15 Tips for Keeping Your Swimming Pool Sparkling Clean, Healthy and Ready

1. Check pool chemistry 1-2 times per week during the summer and once per 1-2 weeks in the winter. pH should be kept between 7.2 and 7.8 the lower the pH on this scale the less chlorine your pool will need. Why? Because as pH rises chlorine starts becoming less and less active therefor many consumers just keep adding it. Chlorine at 7.0 pH id about 50% active and at 8.0 is about 10% active. Control pH properly and you will need and use much less chlorine. See chart at bottom optimal pool test results.
2. Clean out skimmer basket(s) weekly, or as needed if conditions exist. The skimmer is installed in the side of the pool and its primary job is to skim the surface of the pool before debris and contaminants become saturated and float down to the bottom of the pool. Everything in your pool enters at the surface of the water, the effective the skimmer is, the more stuff it can skim off the pool the better. There is a round access panel on your deck, open it up and dump the contents of the basket as needed. Keep it cleaned out at all times.
3. Clean the hair and lint pot located on the front of the pool pump every couple of weeks or as needed. Turn off the pump to do this and release pressure on the system. This is the basket installed just inside the clear glass of you swimming pool pump. People with any of the various styles of will rarely need to do this. Instead, they will clean out the debris catcher or leaf basket. A leaf trapper ans a debris removal system is recommended. Get a variable speed or 2-speed pump sooner than later if you have not upgraded already. Multi-speed pumps are worth the initial expense.
4. Check your water level. Is it too high or too low? Your water needs to be right at the center level of your pool skimmer or pool tile for optimal results and performance. If it is low, it can run the pump dry and burn it up, or if too high,  the skimmer door will not work properly. That door keeps the debris in the skimmer.
5. If you have a deck chlor or inline chlorinator these need to be regularly checked for proper chlorine tablet levels, loading or possible clogging. (In Arizona use quality Tri-Chlor Tablets).  This unit depending on style and features has the ability to add a constant residual of needed chlorine.
6. If you have an Ozonator make sure the light is on and it is actually working. Ozone as well as UV or a combination thereof can reduce the amount of chlorine your pool uses. There are different types, and many have different installation and use instructions. Make a point to be familiar with the one installed on yours.
7. If you have a salt system, salt pool, or what some call a no-chlorine pool (a misconception) they are properly called a chlorine generator, then heed these tips. All this unit does is produce chlorine for you so you do not have to buy it, store it or handle it. This convenience comes at a cost and has some inherent risks. The cell must be kept clean and your pool chemistry becomes even more critical for its proper function. Do not add to much salt, if you can taste it, your pool is likely over salted. Salt systems artificially push pH up. You will use more acid as a result. This unit is great when used and understood properly. It can be costly to buy and maintain, but provides a wonderful experience in the water.
8. Clean your filter regularly or as needed. A great filter for Arizona pools is a cartridge filter. They provide maximum flow rates, waste little valuable water (no backwashing), get the water crystal clean and only need to be cleaned a couple of times a year. Yes, they may need to be cleaned after a heavy storm or once every few months depending on conditions in your pool. It would be best to clean them about every 4-6 months. If you have an extra set of elements — which is a great idea — it is a much easier and quicker job. Soak dirty filters in a 10% solution of muriatic acid or a solution of TSP (Trisodium phosphate). Use a rubber trash can. Wear gloves and eye protection. Be careful! Always add acid to water, NOT water to acid. Afterwards, rinse until clean and let them dry. Put your supplies away until your next swap-out.
9. As you are monitoring your pool, take note as it will let you know if there is an issue:
   - Are the returns in the sidewall of the pool weak?
   - Is the in-floor cleaning system working correctly? Your pool should be free of 99% of dirt and debris.
   - How is the water clarity in your pool? The bottom should be visible and the water crystal clear. 
   - Is the drain at the bottom obstructed?
   - Is your hose cleaner moving as it should?
   - Any abnormal odors?
   If any of these conditions exist, it is likely time to clean the filters. Most pools should only need this done a couple of times a year. There are exceptions though based on bather load (pool usage).
10. Wipe/clean tile line weekly. This will reduce build-up. Keep oh at 7.2 and the scum line will have a hard time developing. When pH is really high the water will leave deposits on everything.
11. Always keep chemicals stored out of direct sunlight. Keep them in a cool dry place. Do not  store acid and chlorine right next to each other.
12. Your pool should not need to be shocked on any regular basis if you have an ozone system. If you need to do it, do it at night. Use non-chorine based shock if you plan on swimming any time soon. Another way to shock your pool would be to run your pump for 24 hours using your ozone system. If you are on 24-hour circulation (2-speed or variable speed pumps) than you should be just fine.
13. If you start seeing any cracks around the perimeter of your pool between your deck and your tile, caulk it with a small bead of clear silicon. Do not allow the water to migrate from inside the pool in and under the deck through cracks at this joint. This creates problems, eventually and easily prevented.
14. Keep vegetation, animals, chemicals (like fertilizers and ironite) away from and out of the pool. Nitrates from bird droppings and waste from animals and people are food for algae.
15. Check your gates and any protective barriers to keep chuildren safe! Gates should swing out away from the pool, not in. They should have some sort of self-closing self- locking/latching mechanism that is functional. Pool safety should always be a priority.

    Optimal Swimming Pool Chemical Ranges for Desert Pools

    Keep your pool's chemical readings in these ranges:

    • PH: 7.2 to 7.8 (I generally keep it on the LOW end)
    • Alkalinity: 80 to 120 ppm
    • Calcium Hardness: 250-450 ppm (The valley has high calcium; as a result, this is not always possible, so don’t drive yourself crazy over it.
    • Cyanuric Acid or Conditioner: 30-50 ppm (Remember Tri-Chlor tablets already have conditioner built into it) 
    • Chorine residual: 1.0 to 1.5 ppm; up to 2.0 in the summer with ozone, 3.0 without
    • Combined chlorine: 0 ppm. By managing pool chemistry right, you will substantially reduce the amount of chlorine needed. Much of it is wasted.