Summer is coming and whilst we take all the necessary steps to ensure that we have
a great time in the sunshine (or at least hope to), swimming pool owners across the
country will be looking to get their pool up and running for the summer season. For
a lot of people this can be a daunting task however after reading this article we hope
that you will be well on the way to becoming a pool expert!

The most important thing to remember is that you don’t need to be a chemist to look
after your pool. You just need to acquire a little knowledge of the chemicals you are
using so you can use them safely. By following our 3 point guide below you will
gather all the information you need for opening your pool.

1. Check all equipment is in working order

The first thing you need to do when opening your pool up is to make sure all the
equipment is in working order. This involves connecting the pool pump and filter
and reconnecting all the hoses and electrical connections. Following this you need
to remove any leaves and debris from skimmers, filters, pumps, drains and the pool
itself. Then top the pool up with water to ensure that the level is half way up the
skimmer opening on the side of the pool. Finally switch on the filter pump and make
sure all skimmers, bottom drains and filters are functioning properly.

2. Chemical Treatment

Following on from this you will need to treat your pool with the necessary chemicals.
First of all use your test kit to make sure the alkalinity level is between 80 and
120ppm. If it needs increasing, add Alkalinity Builder and if it needs reducing you
can use pH Reducer. Once the alkalinity level is correct you need to ensure the pH
level is between 7.2-7.6. If it is out of this range then it can be adjusted using either
pH Increaser or pH Reducer.

Following on from this you will need to shock treat your pool by adding a large
dose of chlorine to the water. To do this dissolve 750g of Rapid Chlorine Granules
(Sodium Dichloroisocyanurate) per 10,000 gallons of pool water in a bucket of warm
water then distribute evenly around the pool. If algae is present in the water then you
may need to double or even treble this dose in order to remove it.
After shock dosing you may need to add a flocuculent to help remove the dead algae.
Dilute 250ml of Sparkle per 10,000 gallons in a bucket and distribute around the pool.

3. Maintaining your Pool

All being well after the shock treatment your pool should look like a pool again so
now all you need to do is maintain it. The easiest way to do this is by adding a 10
Effects 200g Multifunctional Tablet into each skimmer basket on the pool. This will
do most of the work for you so just make sure you replace it once it has dissolved.
In addition to this test your pool on a daily basis to ensure all the chemical levels are
correct and then relax and ENJOY YOUR POOL!