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POOL FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT ARE YOUR OPENING HOURS?
WINTER: 8.00am to 5.00pm Mon-Fri, 8.30am to 1.00pm Saturday
SUMMER: 8.00am to 5.30pm Mon-Fri, 8am to 1.00pm Sat, 9am to 12pm Sunday
WHY IS MY POOL GREEN?
Lack of chlorine, and/or lack of circulation.
The correct amount of chlorine stabilizer must be used. The filtration must be running for at least 6 hours per day during winter, and 8 hours per day in summer.
Black spot often grows in areas of poor circulation such as corners, steps and beach entrances.
Causes of low chlorine
• Chlorine Pools – must have the correct of chlorine added each day (evening preferably)
• Saltwater Pools – Insufficient salt will cause low chlorine, also if the chlorinator cell needs cleaned the chlorine will be low.
• Insufficient running hours will cause low chlorine
• Chlorinator not working – no chlorine
• Black spot algae will burn up chlorine very quickly.
What do I do now? Once the cause has been corrected a shock dose of liquid chlorine will clear the green.
WHY IS MY POOL CLOUDY?
A cloudy pool is the first sigh of a pool turning green, so any of the above reasons could apply.
• Minute particles of dust
• Calcium from granular pool chlorine
Bring a water sample into Springfield Pool & Spa Supplies for testing.
I THINK MY POOL IS LEAKING, WHAT COULD IT BE?
Natural evaporation is between 2 and 5 cm per week, depending on how hot and windy it is. If the loss is greater you can try the bucket test, below or call Springfield Pool & Spa Supplies for further advice.
WHAT CAUSES BLACKSPOT ALGAE, HOW DO I GET RID OF IT?
When algae is not treated, and becomes established over weeks or months a root system establishes itself into the pool surface, and like any plant when the conditions are ideal (warm water and low chlorine) it grows and becomes visible. It can be seen either as small black sports or creeping between the tiles or pebbles.
SOLUTION: In its early stages there is a procedure with certain chemicals which will clear it up, but in later stages the pool must be emptied, guernied and chemically treated to successfully remove the blackspot. Get it early and talk to our staff for further instructions.
WHY CAN’T I GET RID OF BLACKSPOT FOR GOOD? WHY DOES IT KEEP COMING BACK?
If you have persistent blackspot algae, where it either comes back straight away, or never really clears, your pool water is probably loaded with Phosphates, or your pool needs more regular attention.
SOLUTION: Bring a water sample into Springfield Pool & Spa Supplies for testing for Phosphate and we can supply a chemical for the specific removal of phosphates.
WHEN & HOW OFTEN SHOULD I CHECK MY POOL WATER?
The most important time to balance your pool water is as soon as practical after heavy rain. We recommend twice a week with strips at home, then in-store at the beginning and ending of the swimming season, then once a month should be fine unless you think you have a water balance problem.
HOW SHOULD I LOOK AFTER MY POOL DURING HEAVY RAIN?
Run everything as normal, and then re-balance the pool as soon as possible after the rain stops.
HOW DO I DRAIN WATER FROM THE POOL?
If you have a filter with a backwash valve it is simple. Turn the valve handle to the “waste” until the required level is reached. Do not move the handle while the filtration is running, turn the power off before moving the handle, and back on after, or you will damage the backwash valve gasket causing it to leak.
If you have a cartridge filter then water can be siphoned out with your garden or vacuum hose.
WHEN I NEED CHLORINE IN MY POOL WHAT TYPE SHOULD I USE?
In a saltwater pool use only liquid chlorine to super chlorinate. Granular pool chlorine leaves a residual of calcium behind, which is the white substance you have to clean off the chlorinator cell, so why would you add more to be attracted to it. Large doses of calcium chlorine will also cause cloudiness.
WHEN WATER EVAPORATES FROM MY SALTWATER POOL, DO I LOSE SALT?
NO. Natural evaporation is between 2-5 cm per week depending on wind and heat, salt and stabiliser do not evaporate, but it will be diluted with the addition of fresh water.
HOW DO I KEEP CHLORINE IN MY POOL?
If you are having problems keeping chlorine in your pool although you are putting plenty in, the cause could be lack of stabiliser, high levels of phosphates or in rare circumstances it could be chloramines, bring a water sample into Springfield Pool & Spa Supplies for testing and further advice.
HELP! THERE ARE BUGS IN MY POOL?
Every now and then after heavy rain we get a plague of bugs. It is not caused by poor chemical balance and there is a product available in-store to eradicate the bugs.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY POOL, THE KIDS HAVE EARACHE?
There is probably nothing wrong with the pool! It is almost certainly tropic ear, a fungus growth caused by dampness in the ear. A Doctor can fix it very quickly; better still prevent it by teaching your children to dry inside their ears as soon as they get out of the pool.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY POOL, THIS KIDS HAVE SORE EYES?
It could be that the PH level is too high or too low, very occasionally if the chlorine is too high. More often than not it is simply that the children have been swimming underwater for long periods with their eyes open. Water is not a natural substance on the eye.
HOW CAN I PROLONG THE LIFE OF MY EXPENSIVE CHLORINATOR CELL?
Three things shorten the life of your chlorinator cell are -
1. Running the filtration for long periods on low levels of salt
2. Cleaning the cell in too strong a solution of cell cleaner
3. Not cleaning the cell often enough, leaving a build up of calcium
HOW LONG SHOULD I RUN MY FILTER AND CHLORINATOR?
Every pool is different but as a guide:
Chlorine Pools
o 6 hours per day to filter the water clean
Salt Water Pools
o 8 hours per day in summer, half early in the morning and half late in the afternoon
o 6 hours per day in the winter – half in the early morning and the other half late in the after, this will clean the water and produce enough chlorine.
THERE IS WATER LEAKING FROM UNDER MY PUMP MOTOR, WHAT IS WRONG?
The mechanical seal needs replacing. It is important to have this simple repair done as soon as possible, or further more expensive damage will be done. Bring your pump in-store for quoting / repair as soon as possible.
MY PUMP AND MOTOR IS NOISY, IT IS MAKING A WHINING OR SCREAMING NOISE?
The bearings and mechanical seal need replacing, if left the pump will soon stop working altogether.
MY FILTRATION IS WORKING BUT NO WATER IS COMING OUT.
The impellor needs replacing, probably the bearings and mechanical seal also. Bring the pump to Springfield Pool & Spa Supplies for repair.
MY POOL IS MAKING A GURGLING SOULD, WHAT IS WRONG?
The water level is too low, it should be at least half way up the skimmer box opening, with about 2cm gap at the top.
MY POOL IS NOT SKIMMING THE LEAVES, WHAT IS WRONG?
Either the water level is too high, drop the water level to 2cm below skimmer opening or the weir door is missing.
HOW DO I WORK OUT HOW MUCH WATER IS IN MY POOL?
Multiply the longest point (in mtrs), by the widest point, by the average depth, this gives you the approximate literage.
WHAT THINGS SHOULD I CONSIDER WHEN DECIDING ON A POOL BUILDER?
The Staff at Springfield Pool and Spa Supplies will be happy to help you evaluate any quotes; we can point out the differences between the quotes, and make sure you are comparing the same thing. When using a member of SPASA to build your pool, you have the security SPASA’S “Watertight” insurance.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF SALT WATER CHLORINATION?
Salt water chlorination makes your pool much easier to maintain, needing much less attention than a chlorine pool. Because the chlorinator is adding chlorine automatically, twice every day, there is much less chance of anything going wrong, avoiding costly clean up measures. Salt water chlorination is less than half the cost of a chlorine pool to run. Saves times, saves money, and eliminates problems!
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN THE RUNNING COSTS BETWEEN A SALTWATER AND A CHLORINE POOL?
Salt water pools cost less than half that of a chlorine pool. Most the chemical costs with a salt water pool occur during the wet season when the pool overflows, during the dry season there is very little expenditure on chemicals. The actual amount depends entirely upon the size of the pool, the severity of the wet season, and the situation of the pool.
CAN I USE PETROLEUM JELLY TO LUBRICATE MY O-RINGS?
No Petroleum Jelly will harden and make it difficult to remove a lid or replace the o-ring. We recommend a silicone lubricant specially made for o-rings; this is available from Springfield Pool & Spa Supplies.
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