re: Pool Maintenance

Been doing it myself for about 10 months. The pool stores around here test it for free and tell you how much of what you need to add based on the size of your pool. I shock it about once a week in the summer and usually keep one 3 inch tab in the chlorinator which will last about a week or so. I buy the acid from the pool store as it’s cheap, about $7 a gallon, and you almost always have to add acid I’ve found. I get my baking soda from Costco or Amazon and it’s way cheaper than the balance pak stuff the stores try to sell and exactly the same thing. Got 30 lbs of baking soda for $21 a few weeks ago and it lasts a while as my alkalinity doesn’t move as much as Ph. Big thing is running your pump/filter long enough to move the whole pool through the filter in a 24 hour period. Usually about 8 hours or so a day. The biggest thing I find is being diligent about cleaning debris from the pool and vacuuming, especially as it gets warmer. Organic material contains phosphates which lead to algae growth so keeping your pool free of leaves and pollen and maintaining the filter is probably the most important thing you can do. I’ll also typically backwas once a week or so in the summer or after a big rain. Maintenance in the winter, at least in south Louisiana, is very easy as chemical levels are more consistent and not much growth happens when the water is below 80°