Check And Adjust The Chemical Balance Regularly
Even the best above ground pools require sanitizer usually chlorine or bromine to be added to the water which kills bacteria and keeps it fresh and clear. According to Lowe’s , chlorine levels should be kept between 1 and 4 parts per million .
You also need the pH of the water to be kept at an optimal level , as well as the alkalinity this ensures the sanitizer chemicals work effectively. Check your water’s levels regularly using test strips at least once a week or more and adjust accordingly. Always wear protective clothing when handling pool chemicals.
Checking the cyanuric acid levels at least once a month and balancing accordingly is also important for the overall health of your pool’s water. Keep it between 30 and 50 ppm, says Swim University . Don’t forget about calcium hardness, too, which should be between 175 ppm and 225 ppm if your pool has a vinyl or fiberglass liner. Keep it between 200 ppm and 275 ppm for plaster or concrete pools, Swim University adds.
Once a week, you can use a pool shock this is basically a heavier dose of sanitizer. Remember to test the water chemistry after the treatment before you jump back in to ensure it’s safe to do so you’ll usually need to wait a while first.
Chlorine or other sanitizers will kill bacteria in your pool
Filtering And Skimming The Pool
Balance Your Pool Water
Testing your pool water can help you decide to adjust your levels accordingly. But how do you regulate these levels? It happens by balancing the pool water chemistry. There are three crucial parts to your pool water chemistry.
Knowing these three levels is vital in balancing your water. There are chemicals you can add to your pool to create a safe balance of cleanliness in your water.
Recommended Reading: How To Increase Ph In Pool
Brush The Sides Of Your Pool
Investing in a pool brush and giving the bottom and sides of your above ground pool a good scrub is also important for keeping it clean and algae-free. Brushing should be done a few times a week, more if you’re using your pool heavily such as after a pool party.
Add a skimmer net to your above ground pool maintenance toolkit, too a must for fishing out fallen leaves.
A pool net can be used to get rid of floating debris before it falls to the bottom of your pool
What Is A Pressure Side Above Ground Pool Cleaner
It connects to your return jet and uses the water pressure from your pool pump and filtration system to power the spaceship along the top of the water . At the same time, it sends water pressure to the mesh bag pushing debris into it in a random cleaning pattern.
One of the best things I like about this cleaner is that its incredibly easy to repair. It only has a few parts that can go wrong. And you can fix it just by looking at it.
It works surprisingly well. And its fun to swim with it! Check our favorite pressure-side pool cleaners for inground pools.
NOTE: Even though the spaceship looking thing floats on the top of the water, it doesnt skim debris off the pool surface. Also, the better your water flow rate, the more quick and efficient this vacuum will clean your pool bottom.
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Poor Circulation And Dead Spots
This is usually an issue found more in larger above-ground pools and pools that have lots of fixtures and loose pool lining.
Poor water circulation can end up with algae growth, which you may find in the dead spots of the pool.
Dead spots are where theres little-to-no circulation of water, which tend to be located behind pool ladders, by steps, under the skimmer, in cracks, nooks, crannies, and liner folds.
You may be thinking, but I have a pump thats supposed to fix that for me!.
And youd be right, a pump is designed to circulate your pool water.
However, its harder to get that water moving in the spots we just mentioned.
Good Pool Maintenance Begins With Knowing Your Pool
Before you can properly enjoy or care for your pool, you might need to brush up on all the parts of your pool. Knowing the basic parts of your pool, and their functions, helps you keep everything running smoothlyand makes it easier to resolve issues when they occur.
Looking for a full in-depth video course on swimming pool maintenance? Check out The Pool Maintenance Video Course and become a pool care master so you can effortlessly keep your water clean and clear all season.
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Monthly Pool Maintenance Schedule
Your individual pool maintenance schedule could vary a little bit depending on the climate in which you live, the frequency of pool use, and how well you maintain your pool. One person might not need to shock their pool for over a month while another person might need to shock their pool every week. Some pools never have problems with algae, while other pools see a buildup of algae every couple weeks.
Use the above maintenance schedules as a guide. Find out the necessary safe ranges specific to your pool and circumstances, and understand how much chemicals to add based on the size of your pool and the numbers that your tests reveal. Tweak these maintenance schedules to fit your own pool maintenance needs.
Clean The Bottom Of An Above Ground Pool
- Cleansing an above-ground pool can be just as time-consuming as cleaning one that is installed in the ground.
- The procedures differ slightly, but the end goal is the same: to have a nice and clear pool to enjoy.
- Most pool owners have a lot of work to do when it comes to pool care and cleaning.
- You’ll never be short of work between skimming and maintaining the filter, scrubbing the floors and walls, and maintaining the chemical balance.
- Although above-ground pool cleaning is not buried beneath the ground, it can be just as problematic as in-ground pool cleaning.
- Depending on the services or equipment you use, cleaning and maintaining an above ground pool will be easier or more complex. Of course, hiring a pool care service is the most convenient option.
- Cleansing and maintaining a pool can be costly if you do it yourself. Keeping your pool in great condition, on the other hand, will assist you to avoid incurring higher maintenance expenditures.
- No matter where your pool is set, keeping it clean will make it more enjoyable to swim in and less expensive to maintain. Serious issues like leaks are much less likely to arise in a properly cleaned pool that receives lots of maintenance.
These are the steps you must do to keep your above-ground pool looking its best.
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Simple Steps On How To Clean A Green Above Ground Pool Quickly
Whether you have an inground or above ground pool, the green water seems like one of the most common problems that you have to deal with. Almost every pool owner should experience this kind of nasty case, and you may be one of them.
Of course, once you notice that your pool water has turned green, you have to solve it as soon as possible. The swimming pool with green water is not really safe to use due to some reasons like the imbalance chemicals of the water and the bacteria that may harm you.
There are some factors that cause the green pool water problem, such as:
- Low Chlorine Level The lower the level of chlorine of your swimming pool, the more contaminants you will get.
- Low Cyanuric Acid Level Cyanuric acid works to stabilize the free chlorine level, and when its lower than recommended, the pool is not sanitized optimally.
- Irregular Cleaning When you dont clean up the pool regularly, the debris and dirt in the water can bring the algae which then leads to a green water problem.
- Broken Filtration and Circulation System Both of them have a critical role in maintaining the hygiene of your pool water, they have to work properly to give you an enjoyable pool.
You have to know the level of the chemicals of the water. When everything is in the ideal range, the chlorine will work properly.
Vacuuming It At Least Once A Week
This is probably the main difference when it comes to in-ground pools and above ground pools. With in ground pools, you can get away with vacuuming it on an infrequent basis because in ground pools have bottom drains which can suck in any dirt and debris that have settled to the bottom. On above ground pools, theres no bottom drain which makes it even more important to vacuum your pool on a very regular basis. Having an above ground vacuum pool cleaner is something that we can recommend or even better yet, a robotic pool cleaner!
Dont like to vacuum? You can always get an automatic pool cleaner or robotic pool cleaner to do the job for you, saving you hours of labour every week! Don’t know which cleaner to get? We answer that question when we look at the main differences between manual pool cleaners, automatic pool cleaners, and robotic pool cleaners by clicking on the button below.
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Cleaning With The Appropriate Equipment
- Cleaning an above-ground pool is a major job, and it’ll be even more difficult if you utilize domestic cleaning supplies. You must utilize the appropriate tools for the job.
- Cleaning will be much easier if you use a brush with a telescopic pole. This allows you to scrub the walls and base from afar.
- You must also use the proper brushes. Nylon bristles will protect your tiles from damage, which is vital if you’re trying to keep your above-ground pool care expenditures low.
- Clean your pool once a week to keep it nice, with additional cleanings as needed.
- When washing the walls of your pool, make sure you get every crack and corner that you could have overlooked. If you’re not careful, dirt can quickly accumulate in these areas.
Measure Twice Buy Once
All you need to determine which size liner your pool requires is a tape measure and something to write down your measurements. Because pool walls can warp and shift, take each measurement twice.
To get the height of any shape above ground pool, measure from the bottom rail to the top. Remove any obstacles from the ground to ensure an accurate measurement.
Check your result by measuring the height on a second section of wall. If the figure is between standard liner heights, round up.
Also Check: How To Get Clear Water In Pool
Balance Your Water Chemistry With Winterizing Chemicals
Once the pool has been cleaned, it’s time to add a few essential pool chemicals. In The Swim reports that chlorine-free pool shock, algicide, and stain and scale treatment are all important additions for homeowners looking to protect their pool throughout these winter months. Shocking the pool will keep your water in a state of quality equilibrium and help prevent the establishment of new algae or bacterial growth. These other pool chemicals also play a critical role in keeping your water properly balanced and ready for use as soon as the weather begins to turn again in the spring.
Adding pool chemicals is an important step because it will ensure that your water feature remains clear and comfortable, preventing a serious surprise when you open up the pool again a few months down the road.
Winterizing chemicals should be added to the pool based on the guidance printed on the outer package. It may also be a good idea to speak with professionals at your local pool equipment store to get a better sense of how homeowners in your local area have successfully dealt with winterization tasks in the past.
Materials And Equipment That You Will Need:
When cleaning your above ground pool, it is very important that you use the right materials and equipment.
Not only so that you actually get the job done to an acceptable standard, but also so that you do so without damaging the pool in any way!
If you own the pool, then you should also own the necessary maintenance equipment. However, some people choose to have communal maintenance equipment with other nearing pools, in order to save money on the average cost of above ground pool maintenance.
Whatever you choose to do, just make sure that you have the right equipment on hand. Especially because you will have to use the equipment regularly, for regular maintenance.
Here are some of the things that you will need in order to clean your above ground pool, and keep it clean and safe for use:
- Leaf rake or basket
There are many more things you might need while cleaning your pool, but the ones listed are the most important essentials that you are guaranteed to use during regular maintenance and cleaning.
Read Also: What To Use To Raise Cyanuric Acid In Pool
Cover It Up Covering Your Pool
One of the best ways to protect your pool is by covering it up when not in use. The pool cover will protect your pool from any unexpected dirt or other types of debris. Furthermore, a pool cover can prevent your liner from the suns harmful impact, otherwise known as weathering.
Your guide to cleaning your pebble tec pool
Monthly Above Ground Pool Maintenance:
Every month, your above ground pool should receive a thorough clean, with all elements that contribute to its maintenance and cleanliness being checked and adjusted as needed.
Here are some specific monthly tasks that need to be performed:
- Test the calcium hardness levels
- Thoroughly inspect the pool for any signs of growing algae, including the corners and behind the ladder
- Clean the water line, and perform a deep clean of everything else
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What Do You Use To Clean The Bottom Of An Above
Pool vacuums are perfect for this!
There are two kinds: the handheld pool vacuums that have a long telescoping pole and the automatic, robotic pool vacuums that work on auto-pilot.
Both connect to the pool filter system to get after all that dirt, debris, and algae that is forming on the bottom and even the sides of your pool.
Automatic pool vacuums obviously have the added benefit of doing most of the hard work on its own.
Eight Option B: Store The Liner
Alternatively, if you were cleaning the pool to store it, fold up your dried and cleaned liner. Most above ground pool owners fold the liner in half then roll it. A quick tip to prevent the liner from sticking together is to put a bit of baby powder on the liner. Once the liner is appropriately rolled up, store it in a dry area with other accessories.
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Applying Chemicals For Above Ground Pool Cleaning
It’s not all cleaning to keep your above-ground pool pristine chemicals play a big role. If you want to maintain your above-ground pool in good operating order, you’ll need to maintain the pool’s chemical balance.
- To verify that the balance is appropriate, test your chemical levels twice a week. If they aren’t, you’ll need to rebalance your chemicals to restore your pool’s balance.
- Because you’ll be testing frequently, having a digital reader for your test strips will save you a lot of time.
- Your pool’s pH level should be between 7.2 and 7.6. If it deviates too far in any way, the efficacy of your chemicals will be harmed, and it will be difficult to return your pool to the proper pH level.
- Your pool’s chlorine level should be between 1 and 3 parts per million. This level will assist in keeping your water clean and your pH in check.
