Dan Test strips are cheap and convenient; test kits give you accuracy. For pool owners serious about water chemistry, a good liquid test kit pays for itself in the first month by preventing over-correction mistakes. What You Need To Know The core choice: test strips are quick (30 seconds) and cost $0.20-$0.30 per test, while liquid … Read more
Algaecide is a chemical that kills algae, but not all algaecides work the same way – some are preventative, others are curative, and some do both. The type you need depends on whether you’re fighting existing algae or trying to stop it before it starts. What You Need To Know Algaecide comes in three main … Read more
You need four chemicals: chlorine, pH adjuster (sodium bicarbonate or sodium carbonate), alkalinity raiser (sodium bicarbonate), and a stabilizer (cyanuric acid). Everything else — algaecides, flocculants, enzymes — is optional and usually oversold by pool supply shops. What You Need To Know The pool chemical industry makes money by convincing you that you need ten … Read more
Shock your pool by adding 1 pound of calcium hypochlorite (cal-hypo) per 10,000 gallons of water, directly to the pool at dusk. This burns off chloramines, kills algae, and resets your free chlorine. Do it at least once a week during swim season, and any time the water looks off. What You Need To Know … Read more
Quick Answer: Opening your pool for summer takes 2 to 4 hours of active work. Remove the cover, reinstall equipment, balance your water chemistry, shock the pool, and run the pump until the water clears. If your water is green or cloudy when you pull the cover, plan for an extra day or two. What … Read more
I know this isn’t the most exciting topic – especially if you just got a pool and all you want to do is figure out how to keep the water clear. But pool safety is one of those things you really don’t want to learn the hard way. Drowning is the leading cause of accidental … Read more
Phosphates are one of those pool topics that comes up constantly at pool stores and almost never comes up among experienced DIY pool owners. There’s a reason for that gap, and it’s worth understanding before you spend money on a phosphate remover. What Are Phosphates? Phosphates are compounds containing phosphorus. They get into your pool … Read more
Buying a home with a pool sounds great until you realize the pool could be a beautifully maintained asset or a major repair bill waiting to happen, and most buyers have no idea which one they’re looking at. Standard home inspectors typically know very little about pools. They’ll check a few boxes, note the equipment … Read more
Most pool owners know vaguely that you’re not supposed to mix pool chemicals. But “don’t mix chemicals” is kind of abstract until you understand what actually happens in specific situations. Some combinations produce intense heat and can start fires. Some release toxic gas. A few can cause a violent reaction that seriously injures whoever is … Read more
Salt pools have built up a reputation as the cleaner, more natural, lower-maintenance alternative to traditional chlorine pools. Some of that reputation is earned. A lot of it is marketing. Here’s what’s actually true and what isn’t. Myth 1: Saltwater Pools Are Chemical-Free This is the big one, and it’s just not true. Salt pools … Read more