Swimming pool maintenance. A green pool is NOT cool.

What they don’t tell you about swimming pool maintenance.

Most pool experts give you a step by step process on how to maintain your swimming pool. Seemingly, these steps are to be simple, and should result in crystal clear water that is inviting and calming. However, what they fail to explain is that if you are not in the pool covered from the neck down with a temperature of 32 degrees in the shade you will build a sweat so intense that you will quickly realise that your gym membership is a waste of time. Save your gym membership fees and Clean Your Pool!

I have had the privilege of treating one of the worst green algae infested pools I have ever seen during the 1st week of June 2016…I was very excited because l thought I that it would have been a simple task. I know that pools get dirty as I have seen (in my humble opinion) my fair share of pools. However, I was not prepared for this challenge. The Above Ground Swimming Pool monster is 24’ in diameter and 54” tall. It was the monster that haunted my dreams.

Cleaning an algae infested "green" pool. Swimming pool maintenance.

Mosquito larvae infested the water, the green algae slime was thick as it tried to protect itself from the environment. It smelled like sweat filled gym socks and housed many creatures of the swamp. “Oh my God” I thought “if any it of this water touches my skin I am dropping everything and heading directly to the emergency room. My mind raced as I thought about what I had gotten myself into. “Am I an idiot, why would I agree to something like this?” at the same time looking at my trainee pool operators’ face whose expression read “You had better not ask me to touch the contents of this pool, Helllll Nooo” I shook my head and whispered a prayer.

Due to an undependable water supply, emptying the pool was not an option. I re-grouped and used the following steps to treat the pool;

1. Net the pool. Try to scrape the bottom as much as possible

2. Brush the walls and the floor trying to remove all plant like substances from growing on the pool.

3. Test the water. Check to ensure that the balancing agents are optimal and pH is between 7.2-7.6 to allow chlorine and chemicals to work at 100% efficiency. Check free chlorine.

4. Clean filter and baskets to optimize circulation and filtration.Adjust pH and balancing chemicals. Let pool run for approximately 3 hours to mix chemicals. Remove debris again using a leaf net.

5. Shock the pool using 3 times the normal amount and add algaecide. Use algaecide only if the pool is very green.