Basic Water Care

1. Open pool and super chlorinate with one gallon Family Pools Liquid Shock Treatment per 10,000 gallons of pool water to establish a Free Chlorine level. Add two to three gallons per 10,000 gallons if the pool water appears very dirty.

2. Either take a water sample before adding Liquid Shock Treatment or wait until the chlorine level drops to the ideal range and then bring your water in for a free water analysis.

3. Balance the water: Balance Total Alkalinity Balance pH Balance Calcium Hardness. Add SunShield 4000 to stabilize the water if necessary

Start a Maintenance Routine: maintenance consists of 3 basics= chorine/shock/algaecide

4. Establish a "daily" chlorination routine. for example:
  a. Set the dial on your New Water Cycler/Chlorinator/Brominator/Salt Chlorine Generator
  b. Add Quick Tabs nightly (1 tab/5,000 gal)
  c. Add Granular Chlorine nightly (3-4 oz/5,000 gal)
  d. Fill floating chlorine dispenser and check every few days (not recommended with vinyl steps)
  e. Add PowerSticks/Giant Tabs to skimmer weekly (1 tab/10,000 gal, run filter 6hrs on, 6 hrs off, etc.)
*note: Do not use option "e" if you have a main drain plumbed directly to the skimmer

5. "Shock" pool every two weeks in temperatures under 90 degrees and weekly in temperatures over 90 degrees or after long periods of hot sun, heavy bather loads, long periods of rain or high winds carrying debris and pollen, that grand 4th of July bash, etc.
For example:
  a. Add Energizer Plus (1 lb/10,000 gal) - best if not used with stabilized chlorine
  b. Add Liquid Shock (1 gal/10,000 gal)
  c. Add Omega Shock (1 lb/10,000 gal) - good choice for gunites
  d. Add Pristine Power or Power Shock (1 lb/10,000 gal) - this one is non-chlorine
  e. Turn Salt Chlorine Generator up to 100% for 24hrs as needed for cloudiness or heavy use
*note: For existing problems, it is okay to double dose shock treatment. See "Shock Treatments" for proper application of shock.

6. Add an algaecide:
  a. Add Algae Shield once per month (1 oz/1,000 gal) - great choice for vinyl pools
  b. Add Family Pools Poly 60 weekly (initial dose according to the bottle then 2 to 4 oz/10,000 gal). Add more if necessary. Contains no metals. Non-foaming. Good choice for gunites
  c. Add Proteam Supreme once, twice if needed, per year (doses according to test result) - works for both viny or gunite pools

7. Using a reliable test kit, maintain proper water balance. A DPD Test Kit will give you a better chlorine reading than liquid OTO Drops. Test Strips are the easiest and are okay for maintenance checks. We recommend that you stop in to visit Tony and the girls at Family Pools with a water sample monthly for a professional water analysis.

8. Watch pressure on the filter & water valve & the circulation of the water to determine when to clean the filter.

9. Keep the pool area clean, skim debris, brush the walls, and vacuum pool the regularly for the perfect plunge.