Check The Pump And Filter On Your Above Ground Pool
Getting rid of all that debris and trash also prevents your filter from getting dirty and your pump from breaking down.
Your pump and your filter are the two main items that will get your pool clean and keep it clean. Your pump needs to be strong and keep the water constantly moving.
The filter needs to be clean, so it can catch all the little nasties that encourage the algae to grow and turn your crystal clear pool sea green.
Your pump and filter are meant to clean your pool. If they are not working, your pool will not stay clear for very long.
Reasons For Cleaning Your Pool
Its beneficial to understand why you need to clean your pool. Before discussing everything you can do to keep your above ground pool clean, here are the top 5 reasons for cleaning your pool:
How To Clean Green Above Ground Pool
A green above ground pool is never a pleasant sight. Not many of you will disagree with us if we say that a pool, especially the in-ground ones, are just a costly embellishment to our house. Having a swimming pool in front of the house or the backyard is not necessary. Neither is basic. Still, people fulfill their desire of having a swimming pool through, at least with the comparatively small, affordable, and feasible above ground swimming pool.
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Why Should You Keep Your Above Ground Pool Clean
Swimming in your pool should come with no worries. Therefore, you should always make sure that the water and the pool itself are clean.
There are so many benefits that you can get from a well-cleaned pool. Here are some:
1. Fewer Costly Repairs
Having a regularly cleaned pool can take your costs to a smaller price. See, when you lean your above-ground pool, it is more likely to be destroyed, and so you would not have to worry about buying a new one.
2. Overall Aesthetic
None of us would want a pool that is not clean. Part of enjoying a pool is not minding whether you are swimming in clean water or not.
3. Adds charm to your home
Having a clean pool is one thing but having a house with a clean pool means the other. We do not need a clean house with a backyard pool entertainment that is not equal to or even cleaner than the house.
4. Prevent Diseases
Suppose you do not regularly properly clean your pool. In that case, it can easily turn into a huge breeding ground of various diseases from algae to bacteria, to whatever it is that may cause harm.
Mosquitoes can also breed in an uncleaned, stagnant pool, so if you regularly replace and clean the water in your pool, you do not risk that from happening.
5. Longer Entertainment for the Family
Since cleaning a pool is one of the most basic jobs to do to maintain a pool, you can be sure that the pools longevity will not disappoint you. So it starts with cleaning.
Regularly Clean And Replace The Filter
There are several kinds of pool filters, but they all have the same job: capturing debris that can cloud and pollute your pool. Hardworking pool filters should be cleaned about once a week by removing and hosing down the cartridge. Its also important to replace the cartridge when its time, based on the manufacturers recommendation.
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Monthly Above Ground Pool Maintenance:
- Test calcium hardness level, should be between 200-400 ppm.
- Test cyanuric acid level, should be between 30-50 ppm.
- Shock the pool in the evening, using 2 lb. of pool shock per 10000 gallons.
- Check for hidden algae which can form behind steps and ladders.
- Clean the water line and inside skimmer walls with Tile & Vinyl Cleaner.
Calcium hardness is a measurement of the hardness of your pool water. Not as crucial for above ground pools, but water that is too soft can make it easier for vinyl liner stains to appear, can cause foaming, and can interfere with proper sanitation. Add Calcium Hardness Increaser if below 150 ppm.
Cyanuric acid is a chlorine stabilizer, protecting your chlorine from the sun. Chlorine tablets contain a small amount of cya, but to start, add stabilizer to reach an initial level of 30 ppm.
To shock an above ground pool, pour the pool shock into a 5 gallon bucket of water and stir for 1 minute to dissolve. Pour around the edge of the pool, and brush up any granules, to prevent vinyl liner bleaching.
Use a mild vinyl cleaner and a soft sponge to clean the water line area, removing oil, dirt and scale. Keeping the inside of the pool wall skimmer clean will reduce the amount of gunk that forms at the water line.
How To Clean Above Ground Pool
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No one wants to swim in a pool with dirty, cloudy water, so pool cleaning and maintenance skills are crucial for any pool owner. In an above ground pool, filtering and skimming the pool regularly is key to maintaining clean water — but so are brushing the walls and vacuuming the floors. Most importantly, though, you must maintain proper chemical levels in the pool so the sanitizers work effectively. However, with an above ground pool, you must be sure to use cleaning equipment that is suited for the pool’s materials so you don’t any damage during the process.
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What Will Happen If You Did Not Clean Your Pool
We have mentioned the general reasons for what will happen if you neglected your above-ground pool and did not clean it for a while.
Here are some iterations of what will possibly happen if you leave your above ground pool unattended for some time:
1. Clogging
If you leave your above-ground pool outside for quite some time, it will inevitably collect dirt from trees in your backyard.
Even the microscopic specks of dust that pass through your pool every second will create a huge mess if left unattended.
The dirt accumulated by your pool may cause clogging in the pipes that connect your pool to your water source.
When the time comes that you decide to fill it up again with water, there is a possibility that the pipes clogged. So make sure that you clean your above-ground pool even if you are not using it.
2. Algae Build Up
This would be one of the obvious effects if you did not clean your pool. The stagnant water in your pool is a great place for algae to form. You can prevent this by adding chemicals to your water, but it is still best to clean the pool yourself.
3. Diseases
Any dirty surface is a place for the breeding of bacteria and other diseases. You would not want to risk giving your family any illness or diseases with a dirty pool.
Clean The Soap Lather
Its quite obvious that your kids will use soap and jump into the pool. In that condition, cleaning process is tough and different. But, you can use Scumbag to soak all the soap and other oily particles from the pool.
The Scumbag has the ability to absorb 40 times its weight. Hence getting a scumbag will help you to take out all the soap lathers and oils outside the pool.
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Supplies Needed To Clean The Pool
A good cleaning routine requires the following:
- Pole extension.
- Handheld or pole pool brush.
- Pool vacuum .
A typically pool cleaning routine will usually follow the order of that list: 1) skim, 2) brush, 3) vacuum.
If you plan to do a deep clean of your pool, which is recommended at least bi-monthly, you should also remove and clean your pools ladder/steps and any other equipment like volleyball nets or water basketball hoops.
Frequent Cleaning Of Pool Interior
To avoid having to perform substantial cleaning of the walls and floor of your pool in the future, clean your pool interior with pool surface cleaning brushes and natural cleaning solutions. There are times when a pool may have too much calcium or have a buildup of copper, or even excessive algae at one point or another. All of these scenarios can cause staining to the walls and floor of your pool interior.
The staining usually doesnt happen overnight, and you can avoid staining from starting or continuing by scrubbing and vacuuming the walls and floor of your pool.
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Tips For Maintaining An Above
As lovely as in-ground pools sound, they’re not always feasible to install in the backyard, whether it’s because of the cost, the space available, or the type of soil in the back. An above-ground pool, however, could be an option for enjoying the water during warmer months.
Above-ground swimming pools range from economical models to more luxurious styles. Many can be enjoyed throughout the year, and some use saltwater systems, which are popular with in-ground models. Above-ground pools also have options for solar heating systems and energy-efficient covers.
Contemporary models may have upgraded features that are usually seen in in-ground models, including advanced filtration systems and pumps to keep them clean. However, even above-ground pools that have built-in systems need a little hands-on work regularly to stay clean and in good working condition.
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It’s tempting to put off above-ground pool maintenance, but you will pay for it later through water problems or pool liner issues, which are expensive to fix. To ensure that you’re taking proper care of the pool, follow a daily and weekly pool maintenance checklist.
Complete these tasks daily:
- Test the pH level to ensure it’s between 7.4 and 7.6.
- Test the chlorine level, which should be between 2.0 and 4.0 ppm.
- Check the water level, which should be around mid-skimmer.
- Empty the skimmer and pump baskets.
- Check filter pressure and pump operation.
- Skim the surface of the water.
How To Maintain An Above Ground Pool:
- Run the pool filter everyday, for 12-18 hours daily.
- Water level should be around mid-skimmer not too high, not too low.
- Test pH level, should be between 7.4-7.6.
- Test chlorine level, should be between 2.0-4.0 ppm.
- Empty skimmer and pump baskets, as needed.
- Inspect filter pressure and pump operation.
- Observe pool cleaner operation, if you have one.
On a daily basis, your pool pump needs to operate, for at least 12 hours , to push the water through the filter, and prevent stagnation.
From the moment you open the pool, your pool needs to have a constant chlorine level. A complete test kit like the Taylor K2005, or 7-way test strips is recommended, to do full pool water analysis. Another option is to use the Taylor Troubleshooter test kit for pH, Chlorine and Alkalinity, and AquaChek test strips for your calcium and cyanuric tests.
Chlorine is very pH dependent, and as pH levels rise, the killing power of chlorine is reduced dramatically. Add pH increaser or pH decreaser, as needed, to maintain pH levels in the range of 7.2-7.6.
Using a permanent marker, write your clean, starting filter pressure on the filter tank, or directly on the pressure gauge lens, so you know the clean pressure reading. Then you will also know when to backwash, or clean the filter when pressure rises 7-9 psi above clean.
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Give Your Pump And Filter A Leg Up
The summer might be vacation time for you, but the winter is when your pump takes some much needed time off. To take down your pump, remove all drain plugs from the pump and the filter. Youll also want to remove the pump itself, the chlorinator, and all hoses. Store all drain plugs in the pump basket for easy locating next spring, and keep the pump, chlorinator, and hoses in a dry, shaded area indoors. A garage, for instance, is perfect for the task.
As you might know, your filter is a holding place for all the gunk that it can pick up from your water as it circulates through. Yeah, youre going to want to drain them before storing them insideno way do you want that stuff sitting for long.
If you have a sand filter, set your multiport valve to winterize and remove the drain plug at the bottom. Allow the filter to completely drain. If your valves has any other extras, like a sight glass or a bleeder valve, remove those, too. If your filter is too heavy to carry inside, itll be fine as it is: outside, with all drain plugs removed.
For cartridge filters, just take the cartridge out, submerge it in water with pool filter cleaner, rinse it out, let it dry, and store it inside. Youll want to leave the valves open on your filter throughout the winter.
For diatomaceous earth filters drain all water out of the pump and filter, and then rinse off the grids with a hose to remove excess DE. Again, leave the valves open on this one.
How To Clean A Pool Filter Cartridge
The life of your pool filter cartridge depends upon you the consumer. Our heavy-duty Polyester filter cartridge elements will show maximum longevity with proper care and maintenance. Here are some helpful hints to help you get the most out of our product.
The best indications of a soiled pool filter cartridge in need of a cleaning are an increase in pressure within the cartridges housing canister or a visible decrease in the systems water flow rate. Generally an increase in pressure of 10 pounds per square inch or greater above the filters normal operating pressure indicates the need to clean the cartridge.
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Storing Your Inflatable Pool
Storing an inflatable pool is easy to do when you follow these steps. First, check the inner and outer walls and top inflatable ring for any signs of weakness in the material. Using your hand, feel along the seam that connects the top ring with the walls of the pool to locate signs of separation or tears. Make any necessary repairs that are needed with an inflatable pool patch kit.
Next, check the filter if you have one attached to your inflatable swimming pool. Inspect the filter for dirt and excessive signs of wear. Replace the filter when needed. Make sure all hoses are secure. There should be no leaks or cracks in the hoses or connections. If these issues exist, replace or tighten the hoses as necessary and install replacement pool parts.
Examine the ladder and other accessories used within the swimming pool. All screws, bolts and fasteners should be tight and well-secured. This prevents injuries and accidents from occurring during use. If you notice signs of rust or damage, replace the accessories immediately.
After you drain the pool, clean and dry the surface before placing it back in the container that it came in or find a storage bag that protects the pool wherever its stored in the off season.
How Do I Know That Something Is Growing In It
Algae growth is usually the first thing. They reproduce so quickly that you will notice cloudiness well before you see any hint of green.
Since the life that grows in your pool is so small, when you even start to see cloudiness, this means that algae are already growing out of control. You dont want to wait to treat it any longer. Think of crystal-clear water as your standard for drinking and swimming.
If your pool does begin to look green, there is a vast population of algae within your pool and so the growth continues from there. The greener the pool, the more algae you will find within it.
So the bottom line is that something is living in your pool that needs to be exterminated before you get your beautiful pool back.
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Create A Pool Maintenance Schedule
The implementation of a pool maintenance schedule will help you keep your pool as clean as it should be. Adhering to your schedule can also help avoid larger maintenance costs in the future. There are three pool maintenance schedules you can create a before each use schedule, a weekly schedule, and a monthly schedule. Based on the maintenance tasks you learned about previously, here we discuss each schedule and list the maintenance tasks that should be included.
Tips For Cleaning Your Above Ground Pool
Summer is here, and one great way to beat the summer heat is with an above ground pool. Like an in-ground pool, an above ground pool requires some maintenance to keep the water clean and crystal clear. But with regular maintenance and cleaning, you can enjoy your above ground pool all summer long and even into the autumn months. Dont know where to start? Try these tips for cleaning your above ground pool.
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