Splasher Pools need love too!

Every season so many homeowners are purchasing swimming pools from the big box stores, and there is nothing wrong with that, there are pool shortages and installation waits all across the country. What a lot of homeowners don’t know when they purchase from a big box store, is how to properly take care of their swimming pools.  So if you, or someone you know, has purchased one of these models – this is the blog for you! 

Balancing: 

All swimming pool water requires balancing.  This includes Alkalinity, Calcium and pH levels.  Alkalinity is a protector for the liner and equipment, but it is also a pH stabilizer, without Alkalinity in its proper range your pH levels will bounce around and you will constantly be chasing it up and down.  Always start with balancing your Alkalinity before adjusting your other chemicals.  Your ideal Alkalinity range is 80 – 120 ppm. 

Once Alkalinity is within its ideal range, adjust the pH level.  If the pH is too high, your sanitizer will become less effective, too low and you may experience skin and eye irritation as well as corrosion to your equipment.  The ideal level for your pH reading is 7.4-7.6 

Calcium Hardness is also a protector for the liner and the equipment.  Low calcium can lead to foamy or cloudy water, high calcium can lead to scale formation.  Keeping your calcium between 200-400 is ideal. 

Stabilizer is a protector for the chlorine, if you are using chlorine or a salt chlorine generator in your swimming pool.  It protects the chlorine from the sun’s UV rays.  Without stabilizer, your sanitizer can be burned off in as little as half an hour and you will use a lot more chlorine to keep up with the demand.  Stabilizer is typically added in the spring and will hold with little adjustment for the remainder of the swimming season. 

Routine Maintenance: 

Just like a pool store pool, a splasher pool needs maintenance on a weekly basis.  Use an at-home drop test kit or a test strip and check the pH and sanitizer levels to ensure you are within the proper range.  (Visit a pool professional at least once a month for more accurate testing – even if you did not buy the pool from us, we are always willing to help you with your pool chemistry.  The health of your family is a priority for us.)   

You will also want to shock (oxidize) the pool on a regular basis to rid the pool of any bacteria build-up and add an algaecide. 

Besides chemicals, you will want to brush the walls and floor of the pool, skim the debris from the surface and vacuum the bottom of the pool.   

Last thoughts: 

You will also need to clean your pump and skimmer baskets of debris, if you have a skimmer in the pool, as well as clean your filter on a regular basis.  The liter amounts for your pool will be required before adding any chemicals so you do not over or underdose the pool.  If you are unsure of the litre amounts, check the website of the manufacturer to find the information.  If you plan to bring us a water sample, we will need this information so we can let you know how much of each chemical to add to your water.   

Enjoy your new swimming pool and relax, the maintenance is all routine once you understand what you are doing :)