Your Swimming Pool filter will need to be regularly backwashed to remove the retained particules from the filtration process. Backwashing is the process of reversing the flow of water through the filter which lifts the retained particules from the filter surface and directs the dirty water down the drain and away from the system.
Always backwash the filter after vacuuming the pool or at least on a weekly basis.
NOTE – Make sure heating is switched off and allowed to cool before starting the backwash procedure.
Your pool water needs to be tested on a regular basis. When testing domestic swimming pool water, the most common way of testing is to use a comparator test kit which works by comparing the colours of a known concentration to a sample. Each individual test kit is different but the principal is the same. Fill the tester with water and add the appropriate tablet to the test tube. (do not touch the tablets as this will give false readings, try to drop tablets straight into test chambers without touching them)
Add DPD 1 for chlorine testing and Phenol Red for PH testing.
Shake the tester until both tablets are dissolved then compare the test with the colour chart.
The ideal range for chlorine is between 1.0 – 3.0 ppm and PH between 7.2 -7.6, this is usually around mid-way on the colour charts and the test should show an orange colour for ideal PH and a mid-pink colour for ideal chlorine.
If the levels are out then small chemical adjustments are required and another test within 18 hours is recommended, when adding chemicals add little and often and re test regularly, this will keep a stable level rather than an erratic variation.
More advanced testing, generally used for commercial swimming pools can be carried out using a photometer which works by passing a beam of light through the water sample and providing an accurate result on a digital display, this form of testing eliminates variations in peoples vision and provides a much more accurate result which is required for commercial operations.
Troubleshooting Guides from Fi-Clor. Please download the PDFs relevant to your requirements.
Wrinkling of Liners
Vacuuming the pool removes dust and debris from the pool floor and is an important part of the regular swimming pool maintenance.
Most pools have built in provision for vacuuming and providing you have good quality well maintained equipment and filtration the vacuuming process is a simple task that should be carried out weekly or fortnightly.
Vacuuming the pool is usually carried out using either a dedicated vac point or by using one of the pool skimmers to create the suction required for vacuuming.
The process is simple and the following guide shows the step by step procedure to vacuum the pool.
