Helpful Tips for Maintaining Your Pool

Test kits or strips can help you to maintain your pool water, however, we recommend visiting Bud’s Spas & Pools for a water test at least once a month to maintain proper water balance. Monthly tests are required to ensure that the warranties on your pool equipment and pool liner remain valid. Also, at home testing should be done on a weekly basis to assure bather safety. If any problems occur, such as algae or cloudy water OR if at anytime you question the balance of your water, come into Bud’s for a water test.

Before adding chemicals to your pool water, the pump needs to be running. To maintain proper filtration, the pump should be operating 24 hours a day. If your pump is on a timer, you should make sure that it runs during the hottest hours of the day. A minimum time of 8 hours of circulation is recommended.

Many pool owners are surprised how much electricity their pump uses throughout the season. You can compare the cost of a single-speed pump versus a variable-speed pump using our pool pump savings calculator.

When adding chemicals, proper dosage is VERY important. For measuring purposes, approximately 1000 grams = 1kg of product.

• To avoid cloudy water, please be sure to wait the recommended time required between each chemical addition.

Follow Sanimarc’s 3 step weekly maintenance program printed out on the bottom of each water test. You should also be adding a weekly dose of Stain Prevent especially if you have a heater and/or salt chlorinator. Sanimarc’s 3 step Simplicity Kit consists of: Aqua Foot (Sanitizer), Zap Shock (Oxidizer) and End Algae 40 (Algaecide). Using these 3 products once a week will keep your pool water sparkling. We recommend following the following procedures when using a:

• Chlorinator or Skimmer Basket: Add 1-2 Aqua Foot and replace them as they dissolve, (usually once a week). Set your chlorinator dial at 2 ½.
• Brominator: Fill the feeder half full with Brominating Tablets and set the dial at 2.
• You should always be checking your sanitizer level and adjusting the dial on your chlorinator/brominator as required (depending on use, weather conditions, etc.)

Shocking or oxidizing eliminates bather wastes such as perspiration, body oils, and cosmetics that tend to cloud the water. Zap Shock will reach breakpoint oxidization to eliminate these wastes and should be added once a week and after heavy rainfall or heavy bather loads. One hour after shocking, add the required amount of End Algae 40 to prevent algae growth.

*If you are using a Salt Chlorinator, Salt Shock should be added every other week to extend the life of your cell.

*Please remember to remove all toys, automatic vacuums etc. from the pool before shocking and leave your solar blanket off for at least 8 hours after shocking.

One hour after adding End Algae 40, we recommend adding the required amount of Stain Prevent each week.