Tips from Bulimbah

During summer and in the cooler months. Getting your water tested using a professional grade water testing kit like ours in the shop will ensure that your pool water is fully balanced.

Cleaning debris out of the skimmer basket is one of the most important duties of owning a pool. Keeping your basket clean ensures that your pool water has clear flow path and your pool water is being cleaned by the filter at the rate it was designed for. Dirty skimmer baskets restrict water flow and cause your pool to encourage algae growth.

Your pool may seem maintenance free for the most part but you should inspect your pool filtration and pool pump at least once every fortnight. There isn’t that much that can go wrong with the pool system but checking for obvious things like water leaks and a dirty pump basket or salt cell can save you a lot of money later on.

Automatic pool cleaners generally clean the bottom of the pool and the walls but they usually don’t get to the step or the water line of the pool. If dust and debris is allowed to settle on steps or ledges, algae can start to form. Brush these area’s at least once per month to help keep your pool in top condition.

Even if you don’t have a self-cleaning salt chlorinator you will need to clean your salt cell every 3 to 4 weeks. Be sure to use a proper salt cell cleaning solution, using acid and water can clean your cell but with too strong a mix you will damage your salt cell. Having a clean salt cell ensures that your chlorinator can work at its peak performance.

Water clarity is one of the first keys to ensuring a healthy pool and if your pool has a problem usually one of the first things to be affected is your pools water clarity. Cloudy or hazy water is a sure sign that your pool water is out of balance or your filtration is not working correctly. Start with a test of the water and check your filtration and contact us if you need help.

Your pool level is very important and for most pools, the water level should be ¾ of the way up the skimmer box so that the water comfortably covers the wier door and the vacuum plate when in place. If your pool runs out of water you can damage your pool motor due to overheating. If you add more than 5cm or 2 inches of water in one fill, be sure to have your water tested and adjust accordingly. Adding fresh water will dilute your acid and chlorine levels.