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Pool Tips

7 Tips for Maintaining Your Pool Equipment During Power Cuts

Maintaining your pool equipment during power cute, aka load shedding, can be challenging, but with the right knowledge, you can ensure that your pool stays clean and functional even during an outage. Here are useful tips on how to maintain your during load shedding: 

1. Be Prepared: 
Have a plan in place before a power cut occurs. Ensure you have backup power sources such as generators, solar panels or batteries. Check that they are in good working condition and they are on standby. 

2. Cover your pool:
Use a pool cover to prevent debris from entering your pool during power cuts. This will also reduce the maintenance required when the power comes back on.

3. Turn off your pool equipment:
Switch off your pool equipment at the main switch during a power outage. This will help prevent damage to your equipment when power is restored. 

4. Keep the pool water circulating:
If you have a backup power source, use a battery-operated pool or generator-powered pump. This will reduce the possibility of stagnation and algae growth.

4. Keep the pool water circulating:
If you have a backup power source, use a battery-operated pool or generator-powered pump. This will reduce the possibility of stagnation and algae growth.

6. Keep the pool clean:
Keep the pool clean by clearing any debris in the water during the power outage. Doing this may lessen the strain on your pool filtration and prevent equipment damage. 

7. Check the equipment:
Check the equipment after the power is back on. After the power is back on, ensure the pool’s equipment is all in working order. This will assist in locating any possible problems that have developed during the power cut. 

In conclusion, maintaining your pool’s equipment during a blackout can be difficult. Still, with the correct planning and information, you can ensure that your pool is kept sanitised and operational during that time. Using the above tips, you can reduce the effects of a power outage on your pool and continue to use it while there is a power outage.

Category
Pool Tips

Difference Between Pool Pump & Filter

The quick answer is that your pool’s circulation is maintained by the pool pump and filter, which together keep your pool clean. 

What do pumps do?

The heart of your circulation system and your pool is your pump. Circulating involves pumping water around the pool to travel through the filter and be cleaned of dirt and debris. Your pool needs circulation because it aids in the following:

  • Eliminate impurities from the water
  • Return the pool’s heated water with a pump (if a heater is being used)
  • and more effectively distributing pool chemicals throughout the water.

The impeller, a fan-like device, the pump basket, and the water discharge make up the pump. The pump basket catches trash and leaves. The connection point, the discharge, forces water from the pump into the filter’s housing. Pool pumps should typically run for about:

  • In the summer, 8–10 hours every day
  • In the winter, 4-6 hours every day

Why do we filter?

The filtration system’s goal is to ensure that all water is passed through the filter to get rid of invisible impurities and keep the pool safe and sanitary. Additionally, it guarantees that the water temperature is maintained consistently and that the sanitiser is well-blended and disseminated.

Filtration that is in good condition and of the right size eliminates particles from pool water, which helps to lessen murky or foggy water.

Water is filtered through a media that collects particles but allows liquid to pass through. At Baracuda, we emphasise two categories of filters:

  1. Cartridge filters: These devices use the surface filtering technique and are economical and energy efficient. A cartridge filter typically consists of a cylindrical tank with a detachable pleated filter element through which water is filtered. Because of their huge surface area and ability to work at lower speeds, cartridge filters may remove particles as small as 10 microns.
  2. Media filters: Ideal for pool owners who wish to spend less time maintaining their pool because they employ the depth filtering procedure. Media filters are spherical tanks that may hold several kinds of filtration media. The media filter, which catches minute particles while still allowing the water to pass through and return to the pool, receives water from the pool by pumping it into it.

No matter which pump and filter are used for the job, they must be kept in good condition to guarantee that they constantly perform to their capacity and prolong their service life. 

Category
Pool Tips

The Anatomy of a Swimming Pool

A swimming pool is a precisely calibrated ecosystem where every component functions flawlessly to maintain the water’s cleanliness and freshness.

The human body is the ideal comparison to illustrate how each component is essential to the pool’s overall health. Half-naked human beings may be seen swimming laps and performing cannonballs in swimming pools worldwide.

Let’s examine each of these components individually.

The Pump: the heart 

Let’s begin there since the pump is the pool’s beating heart. Like how the human heart sucks in all the deoxygenated blood and pumps out fresh blood to the rest of the body, the pump’s role is to suck in all the dirty water and then pump out fresh, clean water.

An impeller, a motor-powered component of the pool pump, spins quickly enough to generate a vacuum that draws the water into the filtration system.

Our comparison to the human heart is somewhat flawed here because the pump’s power is expressed in horsepower, but you get the idea. The majority of pumps fall between 3/4 and 3 horsepower.

The bigger the pool, the more horsepower you will need.  

The Skimmers: the mouth

The contaminated water is drawn in by the pump’s suction strength to be filtered, but how does it get there? The skimmers or the mouths of the pool are where it starts. All in-ground pools have small to medium-sized rectangular apertures on the inside walls. You might fall into the ones you feared as a child.

They consume all the floating microorganisms, including germs, insects, dust, hair, trash, dust, and murky water. A comparable function is performed by the drain or drains at the bottom of pools.

Suction lines: the veins

Water that has been through the skimmer enters the suction lines, which are essentially PVC pipes that carry the contaminated water to the pump. It’s comparable to how your veins deliver anaemic blood to your heart.

Filter: the kidneys

Although they collaborate closely, the pump and the filter are very different objects some people mistakenly believe to be the same.

The filter handles all the dirty work by capturing all the dirt and particles and cleaning the water. Imagine it as your kidneys, which are responsible for removing waste from the blood.

Return lines: the arteries

Similar to the suction lines, but pointing in the other direction, The pump returns the purified water to the pool through these PVC pipes once it has been filtered. You could say they are the arteries of the pool.

Return: the eyes

These tiny motorised jets can be seen on the pool’s inside walls. The filtered water is sent back into circulation throughout the pool after they give it a little extra kick. Additionally, they assist in rerouting the contaminated water to the skimmers.

Although they are unlikely to allow your pool to see, they are frequently called “eyeballs” because of how they appear.

Chemical feeder: the glands
The mechanism that disperses chemical sanitisers into your pool is known as a chemical feeder. You can regulate the amount of sanitizer that enters your pool using a chemical feeder so that there are enough chemicals to keep the water clean but not so many that swimmers get sick or damage equipment or pool liners. The balance is everything, my friend! Think of this as being similar to your glands, which are responsible for producing and removing chemical hormones from the body.

The Heater: Hypothalamus

The heater for the pool does exactly what it says on the tin: it warms the water so that you can swim in even the coldest weather. The part of your brain that controls body temperature is called the hypothalamus.

Gas heaters are the most prevalent kind of pool heater. A gas heater can be the best option for you if you reside somewhere with convenient access to natural gas lines. In colder climates, they are more affordable, and they often last longer than other heating options. electric heat pumps, On the other hand, an electric heat pump can be the best option for you if you live in a location where natural gas isn’t easily accessible or if you’re searching for a heater that’s more environmentally friendly.

In conclusion

Contrary to popular belief, our bodies and the simple swimming pool have much in common. Regular maintenance is essential if you want to maintain your pool healthily and happy.

When you stop to think about it, pools and bodies have a lot in common, so treat your pool like another body that has to be taken care of.

Category
Pool Tips

Maintaining A Pool When Not In Use

You would like to spend more time swimming in your pool than cleaning it. But to keep a swimming pool in top shape, it needs regular upkeep, much as a house does. The positive news: You can keep your pool looking and feeling swim-ready with a little weekly upkeep, ensuring no delays when you want to dip. 

Here are a few tips for maintaining your pool when it’s not in use:

  1. Every few days, empty the debris from your skimmer basket. Run your hand skimmer through the water to eliminate any leaves, dirt, sticks, or wildlife that may have gotten into the pool, depending on how unkempt it has become. To remove larger objects from the pool, use a net.

     

  2. Check your water’s pH balance, alkalinity, and appropriate chlorine levels at least once a week. This will lessen the likelihood that the watercolour will become infested with algae and turn a sickly green or black. Maintaining water balance will also guarantee that the water is pleasant, clean, and clear and won’t burn your eyes when you plunge into the pool.

  3. Every week, clean and vacuum your pool. The purpose of an automatic pool cleaner is to maintain a clean pool clean, but regular brushing and vacuuming are still required. Use a brush to scrub the pool’s sides to eliminate algae growth.
     
  4. Check the water level in the pool. Water will be removed from the pool via evaporation, splash-out, and vacuuming, which may interfere with the skimmer’s ability to function. The skimmer weir door should be covered by water at least halfway up. Your pump may burn out if there is no water entering. The debris may only be efficiently gathered if the water levels are sufficiently high. If it’s not high enough, add water; pump some out if it’s too high.

  5. Filter backwashing is necessary. Watch for the filter pressure to be 8–10 PSI greater than the clean filter running pressure as a general rule. (When working with variable-speed pumps, pay close attention to the RPM reading.) Clean water and grime can be removed by backwashing.

  6. Clear the debris filter basket in the pool pump of any obstructions. Remove the basket and the garbage within, shut the skimmer valve, and turn off the pump.

Bonus Advice

Think about purchasing a pool cover. It can facilitate evaporation and splash-out and help lessen the pool’s residue quantity. Remove any leaves or puddles accumulating on a pool cover since they might weigh it down in the centre and require maintenance.

Reducing the height of trees and plants is another technique to stop extra trash from getting into the pool. Rake the yard frequently in the fall to keep the leaves off the pool and out of the yard.

Call a pool expert for assistance if you have any inquiries about pool maintenance. 

Category
Pool Tips

6 Ways Robotic Pool Cleaners Save You Time and Money

Your energy use is doubled if you have a swimming pool in your home. Robotic pool cleaners, on the other hand, can help you save money on energy. Before we understand why you should upgrade to one, let’s discuss how robotic pool cleaners function. 

The following are some reasons you should consider investing in a robotic pool cleaner. Rest assured that you’ll never want to return after you’ve gone robotic!

Save as much as 85% on your electricity bill. 

These automatic pool cleaners have an average power of 180W. Your standard booster pump, driven by hydraulic cleaners, requires more than 1,000W or 1kWH to operate. That’s a massive 82 per cent reduction in power consumption! Because they function on low voltage, you’ll save a lot of energy because the filter system may run at its most downward flow for the most extended duration. It’s beneficial if your pool’s pump has two or more speeds.

Remove the requirement for labour.
Connect the power supply, drop the robot into the pool, and press the on button.

Self-sustaining
Your pool’s booster pump or filter will not power these robots. You connect them to one of your ordinary electrical outlets. They also have a filtering system for capturing particles and a built-in canister.

Save Water and Chemicals
You won’t have to backwash your pool’s filtration system as often, which means you will use fewer chemicals.

Great coverage of the Pool Surface
The coverage of the pool surface is excellent.
The robotic cleaners may create a map of your pool’s surface. A clever scanning system is available on some models. As a result, they can travel your pool area with ease and provide excellent coverage of the pool floor, walls, and waterline. Because of their reverse and forward motors, they are less likely to become trapped and lost in corners than other types of cleaners.

Superior Cleaning Technology
Robotic pool cleaners come with a setting for customising your desired cleaning schedules. There are also intelligent robots that can calculate the size of your pool and automatically program themselves to reduce running time and provide the most effective cleaning patterns. Robotic cleaners also better collect leaves, dust, and debris thanks to their filter canister. If you want to eliminate extra-fine material, 100-micron filter canisters are usually available separately.

In today’s fast-paced society, time is a valuable commodity. So having a robotic pool cleaner that takes care of everything for you promptly and efficiently is quite beneficial. To maintain your pool fully working, you’ll still need to arrange professional swimming pool maintenance services for a thorough inspection and repair/replacement of the various components.

Category
Pool Tips

Customer FAQ: Why Does My Pool Have No Water Flow?

Your pool’s health depends on maintaining circulation, so you’ll want to understand why it slows down or stops altogether. Here at Baracuda, we’ve compiled a list of potential causes for low to no water flow in your pool: 

It’s possible that your pump won’t have power:

We’ll start with the fundamentals. Although it seems obvious, this is a surprisingly typical response to the question of why pools have no or little water flow:

  1. Verify that your pump is powered on and connected in
  2. Make sure your home has power
  3. Examine the pump’s electrical cord for any damage

Check the pool pump again:

After making sure your pump is operating, look for the following things as well:

  1. Is there a lot of heat coming off the motor? (Pool pumps are hot to the touch, but if you can’t hold the motor in your hand for a few seconds without getting burned, it’s too hot!) 
  2. Are there any leaks in your pool pump?

Your pool doesn’t have enough water:

Like an iron, your pool requires enough water for the equipment to operate properly. Your skimmer will suction air if there is not enough water, which might result in loss of prime or diminishing due to wind, heat, or humidity alone. How to control:

  1. Make certain that your pool’s level is consistently at least halfway up the skimmer box opening.
  2. Once every two weeks, check your water level.

Check for any potential leaks if you see that the water level in your pool is dropping quickly.

Blocked pump basket or skimmer box

Your pool skimmer box or pump basket being full is the most frequent cause of low or no flow. When it rains heavily, a lot of leaves and other detritus fall into our pool and wind up in these baskets.

Skimmer box basket:

  1. Examine and remove any debris, such as leaves, from your skimmer box basket.
  2. Look for signs of splitting or breakage in the basket.
  3. You’ll need a new skimmer basket if you see any damage.
  4. Make sure that the weir door, which is the skimmer box flapping door, is not stuck.

Pool pump basket:

  1. Inspect the hair and lint pump basket for debris buildup.
  2. Examine the basket for any damage.
  3. You’ll need a new lint basket if you see any damage.
  4. To enable the lid to close and prevent air from entering the system, make sure the basket is properly seated in the pump.

Pump O-ring that is dirty or old

Additionally, make sure the O-ring within the pump lid is clean and in good shape. 

  1. Replace a worn ring if the O-ring appears to be damaged (cuts, warped shape).. 
  2. Simply feed an old, moist towel through your fingers to clean the O-ring in the pump lid.
  3. Remove any dirt from the area where the O-ring is located and from the area around the pump lid.
  4. To prevent scuffing or abrasion damage, grease the O-ring. Vaseline shouldn’t be used because it will make the ring stretch and lose its shape. Instead, we advise using Hydra-slip silicone lubricant to grease the O-ring.
  5. When the motor is turned back on, make sure all connections are secure and there are no leaks.

You can read our product information and instructions if you’re having a different kind of problem with one of our pool products. Happy swimming! 

Client
Emily Taylor
Category
Pool Tips
Location
Envato HQ, Australia
Year
2020

Summer 2022! Is Your Pool Ready?

To get ready to open the swimming pool for the season easily, we advise starting the procedure at least a week before you intend to swim. It may take a few days to restore a pool after the winter, depending on how it was maintained during the cooler months. 

To get your swimming pool summer ready, follow these simple instructions: 

  • Step 1. Remove all leaves, dirt and debris:

Your initial shocking and chemical treatment will be more effective the less debris there is in the water. Be sure to vacuum and brush the pool’s sidewalls to eliminate biofilm accumulation. Keep the pump going when cleaning so the dirt will be drawn into the filter and taken out of the water. Use a high-quality pool surface cleaner to clean the liner or tile line. Household cleaners should be avoided since they might change the pH of the water and add phosphates, which can later encourage the formation of algae.

  • Step 2. Raise the water level to the appropriate operating level:

A good indicator is located in the middle of the skimmer’s mouth. To start cleaning up the water and preparing it for the initial shock, it is now an excellent idea to add an algaecide or a natural pool clarifier to the water. Utilise only algaecide that has at least 30% active components. 

  • Step 3. Add chemicals to the pool:

Depending on how clean your pool is, you may need to add more chemicals during the first summer shock. As the ideal products for a chlorine shock, we advise utilising unstabilised sanitiser (AKA) Cal-Hypo or Blended Trichlor/Tetraborate. With the initial start-up, avoid using a non-chlorine shock. A good chlorine residual is required. Make careful to run the filter continuously for 48 to 72 hours after adding the initial shock and algaecide. During this time, DO NOT backwash the filter. Allow the chemicals and the filter to perform their jobs.

  • Step 4. The first time you start your pump:

For at least ten minutes, run the pump. The pump must be “primed” with water. Keep it dry because the system will be under more stress and strain, and the pump may be damaged.

  • Step 5. Test your water

Before testing the water, remember to filter it for 24 hours: Use test strips or a test kit, or bring it to a pool specialist. If necessary, adjust the pH, total alkalinity, and calcium hardness. The following pool water balance specifications are advised:

  1.  pH 7.2 – 7.8 (Ideal 7.4)
  2.  100 to 200 ppm Total Alkalinity (Ideal 120)
  3.  200 to 300 ppm Calcium Hardness (Ideal 250)
  4.  Free Chlorine: 2–3 ppm
  5.  30 to 50ppm of Cyanuric acid
Client
Peter Thomas
Category
Pool Tips
Location
Envato HQ, Australia
Year
2020

How Long Should I Run My Pool Pump For?

To keep your pool clean and prevent algae buildup, you should run the pumps daily, even if you aren’t using them during the colder months.

You already know that your pool pump helps circulate chlorine while also filtering dirt and other particles. For this reason, you must run the pumps for as long as it takes to clean and chlorinate the entire pool. Pool pumps should typically run for some time of:

8-10 hours per day in summer
4-6 hours per day in winter

For residential applications, you should strive for a minimum flow rate of one full pool volume turnover every 4–6 hours. This would not benefit the pool if your computation were longer than that, i.e., the flow rate was too low. This means the pump is too small for the pool, which might lead to other problems like persistent algae.

The volume of a pool is the primary variable that influences turnover time. You can figure this up by multiplying length, width, and depth. Most backyard swimming pools have a volume of 40,000 to 100,000 litres. Once you know this number, you can determine your pump’s minimum hours by comparing it to its output. For instance, a 70,000-litre pool with a 210-litre-per-minute pump needs to be run for 333 minutes.

70,000 liters / 210 liters per minute = 333.33 minutes = 5.5-6 hours

When determining your pump’s run time, there are other things to consider. As a general guideline, the minimum daily run duration is 1 hour of filtration time for every 10 degrees of air temperature above 15. Hours are typically added for increased usage, animal traffic, rainstorms, or extremely hot weather.

If you have one of the older single-speed pumps, knowing how long to operate it each day will help you keep your pool clear and save money. Consider purchasing a more recent variable speed pool pump, which enables you to operate your pump longer while saving money, if you want to maintain a correct run time but are worried about your energy expenditures.

Category
Pool Tips

The Complete Guide to Pool Cleaning

This comprehensive cleaning guide will walk you through the steps to make your pool sparkle again, whether opening or closing. However, unlike spring-cleaning the house, repairing murky or green pools can take a few days.

Whatever the circumstances, four important actions must be taken to restore your pool’s health. As follows:

  1. Use a leaf net to clear away debris
    The pool’s surface will probably have a layer of scum on it. To clear trash from the water’s surface, use a leaf net rather than a skimmer. Hardware stores and certain pool shops sell leaf netting.

     

  2. Adjust the chemicals
    A murky pool is probably full of undesirable microorganisms and unfit for usage. You must modify the chemistry to counter this. It would help to first use a test strip to ascertain your chemical levels. The ideal pH level is between 7.5 and 7.8; thus, you must use a pH reducer to increase it. Be aware that you also require an alkalinity booster. You must shock the pool if there is a significant accumulation of algae. Over a few days, add 12–14 L of shock. The water will turn clear, pale green, or clouded white if used properly. Keep adding a shock treatment if nothing has changed.

     

  3. Keep your filter running
    For a few days, you’ll need to run the pool filter continuously to remove undesired particles and bacteria that have gathered in the water. Always backwash your filter three to four times daily. When cleaning murky pools, it is typical to backwash regularly because green water can clog and harm a filter. Note that you should contact a pool specialist to have your filtration system checked if your pool does not clear.

     

  4. Keep the pool floor clean
    Cleaning the pool floor is the last step. Use both a pool cleaner and a long pool brush to do this. To ensure your pool is safe for swimming, we advise visiting a pool professional in the most severe cases of debris build-up. To prevent further harm, you should always inspect your pipes for obstructions and your filter system for wear.
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