Active Pool Supplies - Gold Coast Pool Shop & Pool Cleaning

In order for your pool to be healthy and balanced, appropriate levels of sanitiser must be present. This is typically accomplished with chlorine, which will destroy algae and most other bacteria & small organisms in the water. There are several different ways of adding chlorine to the pool. In the past, pool owners would manually dose chlorine in liquid form on a very regular basis. These days, however, the most common and easiest method of sanitising Brisbane pools is by installing a saltwater chlorinator in the filtration system. Salt (or other suitable mineral with a salt content) is added to the pool water in sufficient quantity so that as the pool water passes the chlorinator cell, through the process of electrolysis a soluble hypochlorous gas is dispersed into the water which acts as the sanitiser to kill the algae and other bacteria present in the water. For the chlorine to work effectively, the pool water must be balanced so that it remains at the optimal pH level. Additionally, the water must be filtered adequately so that dead algae and bacteria is captured in the filter and periodically removed from the water when the filter is cleaned. Good water flow throughout the pool is helpful, as is periodic brushing/cleaning of the walls and floor of the pool to remove dirt, dust and other debris.

Owning a pool can be hard work, requiring constant maintenance and upkeep. As a result, it can be tempting to try to speed up the process in any way possible, but when it comes to keeping your pool's chemicals balanced, that may not be possible. Thankfully, Active Pool Supplies can help you understand the best practices for maintaining the chemical balance of your pools. For all pool care in Brisbane, get in touch with our team on (07) 5537 3341.

Generally, you should avoid trying to make large changes to your pool's chemical balance all at once. Instead, you should make small changes by adding small amounts of chemicals. Once you have, you should leave them to rest with a running filter for a few hours, and then test the water. You can repeat this process until you're satisfied with the results, which may not be the case for large changes. By adding large amounts of chemicals to your pool at once, it's possible that you'll make significant changes that will be difficult to correct. If you're trying to maintain the chemical balance of your pool, you should avoid making large changes all at once.

Saltwater pools are quite easy to maintain. Saltwater pools operate using a special piece of equipment called a saltwater chlorinator. A defined amount of salt (sodium chloride) is dissolved in the pool water and as this pool water passes through the chlorinator's salt cell, a hypochlorous gas is produced (via electrolysis) and this chlorinated water is returned to the pool. It is this chlorine that sanitises the pool, eliminating bacteria and inhibiting algae growth. The chlorinator allows you to control the amount of chlorine being produced, and typically the pool pump is plugged into the chlorinator so that the in-built timer in the chlorinator can control the operation of the pump, that is, it tells the pump when to turn on and off. Nonetheless, a typical chlorinator does not automatically maintain the correct level of chlorine in the water, so you still need to test the chlorine level, and then adjust the level by altering the chlorine output on the chlorinator, or by altering the running time of the pump. You will also need to test the amount of salt in the pool water, and periodically add salt, according to the level required by the brand/model of the chlorinator. It is important to note that the chlorinator does not consume salt, and the only way that salt can leave the pool is when water leaves the pool (eg splashing or backwashing the filter). Similarly, you do still need to test the other elements of water balance and adjust accordingly. Having said that, we do have very smart saltwater chlorinators that are fully automated with in-built acid dosing and pH and chlorine probes to automatically test and control pH and chlorine levels.

In comparison to liquid chlorine pools (liquid chlorine is a hazardous chemical), a saltwater pool is much easier to maintain since you don't have to constantly add liquid chlorine. In comparison to ionised pools, a saltwater pool does not run the risk of metal plating out on the wall of the pool.

Your swimming pool should be clear enough to see a small object on the floor of the pool easily and with good clarity. When your pool is cloudy, it is because there is a build-up of particulates suspended in the water. In normal circumstances, your filter will capture these particles, and return particle-free, clear water back to the pool. However, this can be adversely affected due to a dirty/full or failing filter, or, insufficient turnover of water (how often the water in the pool passes through the filter). The root cause of the particulates in the water can be dirt/dust entering the pool water from the surrounding environment, or from microscopic algae that has started to grow due to improperly sanitised pool water. Similarly, poorly balanced pool water can inhibit the performance of the sanitiser, as well as altering the state of chemicals in the water from solution to solid, thereby affecting water clarity. If you need help with pool cleaning in Brisbane, you can call Active Pool Supplies on (07) 5537 3341.