Starting off on the right foot is an important part of any relationship, and the same principle applies to your swimming pool.

Spring Open Up is an exciting time for pool owners and engineers alike, and when the sun finally comes out it can often be a mad rush to get the pool ready before it disappears.

As well as getting your pool ready for swimming, Spring Open Up can be the best time to take a few simple steps to keep your pool looking its best all season long, whilst also preventing any nasty problems that may arise throughout the season.

By following these simple steps, your pool can be ready for swimmers all season long:

Remove The Pool Cover

• A good winter pool cover can make opening a pool much easier as it helps to keep water and debris out of the pool, which can lead to some unpleasant surprises such as algae and stains.
• When removing the cover there may be some debris and standing water on it, make sure this is brushed off before pulling it back so that none of it gets into the pool.
• Before storing the cover, make sure it is brushed with a soft brush and dried to keep it in good condition and ready for the end of the season and beyond.

Remove Loose Debris

• Use a net to remove leaves, twigs and other debris that may have slipped past your cover.
• Ensure that your filter, pump, skimmers, and drains are free of debris and not blocked in any way.

Remove Winterising Equipment & Reassemble Equipment

• If you have used winterising plugs or any other equipment, ensure that they are removed.
• If you have removed any equipment for winter storage reconnect it now. For electrical connections, ensure they are free from moisture before reinstalling.
• You can also reinstall any pool ladders and accessories at this time.

Raise The Water Level To Normal

• For winterisation, the water levels should be lowered below any skimmers to prevent freezing which can lead to leaks in the pipework.
• The pool should now be topped up to its normal level
• Always do this before carrying out any water testing as the extra water will affect the test results and will require further testing and balancing.

Inspect & Turn On Your Pool Equipment

• Before turning on your equipment it is important to make sure that there are no signs of damage.
• If you are satisfied, turn them on but monitor their performance, if they perform poorly this could be a sign that some maintenance is required.

Run The Pool Filter For 1 Turnover Period

• Prior to testing, run the pool for one full turnover period (the time it takes for the pool’s volume of water to pass through the filtration system).

Brush & Vacuum

• Use a suitable brush to remove any clinging debris and algae from the walls of the pool and then vacuum out any remaining debris from the bottom of the pool.

Backwash

• Backwash the filter to remove any contaminants from the filter media before topping it up with fresh water.

Test & Balance

• It is important to test and balance your water before adding any form of sanitiser into the water.
• This is because sanitisers work best within a specific range and therefore the water must be within these parameters to do its job.
• For example, before adding chlorine you need to adjust your pH to within the range of 7.2-7.6.

Shock

• Add a dose of shock to your pool to kill off any algae or harmful organisms that may be present in the water.
• It is important to ensure that the shock is circulated throughout the whole pool so that all areas are treated.

Algaecide

• If you have dosed Lo-Chlor Winteriser Algaecide and Lo-Chlor Starver® X, there should be no algae present, but if there is then you should use a curative dose of one of our Lo-Chlor Algaecides.
• As a preventative you can dose Lo-Chlor Algaecide which will provide up to 6 months of protection against algal blooms.

Phosphate Removal

• Lo-Chlor Starver® X should be used with any algae treatment, the product removes one of the key components of algae from the water so that phosphates cannot fuel further algal blooms.
• Please note that algaecides will kill algae but will not remove phosphate.
• This ensures that water stays clear for longer, as well as extending the lifespan of your sanitiser and algaecide.

Rebalance

• Post-treatment ensure that the water is re-balanced before bathers are allowed into the pool.

In addition to these steps, there are several other Lo-Chlor products that can be used to keep your pool looking its best and running smoothly all year round:

Lo-Chlor No More Scale – If the pool is in a hard water area, Lo-Chlor No More Scale should be dosed at the start of the season and then monthly to protect against calcium scale deposits. One bottle will last a 50,000-litre pool the whole season and will more than pay for itself in reduced maintenance time along with the money savings from running a more efficient pool.

Lo-Chlor No More Metal – When reopening your swimming pool, the pool will require topping up from mains water. If the water being used during these top-ups is high in metals this can lead to staining. However, dosing 50ml of Lo-Chlor No More Metal per 5,000 litres of water can help ensure that these metals are removed before they can deposit onto surfaces.

Lo-Chlor Filter Cleaner and Degreaser – Over the winter, contaminants in the filter media can grow and harden reducing the filter’s efficiency when it is switched back on. However, cleaning the filter either before storing it for the winter or when reopening the swimming pool can help ensure it can work at its most efficient, all season long.

If you have any questions about the process of reopening your swimming pool at the start of the season, or about any Lo-Chlor products, please get in touch at: [email protected]