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Now that summer is in full bloom maybe the algae in your pool is in full bloom also. No need to panic…simply use the right algaecide and get rid of this ugly nuisance. As the water temperature in your pool rises from the summer heat your pool becomes a fertile place for algae to thrive. In addition, high bathing loads and environmental factors such as summer rain fall also contribute to the growth of algae. One of the most prevalent types of algae in pool water is yellow or commonly called “mustard algae”. There is a product named Yellow Treat which is very effective in ridding your pool of mustard algae. When used as directed on the label you will be amazed at how quickly it knocks out and removes this ugly yellow growth from your pool. When added to your pool water Yellow Treat combined with chlorine creates a “super oxidizer” which destroys algae immediately upon contact. Once the algae is gone you must be sure to maintain the proper chlorine level as well as water balance to insure that the algae does not return. It only takes a matter of hours with a low chlorine level in your pool water for algae to once again reappear and thrive.
Now that the swim season is upon us it’s time to make sure your pool water chemistry is balanced and swim safe. One of the most important factors in helping to maintain a proper chlorine level is to be sure that your pool water is stabilized. Stabilizer is actually a granular product who chemical name is cyanuric acid. By adding the proper amount of cyanuric acid/stabilizer to your pool it works to keep chlorine active and available in your pool water. It’s like putting “sunglasses” over your pool water which filters out the sun’s ultraviolet rays which causes chlorine to dissolve more quickly from your pool water. Almost any pool supply store that tests your pool water chemistry will include the test for stabilizer. The proper level of stabilizer in your pool should be between 40 ppm-60 ppm. Your pool supply store personnel should be able to help you figure out how much cyanuric acid you need to add to your pool water to obtain the proper level. If not, you can ALWAYS give us a call at Positive Pool Wholesale Supply (813) 677-4232, and we will he happy to guide you in setting the proper stabilizer level for your pool. Now, go take a swim and enjoy your pool!
With the arrival of Memorial Day weekend, POOL SEASON is officially upon us! Please do not forget the most important safety rule of all. NEVER LEAVE YOUR CHILDREN UNATTENDED!!! It only takes a moment to create a tragedy that lasts a lifetime. Our children are the most precious gift in life. Drowning is a very real pool problem that happens far to often. So PLEASE…have a wonderful holiday weekend, but most of all, make it a safe holiday weekend!
Did you know that there is a biodegradable alternative to using DE filter powder? ZEO FIBER is an organic filtering agent that replaces the use of DE filter powder and is completely eco-friendly. While DE filter powder does not breakdown and accumulates where you backwash your pool filter, ZEO FIBER breaks down completely leaving no powdery residue whatsoever. ZEO FIBER will also extend your filter life cycle with less need for backwashing as frequently as a filter using DE filter powder. You also use less ZEO FIBER to recharge your filter after backwashing than with DE filter. ZEO FIBER is the smart, economical choice for going “GREEN” with your pool filter.
If family time around the pool includes your four legged, furry friends we have a great product for you to think about. Its called the Skimmer Sock. It will be a great help in reducing the amount of dog hair and other fine particles that get caught in your filtration system. Particularly important now as our pups may be loosing their winter coats. I should add that it is a lot easier changing out a skimmer sock than backwashing your filter.
Does your pool telepole keep slipping while you are vacuuming or brushing your pool? You don’t necessarily have to replace your telepole just because it won’t stay in an extended position. The locking mechanism which is called a “cam” is easily replaceable. The telepole cams are available in both plastic and metal. Poles which have a plastic cam often wear out because you are continuously lengthening and shortening the pole. Consequently, the plastic cam wears down to the point where it will no longer lock the pole into place. Your local pool store should be able to get you a replacement cam which you can easily install. However, if your tele-pole is bent it is much more difficult to install a new cam and buying a new pole is your best option. If you cannot find a replacement cam at your local pool supply store give us a call and we will be happy to assist you in purchasing a new cam.
As a pool professional for over 30 years I have tried almost all of the different varieties of pool maintenance equipment items that have come down the pike. When it comes to vac heads for vacuuming your pool I offer this opinion on the difference between the economy vac head and the quality vac head. The primary difference between the less expensive vac head and the higher quality, higher priced vac head is the weight of the head itself. While the higher quality vac heads also have better roller bearing replaceable wheels, the real benefit of the quality vac head is in it’s weight. When vacuuming your pool using a lighter weight vac head it tends to lift up from the pool surface stirring up the debris that you are trying to remove. Whereas the higher quality, heavier vac head glides smoothly over the pool surface without lifting up and stirring up the debris as you pass over it. As a pool owner you might have a tendency to think that a vac head, is a vac head, is a vac head. However, the time savings, as well as the durability aspect of the higher quality vac head makes it well worth the extra cost.
Pool owners often get confused about the terminology or different names that chlorine is referred to by. Simply speaking, the two primary types of chlorine that we use to treat our pool water are granular which is a dry or powder form, and liquid chlorine that comes in a jug. Of course there are chlorine tabs which is really just dry chlorine pressed and compacted into pool tablets or sometimes referred to as pool pills. Where the confusion often comes in is when retail pool stores call granular chlorine “shock”, “super shock”, “sock it”, and various other marketing terms. What pool stores and pool supply retailers don’t usually tell you is that most of these chlorine products are simply ordinary 65% strength granular or dry chlorine. Pool supply stores package the granular chlorine in handy 2-3 lb plastic bags and charge a much higher price than if you were to buy a 25-50 lb bucket of granular chlorine. By calling the chlorine packets “shock” or some other name designed to make you think it is a special form of chlorine used just for super chlorinating or shocking your pool water, the price of these packets is actually just shocking your wallet! While there are indeed higher strength granular or dry chlorine products sold in some pool supply stores, the majority of granular “super chlorinating” or “shocking” products are simply standard strength dry chlorine available at a much cheaper price. Granular chlorine has a fairly long (6-12 months +) shelf life. So do yourself AND your wallet a favor. Buy a 25-50 lb container of granular chlorine to use for shocking or super chlorinating your pool water throughout the swim season.
As the pool swim season rapidly approaches it’s time to get your pool back into shape. One of the most important steps in sanitizing your pool water and getting rid of any algae that may have developed on the walls and floor of your pool is “shocking” your water with chlorine. This simply means to add enough chlorine to your pool water to oxidize any bacteria that may exist in your pool water. Shocking your pool with chlorine also helps to make your pool water sparkle as the chlorine dissolves or oxidizes tiny organic particles that exist in the water. However, before you add chlorine to your pool it is absolutely necessary to balance the PH of your pool water by adding the proper amount of muriatic acid if the PH is high, or adding a PH product (available at your pool store) to raise the PH if it is low. An important fact that few pool owners know is that it takes nearly 10 times the amount of chlorine to shock or sanitize your pool water at a PH of 8.0 than with a PH of 7.2-7.4. So do yourself a favor and save money as well, balance the PH of the pool water before adding any chlorine. Keep in mind that chlorine shock or granular chlorine, as well as, liquid chlorine have a high PH from the manufacturing process. Therefore, when you are lowering your PH it is a good idea to add a little extra muriatic acid to compensate for the amount of shock/chlorine that you will be adding to your pool.
Vacuuming your pool when it is full of leaves can be a nightmare! A good solution is to use a leaf rake net and scoop out the majority of leaves before vacuuming. Another great time and energy saver is to use an in-line leaf trap or canister while vacuuming your pool. The leaf trap attaches easily to your vacuum hose and traps the leaves before they can enter your pool pump basket. The large capacity leaf canister allows you to vacuum a large amount of leaves before having to empty it. This feature saves a great deal of time. Click on the links below and check out these useful pool tools.
