The big ‘scare’ factor for pool owners and shock horror – it is not always related to a lack of chlorine…

Algae (Green Stuff) on the floor and walls of your pool

• What is the RUNNING TIME OF THE FILTER? Algae find it easy to bloom in stagnant water, especially under sunlight. During the summer months, a pool must run for a least 10-12 hours during the daylight hours.
• During the winter months, the running time of your pool can be cut back to 4 hours a day. If your pool is not circulating for the above mentioned times this could be the cause, and can be simply remedied by the plug-in time clock. Please contact us to install one for you on our next visit.
• Is there enough water CIRCULATION? It is important that there is water movement throughout the whole pool. Algae find it easy to form in stagnant areas of the pool, i.e. a step area where water movement is minimal. If your return jets are directional, try pointing them to a different part of the pool. Other solutions to the problem of low circulation could be emptying your skimmer basket and/or the hair and lint pot in the pool pump. A struggling pump or a cracked skimmer basket or hair and lint pot can have serious implications for your pool and equipment. Please contact us for pump servicing, replacement baskets, or for further solutions to poor circulation.
• Have you BACKWASHED THE FILTER? The big round thing in your filter shed is a sand filter. This is full of sand, which catches all the dead algae, dirt, greases etc and is the main thing that keeps your pool clear. After a week of filtering, the sand in the filter gets very dirty, and its ability to catch algae is seriously hindered. Backwashing your filter will clean the sand and enable maximum filtration to happen again. A key way to tell if your filter needs backwashing is by looking at the pressure gauge. It will rise as the sand becomes more full of dirt etc. It is important to note that sand has an average life expectancy of 5-7 years. Please contact us if you suspect that your filter sand has reached the end of its useful life, we can also supply replacement pressure gauges.
• When was the last time you BRUSHED THE WALLS? Every pool owner should own a pool brush and brush the walls regularly. This will disperse the algae into the water allowing the filter to pick it up. The best time to brush your pool is right before a shock dose.