain and refill with fresh water to reduce the demand. Performing this test can prevent a great deal of frustration by allowing you to make an educated product application.

Prevention of Chlorine Demand

To prevent chlorine demand, maintain proper chlorine residuals consistently, shock regularly, and avoid contaminating the pool with chemicals or foreign objects.

 Keep in mind…

S Some contaminants are oxidized quickly and some are oxidized very slowly

• It depends on the nature of the contaminant

S It may be impossible to determine the exact cause of chlorine demand, however it is not usually relevant to treatment