Swimming Pool Tips and Reviews

Cleaning a cartridge filter is a pretty straightforward process. Each is a little different but the general principle is the same. Below are some links to the tools shown in the video. Turn off the pool equipment: Before starting the cleaning process, turn off the pool pump to ensure safety and avoid any accidents. Make sure the pool is not going to turn on and if you are unsure just turn off the breaker to the pool pump.  Release pressure: If your pool filter system has a pressure relief valve, use it to release the pressure inside the filter. You can also simply relieve the pressure by removing the drain plug on the bottom of the filter. I suggest this method as it will also drain the water from the tank. Open the filter: Depending on your specific pool filter model, remove the locking mechanism or unscrew the top of the filter housing to access the cartridges inside. For the quad-type filters, there is a clamp held on by a Spring Barrel Nut. Remove the cartridges: Carefully remo...

  It’s a real downer when you take on a new account and they have a non-functioning salt system. The whole point of the SWG is to save effort on adding chlorine but many customers just flat out refuse to spend the $600-$1,000 on a new salt cell. The first order of business is to get them to purchase a new salt cell if that is the issue. But it may still have life and there are other reasons why the pool salt system is not producing any chlorine. The salt level is a critical factor and if the salt level is too low in your pool the SWG will not be able to produce chlorine. Most systems need at least 3000 ppm of salt in the water except for the Hayward Aqua Rite and the Pentair iChlor which can operate with as little as 2600 ppm. They will not produce the full amount of chlorine at the lower salinity level but they will still function at a reduced output. Another common mistake along these lines is that you are not running the pool long enough for the SWG to produce enough chlorine ...

If you are converting your existing pool over to a saltwater pool or having a saltwater generator installed at your new pool, adding the salt to charge the system is a pretty easy process. But there are steps you will need to take in making sure that you add the right amount of salt so the Saltwater generator will operate correctly.  It may seem like a lot of salt toad to your pool and you may think that you are turning your pool into an ocean. But that is not the case. Most systems require 3000 ppm of salt and that may entail dumping in 10 or more 40 lbs. bags but that is nowhere near the ocean at 30,000 ppm. So rest assured that even though it looks like a lot of salt, in 20,000 gallons of water it is not that much at all. Step 1: The first thing you need to do is get an accurate size of how much water is in your pool. This will allow you to reach the salt level needed for your system without having you add too much or too little salt. Measure the perimeter of the pool and then u...

 Out of all the seasons, it is logical that Summer Time will be the most challenging in your pool service business. Not only is it hot out there but the UV index is higher, the pools get more use and it is just plain hot out making work miserable.  One thing that is often overlooked is the pool’s filtration system. At the beginning of each season, you need to make sure the filter is operating properly and is cleaned. I like to clean and inspect my DE and Cartridge filters in March before the season starts here in California. If the grids have tears or the cartridges are old this is the time to replace them. One of the major problems that contribute to algae and pools being unable to hold a good chlorine level is a poorly running filtration system. So, make sure the filter is clean and in good running condition. During the Summer season, algae can be a big problem. It can bloom for several reasons, but the primary reason is not adding chlorine to the proper level. If the chlori...

Dolphin Ultra-Fine Filter Basket should be your go-to basket for your Dolphin cleaner in a pool with a lot of dirt. It filters down to 20 microns and is made of a very similar material to a cartridge pool filter. This basket will fit the following Dolphin models: Dolphin ADVANTAGE, Dolphin Nautilus CC, Dolphin Proteus DX3,  Dolphin Echo, Dolphin S100, Dolphin S50, Dolphin E10, Dolphin T15,  Dolphin Cayman, Dolphin T25, Dolphin Active Solo, Dolphin Active 15,  Dolphin Explorer E20, Dolphin Active 10, Dolphin Escape, Dolphin Encore,  Dolphin E10, Liberty 200 More on the Liberty 200 in this video: This cleaner is made for a small to medium pool which I would say is a 15,000-gallon or less body of water. Any pool 30 x 15 in length or less would be ideal. The main reason is that the Liberty 200 only runs for 1.5 hours on a full charge. I am sure later models will have larger batteries and longer run times. The cleaning pattern is quite effective given the short run time a...

Here are the proven benefits of having a Borate level of 30-50 ppm: Lower Chlorine usage: The Borate helps reduce chlorine usage by eliminating Carbon Dioxide and also by keeping the pH stable. Chlorine last longer when the pH is right at 7.6-7.8. When the chlorine is in the ideal range the killing element in chlorine the HOCI is at the most balanced percentage so the chlorine in a pool with a pH of 7.4 is 30% more effective than in a pool with a pH of 8.0. This is a big factor in creating the safest swim environment and the borates will keep the pH much more stable and in turn, make the chlorine much more effective. pH is stable:  The pH won't change much in a pool with Borate in it. So, if you have a Salt Water Pool this is a must since the pH tends to rise dramatically. In fact, in a Salt Water Pool, the pH can rise to over 8.4 very rapidly. You will find yourself putting tons of acid in each week just to keep the pH below 7.8. With borates in the pool, the pH will be stable and...

Talk about easy Variable Speed Control! The New Speedset is worlds ahead of any standalone VS pool pump out there. It couldn’t be easier to set up and control.  The Jandy SpeedSet controller is the next generation in VS pump control. It is the direct replacement for the Jandy JEP-R and it has many great new features. It has a large display which comes in super handy while programming and adjusting the schedules. Compared to any pump display currently on the market the screen is 10x larger. If you don’t think the larger screen is a big deal, after using the SpeedSet you will wonder how you ever survived on those tiny slices of a screen on other pumps.  The FlyWheel has to be the best upgrade in my opinion. Those left, right, up, and down arrow keys are a real pain on most VS pumps.  You can easily get lost in a menu and forget how to exit it. Not so with the FlyWheel. It is a dial that you spin and the menu items just scroll left or right and up or down depending on where ...

Here are some reasons why you should add salt: Digital meter shows salt level under 3000 ppm The water temperature is over 60 degrees F The pool surface is over 60 days old (new build or remodel plaster pool) The saltwater cell is clean and functioning You have a saltwater generator on your equipment Here are some reasons why you should not add salt: You do not have a saltwater generator attached to your pool equipment The salt cell is dirty The system is showing low salt – built-in salinity monitor The pool plaster is fresh, under 2 months old The water temperature is below 60 degrees If you follow this basic rule you will have little issues with adding salt to a pool when it is not needed. If the salt cell is dirty the system can give you a false low salt indication. It is because the calcium on the plates reduces the electrical current and the system may think the salinity (salt level) is low, when in fact it is not. Cleaning the salt cell will reset the system in most cases and the...

The Hayward W3AQR15 AquaRite Complete Salt System is a great option for in-ground pools of up to 40,000 gallons. If you have a smaller pool, 10,000-15,000 you can also look at the Hayward - W3AQR9 AquaRite Complete Salt System for Pools up to 25,000 Gallons but honestly bigger is always better when it comes to salt systems. A saltwater generator will automatically convert salt into chlorine, so you no longer have to worry about mixing, measuring, or handling harsh liquid or tablet chlorine. This results in silky soft pool water that is gentler on the eyes, skin, and hair, and won't fade fabrics. A great way to save time on your pool care as well! The AquaRite is easy to install and maintain, and it comes with several features that make it a great choice for pool owners, including: Digital display with the ability to adjust chlorine output from 0-100% Even, consistent chlorine dispersion Automatic cell cleaning by periodically reversing the polarity Weatherproof enclosure and connec...