SPRINGBOKPOOLS

Winter pump-downs are carried out on the 3rd week of December and again early February. This involves the lowering of the swimming pools water to a safe level for the ongoing freeze period between December and late March. A high enough water level (if not pumped down) could result in the coping and tiles being destroyed by rising and expanding ice,.  There are multiple important safeguards and procedures to follow when lowering the swimming pool water level through the course of winter. Followed carefully,  homeowners can safely lower the pool water themselves.

1) Always make sure the water level nevers rises higher than several inches below the tiles.

2) Never lower the water too much - if the pool water level is below that of the ground water level (water table) the pool could pop out of the ground and float on the ground water, a catastrophic and terribly expensive mistake!!

3) Do not allow the water to be at the level of the lamps, when freezing occurs the lamps will shatter inwards from ice expansion.

4) When using an electrical pump only pump from the shallow end, preferably from a step. Secure the pump by it's cable to prevent the electrical viabration from causing the pump to "walk" to a deeper position in the pool which could empty the pool. Remember that the chlorine added during the winterising process sits at the deep end, being heavier than water - a good enough reason to never drain from the deep end!

5) Place the draining end of the hose no lower than the level you require the pool to drain to, this will prevent siphoning to continue draining the pool when the pump shuts off with it's float mechanism.

6) In the months of late January, all of February and early to mid March, caution is required when lowering swimming pool water levels of pools that have covers. The weight of the ice and snow can damage the cover if suspended above a dropped water level.

Correct and balanced water chemistry is essential for bather comfort and critical for the longevity of the swimming pools plaster and it's filtration equipment. The four most important chemistry readings are: (1) Ph; (2) Alkalinity; (3) Chlorine; and (4) Calcium hardness.

pH is a measure of the active acidity in pool or spa water. Technically, it is a measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions in the water. The greater the concentration of active hydrogen ions, the lower the pH. The pH scale is from 0 - 14.  7 is neutral, less than 7 is acidic, and above 7 is alkaline. (The pH of the human teardrop is 7.5, upon which swimming pool waters ideal level is calculated). The ideal range is between 7.4 and 7.6. When the water approaches or goes below 7.2, the water becomes corrosive which could damage plaster, pipes and equipment. Low pH also causes eye and skin irritation, resulting in bather discomfort. pH above 7.8 causes sanitizers to be less effective in killing bacteria, algae and other microorganisms. The water can become cloudy and scale could form on wetted walls and equipment. High pH also results in eye and skin irritation, again a cause  of bather discomfort. When pH is too high - add Acid. When pH is too low (very low) - add Soda ash: very sparingly! Both of these chemicals are dangerous - great care should be taken when adding them - never get either of them on deck surfaces and make sure they do not make contact with skin or eyes. Flush immediately with water if this occurs. I never leave either of these chemicals on-site, if children come across them the consequences could be deadly. When the Ph and Alkalinity are BOTH low, I add Bicarb of soda to raise both levels simultaneously. I recommend even using Bicarb of soda to raise only the Ph, even if the alkalinity is within range. This avoids having to use Soda ash.

Total alkalinity of water is it's ability to resist a change to it's pH. This is often referred to as the "buffering capacity" of water. True carbonate alkalinity is the total amount of carbonates, bicarbonates and hydroxides in the water. The total alkalinity is expressed as ppm (parts per million) calcium carbonate ( CaCO/3). The ideal alkalinity range is from 90 - 140 ppm. When total alkalinity is too low, the pH level will fluctuate wildly, "bouncing" up and down it's measurement scale. If the alkalinity is too high, the water can become cloudy and deposit scale on the plaster and equipment. Total alkalinity and pH levels are closely related, so it is important to test pH after correcting the total alkalinity. Alkalinity is raised by adding Bicarb of soda. I keep my pool water alkalinity level at an alkalinity reading of between 100ppm and 140ppm. Alkalinity is one of the least understood, least recognised and most understated aspects of pool chemistry. Keeping your alkalinity levels between 100ppm and 140ppm will literally allow the pool water to take care of itself - along with correct sanitisation.

Pool or spa water requires a certain amount of calcium hardness. The water temperature, pH and alkalinity control the amount of calcium that can be dissolved. Too little calcium - the water becomes corrosive to the pool and equipment surfaces. Too much calcium - it will precipitate in the water on the pool walls and equipment in the form of scale. Controlling the calcium hardness is a primary function of water balance. The ideal range of calcium hardness is from 200 - 400 ppm.

The most important reason for sanitizing swimming pool and spa water is to prevent disease outbreaks and algae problems. The most effective way to accomplish this is to maintain the proper sanitizer level at all times. The most common forms of sanitizer available are either chlorine, or products based on chlorine. Silver is also an EPA accepted form of sanitizer!  Along with the use of chlorine comes an understanding of superchlorination (shocking): When combined chlorine levels - (Chloramines - the combination of nitrogen containing contaminants and human waste that have reacted with free chlorine, hence combined chlorine) - reach 0.2 ppm, they should be destroyed. One method used to reduce combined chlorine is breakpoint chlorination, also known as superchlorination (shocking). To achieve breakpoint chlorination you must add enough chlorine shock product to raise the free available chlorine to 10 times the combined chlorine level. Combined chlorine (chloramine) causes an unpleasant chlorine odour and eye irritation to swimmers. Superchlorination (shocking) is reccomended every 4 - 6 weeks, depending on bather load.

Total disolved solids (TDS) are a measure of all of the dissolved matter (basically the chemicals that were originally present and that have been added since) in the water. An increase in TDS may indicate an accumulation of impurities during the course of operation. Excessively high TDS may lead to hazy water, corrosion of fittings and can inhibit sanitation. Partially draining the pool and refilling with fresh water will reduce TDS.