GLOSSARY for questions call: 480-818-8971
| Introduction Are you looking into building a new Pool? Our choice for pool builder is NAUTICA POOL. NAUTICA POOL, builds pools of highest quality and workmanship, and if you want good service along with the whole pool building experience then NAUTICA POOL is your choice! You won't be disappointed. Consider this carefully when out shopping for pool builders. What most pool builders promise and deliver are totally two different things. I hear all kinds of stories all the time while working with customers on their pools about how their pool experience was etc. My experience with NAUTICA POOL, the customers feedback etc have all be outstanding, and the quality of the pool, the finishing touch says it all. Owning a NAUTICA POOL is a very rewarding investment. Your swimming pool will be designed to be the finest pool possible and the easiest to maintain. Sparkling, clear water in a clean pool is always our objective.
COOL TIMES INC. Your Comlete Pool Service and Repair Company 480-818-8971, located in Chandler, Arizona serving the East Valley, Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Ahwatukee, Tempe, Queen Creek, Sun Lakes, Apache Junction, Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Maricopa, Higley.
Whether your needs are just weekly pool service, weekly pool maintenance, or repairs, remodeling, resurfacing, installation of new equipment, heaters, filters, pump and motors, salt chlorinators, fountains, waterfalls, etc etc. Cool Times Inc. is the Company of your Choice. We at Cool Times take pride in our work, we do the best job we can to keep our customers happy, it's always a great experience and we love it. We stand behind our word, we will give you good service at an affordable price, excellent workmanship, honest and dependable service. In order to better serve our customers we have provided helpfull information below. We want to make it as easy as possible for our customers in helping them maintain their pool, in saving them time and money. Whether you want to the maintain your pool yourself or hire Cool Times to maintain it for you, we will be there to help you out whenever we can. So if you have any questions, or need help with something, please don't hesitate to call us. We are here to help you. Thank you. Total Customer Satisfaction is part of our business, saving you money is our commitment!
Water Level For best operation, keep the water level in the center of the skimmer opening or halfway up on the waterline tile. Low water level may cause the filter pump to loose prime resulting in pump damage, high water level reduces or eliminates the skimmer effectiveness. If the water level is above the tile and touch the bottom of the deck's cantilever edge, attach a hose to the hose bib mounted on the piping near your filter pump and turn on the pump. Direct the end of the hose to a drainage area and let pump run until the pool water level is at its proper level. Also you may backwash the filter to lower the water level. Skimmer weir door working correctly is very important for the skimming operation, keeps the surface of the water clean.
AWL (Automatic Water Leveler) In the Pool decking under one of the lids is your automatic water leveler. This adds water automatically via the float as the pool water evaporates. If may be adjusted for higher or lower water level. If you suspect that yours isn't working correctly, please call us to get it fixed. Water levelers can cause lots of problems if they are not working properly.
Automatic Pool Vacuum The pool vacuum uses water suction instead to remove dirt and debris from your pool's floor and walls. If you remove the vacuum from the pool make sure the hose sections are laid straight. A coiled hose will create a memory and will not vacuum efficiently. If the hose sections become coiled, lay them in the sun positioned straight, then put them in the cool water to set their straightness. It is not uncommon for a vacuum head to get plugged with large objects that don't readily pass through such as rocks, toys, plastic bags, landscape cuttings, etc. Learn how to clear these items from your vacuum so it will operate properly. If you notice the cleaner is not working right, or is stuck, first shut off the equipment, take the cleaner out and see if there is something stuck in it. Most of the times it's a little rock or dirt that got in there and kept the cleaner from working right. Skimmer Water flows from the pool through the skimmer then into the pump. The pool skimmer is designed to break water surface tension and remove floating debris as it floats by the skimmer opening. The flapper (weir) inside the skimmer throat allows debris to flow into the skimmer then keeps it from drifting back out. Be sure the weir opens and closes freely. If stuck in the closed position, water from the pool cannot flow freely into the skimmer and pump damage may result. Debris is caught in the skimmer basket and should be removed and emptied as required. Excessive debris can clog the basket resulting in ineffective skimming and or damage to the pump.
Main Drain Water from the bottom of the pool flows through the main drain to the bottom of the skimmer then to the filter pump. The term main drain is not a way to drain the pool. The saucer-type part at the bottom of the skimmer has a sliding door flap that adjusts how much flow comes from the main drain and and how much from the skimmer. About half-way open is a good rule of them, but always make sure there is adequate skimmer current to skim surface debris. Please note that if you have a dedicated cleaner line and your cleaner is hooked up to it, then you should open the flap all the way to allow as much skimming as possible. Because in this case your cleaner is already running along the bottom of the pool picking up stuff, so you dont need main drain suction, as a matter of fact if you have main drain suction and the cleaner goes over the main drain, it may possibly get stuck there, because the main drain is trying to suck the cleaner, and the cleaner is trying to suck the main drain, causing the cleaner to get stuck sometimes. If you are utilizing pop-ups as your cleaning system, then for sure make sure that
Wall Return The adjustable wall returns return filtered water back to the pool from the equipment. These returns should be adjusted to create a clockwise flow of water to circulate the water for proper filtration and chlorination. (In some cases counter-clockwise flow is proper). The return just upstream from the skimmer should be adjusted to direct a surface current that enables floating debris to be swallowed up by the skimmer current.
Pump The pump and motor pull water from the main drain, the skimmer, the dedicated wall cleaner line if it has one, then pushes the water through the filter, the heater, and the chlorinator then back to the pool wall returns. If allowed to run dry, the pump and adjacent piping can be damaged. The pump basket collects leaves, debris, etc. and prevents them from entering the pump and filter. Clean the pump basket weekly, or after a wind storm.. Before removing lid to strainer basket, be sure to turn motor to pump OFF. After pump basket lid is re-secured, turn pump on. It is a good idea to use a silicone based lube on the O-ring in the lid to assure a better seal and easier removal. Sometimes debris is forced through he pump basket and can lodge in the pump's impeller which will cause the circulation system ineffective, and it will require disassembly and cleaning. Call us and we can help you with that.
Booster Pump Booster Pump is usually in addition to your regular pool pump. Your primary pool pump runs the water through the filter to clean the water. A booster pump is an auxillary pump used to drive a pool cleaner, or it may be an auxillary pump used to drive the jets in a spa, or may drive a waterfall. Usually a booster pump will drive a pressure side cleaner like a Polaris. Advantage to pressure side cleaners is that they don't get stuck they keep on going. Vacuum side cleaners where you stick it in the skimmer suction suck up all kinds of rocks and leaves and dirt and get stuck often.
Time Clock The time clock turns the pump motor on and off at adjustable pre-determined times. For best results the time clock should run the pump 6 to 10 hours when water is at swimming temperature and 6 to 8 hours at lower temperatures. It is best to set the time clock to cycle on and off twice in a 24 hour period to better balance circulation, filtration and sanitizer disbursement. We've especially noticed a problem with algae formation at waterline when the hot summer sun increases the surface water temperature and decreases the sanitizer residual. We recommend running the filter for a couple of hours in the heat of the afternoon to correct this potential problem.
Chlorination Chlorination is the process of adding chlorine to your pool. You may use a chlorine tablet floater to chlorinate the pool water. You may decide to invest in a salt water chlorinator for your pool. You may want a chlorine tablet feeder installed at the pool equipment so that you don't have the floaty in the way when you are swimming. For the best investment, you may want to just purchase the Floatron. The floatron is a solar ionizer. Ionization is a process of sanitization, and the floatron works great, does an excellent job at this. As a matter of fact, with the use of a floatron you can cut your chlorine consumption by about 80%, that's right! True less chlorine pool is best, less iritation, less corrosiveness on pool equipment, softer water, no more red eye, overall it feels better. If you ask me, the floatron is the best investement you can make today, with rising chlorine prices, it's fullish not to take advantage of this remarkable product. If only people knew how good it works. Chemical companies would go out of business!
Chlorine Generator (Saltwater Pool) If you have a "saltwater pool" your pool is equipped with a chlorinator that takes the salt (sodium chloride) that has been measured into your pool and converts it into chlorine that instantly starts to destroy bacteria, viruses, and algae, and in doing this reverts back to dissolved salt. This cycle continues with more new chlorine being produced from the salt water in the electrolysis cell, sanitizing the pool, and changing once more back to dissolved salt. The dissolved salts are converted to chlorine only when the filter pump is running. In hard water situations like we have in Arizona, or continuous high pH conditions it may be necessary to manually clean the electrodes to remove scale build-up. Refer to your owners manual for cleaning instructions. (For example: One recommendation is a solution of 1 part muriatic acid to 10 parts of water, and soak the chlori-nator electrodes for 5 minutes to remove the calcium residue. Repeat as necessary). Please note, a salt pool is still a cholrine pool, so in a salt pool if you measure the chlorine level and it's low, first adjust the chlorinator output, but in summer heat add a little liquid chlorine or shock to help it so it don't turn green on you. You must keep the conditioner level or cyanauric acid level in your pool close to a 100ppm, this is very important for a salt pool. The sun dissipates the chlorine too fast if you don't have enough stabilizer in your pool water. Having too much on the other hand is not good, it locks up the free chlorine from doing it's job, thus you can loose the sanitizing affect and your pool may turn green if you have too much conditioner. Have Cool Times stop by and check your levels if you are unsure. Deck (DEK) Chlorinator If your pool is equipped with a deck chlorinator you may add chlorine tablets in the cannister and adjust the valve at the equipment to regulate the flow of water to the chlorinator. The greater the flow, the faster the chlorine tabs are dissolved and consequently more chlorine flows into the pool. Be sure not to open the valve so much the water over flows onto the deck. During the summer when the extreme temperatures heats up the deck, it can make the water in the chlorinator "percolate" so high concentrations of chlorine build up and can burn the plaster at the opening into the pool. It is recommended that the time clock be adjusted so some ont he filter time is scheduled during the heat of the day to prevent this from happening. One more thing, be sure to have the filter pump running when you remove the lid to access the DEK Chlorinator. High levels of gas chlorine may form so when the lid is removed you may be in danger of inhaling them.
Filter Your pool filter is designed to mechanically clean your pool water by trapping tiny particles inside. The cleaner the water, the less sanitizer and water chemistry adjustments will be required. The pressure gauge located on top of the filter tells you the condition of your filter and circulating system. In normal operation, check and note the gauge reading. When the gauge rises 8 pounds above this starting pressure, it is time to clean the filter. If the gauge falls below the starting pressure, check the skimmer and pump basket for debris. Sometimes debris is forced through he pump basket and can lodge in the pump's impeller which will require disassembly and cleaning. If you are having problems with your filter, and don't seem to be getting enough circulation, call us. Always follow manufacturer's and dealer instructions for operation and maintenance forother pool equipment and accessories. About Cartridge Filters Is there an easy way to know when to clean a cartridge filter? Yes! Here's a simple tip. Cartridge filters work on the clarification process." They utilize the debris they collect as an aid to improve filtration. As a result, cleaning too often does not allow the filter to work at optimum filtration efficiency, while not cleaning often enough will shorten the life of a cartridge element. So here's a tip. When you replace the element with a new one, note the start-up pressure on the tank gauge. This reading is the system's total pressure in "pounds per square inch" or psig (gauge). Mark this point with a drop of fingernail polish or a grease pen. Then add 8 pounds to the reading and place another dot. You now have the normal operating pressure for your cartridge in psid (differential). Allow the filter to operate between these two points and clean whenever the gauge reaches the higher pressure mark. Cartridge Cleaning Instructions When should a cartridge element be cleaned? For swimming pools, clean the cartridge when filter canister pressure reaches 8 PSI above the initial system or new cartridge starting pressure. What is the procedure to clean my cartridge? 1. Remove the cartridge from the filter housing following the manufacturer's instructions. 2. Use a garden hose with a straight flow nozzle to wash down the filter element. Work from the top down, holding the nozzle at a 45 degree angle, and wash all the pleats with emphasis between pleats. 3. Rinse until all dirt and debris is gone. 4. To remove suntan lotions, and other oils from the cartridge filter, soak the element for at least one hour in (1) a commercial filter cleaner; or (2) one cup trisodium phosphate (TSP) to five gallons water; or (3) one cup dishwasher detergent to five gallons of water. 5. Rinse the cartridge again to remove oils and cleaning solution. What if the pressure guage reading does not return to the original "clean" psi reading after the cartridges have been cleaned? It may be necessary to acid wash the filter elements to remove buildup that is reducing water. (Read below "Acid Washing Your Cartridge Filter Element" before proceeding). 1. ACID WASHING FILTER ELEMENTS. If the filter has a coating of algae, calcium carbonate (same as buildup on waterline tile), iron, or other minerals, soak the cartridge in a solution of 1 part muriatic acid to 20 parts water until all bubbling stops. 2. Rinse the cartridge clean and reassemble housing. WARNING: Failure to remove all oils and cleaning solution before acid soaking will result in a permanent restriction of water flow and cause premature cartridge failure. WARINNG: Wear rubber gloves and safety glasses when using acid and chlorine. Do not add water to acid. Do not mix chlorine and acid.
Acid Washing Your Cartridge Filter Element Acid washing is perhaps the biggest single factor leading to premature cartridge failure. As a rule of thumb, acid wash only when required, if at all, and never without thoroughly cleaning the element with a cartridge degreaser first. Here is a simple test to determine if acid washing is required. After thoroughly cleaning the cartridge with a degreasing agent, flush the cartridge with a garden hose to remove all traces of soap, etc. Now apply several drops of acid directly to a small area of the filter media. If bubbling occurs, this indicates a build up of calcium or minerals, and you should proceed with a mild acid soak. If no bubbling is observed, your cartridge most likely does not require acid washing.
NOTE: Most manufacturers do not recommend the use of diatomaceous earth (DE) with cartridge filters. DE particles will become trapped in the body of the media and shorten cartridge life. If desired, a cellulose fiber (synthetic DE) can be used in moderation.
About Sand Filters The pool pump forces the water to the top of the sand bed inside the sand filter. The dirt and debris gets trapped on top of the sand as the water flows down to the laterals at the bottom of the sand bed. The laterals are plastic pieces that have fine mesh and thus keeps the sand from going in the pool. Broken laterals will release sand in the pool. So the sand is the filtering media, and when the pressure gets up about 8 to 10 lbs higher than normal, it's time to backwash. When you change the position of the backwash valve to backwash the filter, the water is reversed inside the tank so that the water is forced from the bottom of the filter up, and thus the dirt that was sitting on top of the sand is now flushed via the backwash port and out to waste. Hence in essence we are rinsing the the sand and flushing out the mucky dirty water. Backwash valves should be lubed quarterly to keep them working properly. About DE Filters This type of filter utilizes D.E. powder to strain debris from the water (as recommended by the manufacturer). D.E. is the fossilized remains of plankton (diatoms) that have been ground into a fine powder. The cloth-covered grids within the filter must be pre-coated with D.E. powder for the proper filter operation. Pre-coat the filter grids by mixing a combination of D.E. and water. The slurry solution should have the consistency of watered down pancake butter. Slowly pour this slurry into the skimmer while the pump is running. Once the grids are coated, the debris will be removed from the pool water. The water flows through the grids and flows out the end opening into the manifold and returned to the pool. Backwashing a D.E. filter is similar to the procedure for the sand filter. By reversing the flow of water, the debris and dirty D.E. are loosened from the grid. This water is washed out of the filter and into the backwash line. After this is completed, the D.E. re-coating of the grids can proceed. D.E. powder is non-biodegradable and a separation tank may be installed on your backwash line to capture all of the flushed powder particles. Backwash Valve Some backwash valves are push-pull, and some backwash valves are multi port kinda you push and turn. The purpose of a backwash valve is to re-direct the flow of water. It changes the direction of the flow of water through a filter so that it can backwash the filter. It basically rinses the bad water dirt out of the filter through the waste port. A backwash hose is generally connected to the waste port of the valve so that the waste can be directed out to wherever you want to dump the dirty water. DE Separation Tank A DE Separation tank is nothing more than a tank with a bag in it. This bag is a fiberglass bag that captures DE when dirty water is backwashed through a DE filter. It keeps the white stuff from going all over the yard every time you backwash. It is plumbed after the waste so that every time you backwash, the DE and dirt gets traped in this filter (separation tank) and the rest water flows out of the tank. Once you are done you can easily dump the contents of the bag into garbage. PH The term ph stands for the acidity or alkalinity of the pool water. The amount of Hidrogyn ions in water, Hidroxyl ions , hydrogen and one oxygen, this concentration determines the ph. Just remember the acidity of water, the balance. PH is very important in pool water for numerous reasons. Having the right PH in the pool water 7.4 -7.6 will keep the pool water clear and not cloudy. You don't want the ph to stay high because then you will have calcification all around the pool, pretty much on everything. On the other hand you don't want the ph to be too loo either, then you'll have corrosionl. Usually to adjust the pool water ph takes regular weekly, about a cup of acid to sustain a proper ph. It may vary from pool to pool and of course how big your pool is, the type of finish interior etc. Stabilizer Stabilizer, or cyanuaric acid is the term used for the stuff you add to the pool water about twice a year to help maintain the chlorine level in the pool. The sun's UV takes out chlorine fast if there is no stabilizer in the water. The tablets that u use for your floater is stabilized chlorine. Thus when you use tablets you are actually adding a little bit of stabilizer each time to the water. Quarterly, your pools stabilizer level should be checked. You can have Cool Times stop by and check it for you, along with the other tests we do. Or you can take a sample of pool water to the pool store. Stabilizer level should be around 100 ppm, not more. Having too much can be bad too, it can latch up the free chlorine and make it ineffective. When in doubt about the whole chemistry thing or are having problems balancing the water just call us professionals and we will analyze it and take care of the problem for you.
POOL & SPA VALVE INSTRUCTIONS Normal Swimming Pool & Spa Valve Settings with No Heating Filter Pump Suction from Pool - The 3-Way Jandy valve next to the pump basket adjusts the suction from the pool and spa. In normal operation, close the spa suction, and at the same time this opens the pool suction so you are pulling water only from the pool. Now adjust the vacuum and skimmer Jandy valve so the vacuum is operating properly by vacuuming the floor and the walls. To do this, open the vacuum suction line and partially close the skimmer and main drain until the automatic vacuum is working at the desired speed. Do not close the skimmer / drain so much that you can hear the pump start to strain by not getting enough water to operate properly. Take a visual look into the deck skimmer and make sure there is enough flow to pull floating leaves and debris into the skimmer basket. Filter Pump Returns to Pool - Now open the pool return valve all the way and open the spa return valve slightly (just enough to create a sheet of water falling over the spillway. It is very important to have water going to the spa in normal operation so the spa water is filtered and chlorinated. If you have a water feature on this pump, you can adjust the jandy valve that regulates its flow for acceptable water feature performance. To Heat and Filter the Spa Only Turn off the Filter pump motor. Open the Spa suction valve (and in the process this closes the pool suction). Now you are pulling water only from the spa. Next, open the spa return valve (and in the process this closes the pool return). Now the valving is set to only pull water from the spa and return it to the spa. You now can turn of the filter pump motor, and turn on the heater. Now the spa and heater will run to the preset temperature setting until you reverse the valving to the original position. You should set the spa temperature thermostat to the desired level. You are now only filtering and heating the spa. Reverse these steps to return to normal operation. Remember, if you don't reverse these valve settings, your pool water will not be chlorinated nor filtered. To Heat the Pool and Spa From the normal valve positions, simply turn the heater on and set thermostate to the desired levels. Nighttime temperatures really pull the heat out of the pool water, so it is adviseable to put on a floating solar blanket which can be purchased at Leslies Pool Supplies. A Few Notes About Your Spa Heater Bypass Valve - Always adjust this valve so half the water is directed back to the pool and spa returns, and half through the heater. 4-Way Spa-side Switch - Push once turns on the Therapy Pump. Push Twice it turns on the blower. Push a third time and it turns off the Therapy Pump. Push a fourth time and it turns off the blower. Therapy Air Blower - When turned on it blows air into the Therapy line to maximize the jet action. ACRYLIC DECK MAINTENANCE By following these easy instructions you will enjoy the beauty and pleasure of your new acrylic deck for many years to come. Please Do Not: 1. Walk on or get water on your concrete deck for 48 hours. 2. Place any furniture on it for 7 days. 3. Allow any landscape materials, dirt, debris, and the tracking of mud on the new deck. Occasionally hose off your acrylic deck with a high-pressure nozzle to prevent dirt and stains from being ground into the deck. Remove stubborn stains by using a stiff brush and a mild detergent, scrubbing well and hosing off. Other stains can be removed as follows: Calcium Deposits - that appear as whitish stains in areas where water puddles, use "Limeaway," (available at any grocery store), scrubbing thoroughly, allowing to sit for 10 minutes, then rinsing completely to remove residue. Coffee, Soda, etc. - Use a mild detergent, some water and a stiff brush to get down into the texture. Grease and Oil - Use "Gumout," (available at any grocery store) Rust Stains - Use "Wink," a rust remover, or navel jelly (available at any grocery or hardware store). Algae Stains - Use a mixture of 70 parts water to 30 parts of liquid pool chlorine. Allow mixture to set 10 to 20 minutes then hose off completely. Use with care, as using too much will damage the sealer
Aerator The aerator is a spray fitting in the side of the cool deck, when you turn the valve on at the pool equipment it will spray water on the pool. The purpose of the aerator is to cool the pool water down, by process of evaporation. Acid wash After your pool water is drained, an acid wash can remove stains and dirt off the plaster making it look nice again. Cool Times' upgraded acid wash is the way to go, we take great care to make your plaster look beautifull again. Question??? Is it too Hot to acid wash? Yes, temperature outside should be less than 80degress outside. Starting October would be a good time to start doing acid washes. During acid wash season, lead time for acid washes is about 2 to 5 days because of our waiting list. Please be patient and sign up to reserve your spot. this should give you ample time to obtain permits and get HOA permissions etc for draining. We use a special blend of stain removing agents, as well as plaster brightening agents in our acid was solutions for all our acid washes so that the finish looks bright and clean! Our application methods are far more better for your plaster, this is why we call it our "upgraded acid wash". Also our extensive expertise and experience will assure you that the job is done right. Minor calcium nodules that we encounter while acid washing we will grind for no extra charge, considering there are less than six or so. We also seal your tile with every acid wash and tile clean job, whether you ask for it or not, no extra charge! You will want to purchase a can of our special tile sealer after you see how good your tile and pool look after we are done. The sealer costs $18 a can, and can seal a play pool about 7 times. Thus to prevent calcium buildup on your tile, re-apply the sealer every four to six months. We drain your pool overnight, then the next morning we come in and do the job, takes about 2 hours. It is the customers responsibility to obtain permits for draining your pool. Please call the city and get permit before we drain your pool.
Tile clean Tile cleaning takes the calcium buildup off around the perimeter of the pool, the water line. Because we have such hard water in Arizona, this is a problem. Cool Times uses the glass bead method to remove the calcium ring around the pool. We also spray the tile with sealer to help protect it from future calcium buildup. Bond seal In between the cool deck and the tile, right in that corner is where water can seep out if not sealed properly. When water seeps under the cooldeck, it can settle the cool deck and cause it to crack and shift. Also excess water that gets behind the tile can cause the tile to come loose as well. If you think you don't have a good seal under there, call Cool Times, we will inspect it for you and do a bond seal. The materials we use are excellent, you will have good results. Remodel Need your pool surface re-done? Call us for a free quote, we'll be happy to explain all the options of remodeling. We can save you money and beautify your pool very reasonably. Want a waterfall? We sell and install fiberglass water falls and water features, they last longer, and have less problems then concrete waterfalls. Visit our website and check out the selection. Floatron The floatron is a solar floating device which ionizes the water. Ionization has been used for a long time for water purifications. With the use of the floatron, you can reduce your chlorine consumption by about 80%. No Bull, it works. Green to clean Cool Times can turn around a green pool to a clean pool in just a few days. Let us experts take care of it. We clean up lots of green pools for both new customers and also pool guys who just need a little help from the pro. One time clean With one time clean service, we will clean your pool for you and balance the chemicals. We'll if your pool is green then you need to let us know in advance so that we can alot time and multiple visits times to get your pool the sparkle back. Usually one time clean will cost about $59 - $69 with green pools being a little extra. For all of our services and rates please do visit our site at www.cooltimesinc.com. We offer very reasonable rates, and good service guarantee.
Weekly Pool Service Includes the following: Cleaning entire pool or spa, baskets/nets/screens, skimming the top, brushing sides, vacuuming/backwashing filter as needed. Testing for accurate chemical levels & adding required chemicals. Inspecting of cleaning system, water levels, hoses, baskets, screens, nets, filters, valves, plumbing, equipment. We provide WEEKLY REPORT slip every time we clean your pool so you know when we've been there and what we've done. WE HANDLE all repairs, special maintenance, re-plaster, acid wash & tile cleaning projects, water fall installations, etc. at very reasonable rates.
STARTING UP YOUR NEW NAUTICA POOL Credits to Nautica Pools for providing us with this startup document. We recommend Nautica Pools as a Pool Builder of Choice. When your swimming pool is completed there are several things you should do to assure maximum enjoyment, and protect your investment. 1. When the plaster or pebble crew are finished, they will put your hose in the pool to fill it. When the water level is half way up the skimmer opening (or half way up the waterline tile) turn off the water. 2. A startup professional such as Cool Times Inc. will come by and remove the plumbing plugs, prime the pumps, get your equipment up and running, identify the valves and add chemicals. He will then give you instruction on the operation of the pool. 3. On a plaster pool, brush the walls, steps, and floor three times a day for the first week. Plaster dust will then go into suspension and be filtered out. We want to avoid the plaster dust calcifying on the pool surface and create a rough surface. On a pebble pool, some of the surface pebbles will loosen and come off. This is normal. 4. Test your pool water for chlorine, pH level, and alkalinity every day until your recommended levels have been reached. Our recommendation is to maintain chlorine levels at 1.5 ppm to 3.0 ppm; pH between 7.4 and 7.6; and total alkalinity reading between 80 ppm and 120 ppm. Run these tests for the first week or two to attain proper water balance. This will become much easier to maintain after you get a "feel" for your new pool and chemical requirements. Once you've added the necessary chemicals to bring your pool water into balance, weekly testing should be adequate. Do not add chemicals without first testing the water to determine what is required for proper water balance. DON'T FORGET TO COMPLETE AND
POOL CHEMICALS AND TESTING How you maintain your pool water determines its cleanliness, clarity, sparkle and color. Proper care will preserve the beauty of your plaster or pebble and tile for years to come. Remember, always test your swimming pool water before adding chemicals to determine what chemicals need to be added. CHLORINE (1.5 PPM to 3.0 PPM) The purpose of using chlorine is to sanitize the water by killing disease-causing bacteria and preventing the growth of algae. Untreated pool water quickly becomes a source of infection and a beautiful pool can turn into a "swamp." Chlorine may be added through a floating device, a chlorine injection system, or manufactured by a salt water system. Chlorine demands are greater during the summer months when the water is warmer, and also with high swimmer use. Under these conditions it can especially propagate bacteria if proper chlorine levels are not maintained. Be sure to maintain a free chlorine residual of 1.5 ppm to 3.0 ppm. If you have a salt chlorinator, remember it manufactures chlorine only when the pump is running. To maintain proper chlorine levels, a balance between filter run time and the "Output" setting on the salt chlorinator is very important. CONDITIONER / STABILIZER / CYANURIC ACID At start up we will add conditioner (stabilizer) to your pool. Stabilizer (cyanuric acid) is a chemical that when combined with chlorine, protects chlorine from being destroyed by the UV rays in sunlight. In Arizona, the stabilizer content should be maintained between 60 ppm and 80 ppm for maximum chlorine performance and economy. It may be necessary to add more stabilizer each year. pH CONTROL (7.4 to 7.6) The control of pH is essential to proper water balance. If the pH becomes too high there is an increase danger of scale formation on the plaster and tile. If the pH is too low the pool water becomes very corrosive and can damage the pool surface and the equipment. Test the pH weekly and add acid as necessary. Remember, if the pH reading is too low (high acidity), there may be eye irritation, etching of plaster, and corrosion of any metal parts in the filtration system. Incidentially, proper pH also makes the water more comfortable to swim in and reduces the chance for eye irritation. Try to maintain a pH reading between 7.4 and 7.6 - a salmon color. If the color is pinkish in color, add acid. If the color is light yellow, there is too much acid in the pool, and it must be neutralized with soda ash. (For amount and application of acid or soda ash, refer to the chart in your test kit, or consult with a pool serviceman, or retail pool store such as Leslie's). TOTAL ALKALINITY (80 PPM TO 120 PPM) Total alkalinity is a measure of all the alkaline materials (calcium carbonate) in the water. It is the water's buffering capacity or the water's resistance to change in pH. Too much alkalinity will make it difficult to change the pH, and may cause scale (in the form of calcium carbonate) to form on the pool's surface, tile, and equipment. It may plug up your salt chlorinator and build up inside the filter elements. The total alkalinity reading recommendation is between 80 ppm and 120 ppm. Keeping an alkalinity reading in this range reduces the likelihood of calcium carbonate buildup on the high side, and a corrosive water environment on the low side. Adding acid reduces both pH and alkalinity. After startup, test the pool daily and add acid according to the chart in your test kit, to bring the alkalinity and pH to proper levels if necessary. Once proper levels are achieved, testing can be done weekly. Note: To lower the alkalinity without lowering the pH, we have found that pouring acid in one spot of the pool, may accomplish this. If your pool has low alkalinity, it will be necessary to add bicaronate of soda which can be purchased at Leslie's Pool Supply. CHLORINE GENERATOR (SALT SYSTEM) Each chlorine generator system has different recommendations for their respective optimum salt levels. As a rule we recommend 3200 ppm of salt for optimal performance. Salt levels should be tested once or twice a year by a pool retail store such as Leslie's Pool Supply. FILTRATION The "Rule of Thumb" is to run your filter 1 hour for every 10 degrees of ambient temperature. Now there are a lot variables, not the least is the amount of swimmers and the water temperature. Run your filter long enough to keep the water clear, clean, and sparkling. After unusually high swimmer use, it may be necessary to run the filter an additional 12 hours or so, especially if the water is not as crystal clear as normal. Backwash the filter or clean the cartridges when the filter pressure increases 8 psi as indicated on your pressure gauge on top of the filter. During the wintertime, when the water temperature is less than 70 degrees, chlorine demands are lower, so you can maintain a 1.0 ppm chlorine residual and decrease your filter "run" time. However, it is still very important to maintain proper pH levels and alkalinity so acid may need to be added. Continue to test your pool weekly even during the winter months. PERIODIC TESTS The water should also be tested 2 to 3 times a year for salt (if you have a salt chlorinator), stabilizer, and total dissolved solids. Either buy special test kits for these procedures or take a water sample to a retail swimming pool store like Leslie's. It is important to maintain proper levels for water balance. Failure to maintain proper water balance may damage your pool and equipment and void manufacturer warranties.
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