I'm in danger of trying to teach grandmothers to suck eggs here, as everybody I know with a swimming pool professes to be an expert at keeping it clean, bright and free from green deposits (algae).
[Wikipedia]
Yet, if you dig deeper and witness the number of pool owners, both Spanish and foreign, seeking advice in dedicated swimming pool shops, it is clearly a bigger problem than we think, particularly during very hot spells and when the calima is about.
So what to do?
Around where I live the problems of pool hygiene are compounded by the high levels of calcium in the water supply, usually from aquifers deep below ground.
To combat this, regular treatment with pH- is necessary. This helps to keep algae at bay.
Chlorine content must also be maintained at the correct level in order to keep the water hygienic, clear and in good condition.
[C-pool]
After the winter shutdown, chlorine shock treatment may be necessary. This is a wonder product.
Cleaning
Regular cleaning is important in order to keep leaves and other debris out of the water and to hoover up calima dust which settles on the bottom of the pool.
The pool vacuum cleaner is invaluable and necessary, but we have recently bought a robot cleaner which has a mind of its own and vacuums the pool automatically. It's a-ma-zing!
Robots
Basically there are two types of pool robot: ones which require electricity and others which use the pool's suction system. The former are very expensive costing upwards of 1000 euros or more. The latter are much cheaper yet very effective; price 300 - 400 euros.
Having been quite sceptical about these devices I recently saw one of rhe suction-type in operation. Amazing is an understatement.
So, I have just bought the exact same model, a Zodiac MX8, manufactured in Vietnam. As the MX8 has been upgraded twice to the MX9 and the MX10, I got mine for the knockdown price of 283 euros from Decathlon.
[Disclaimer: other makes are available from other suppliers at different prices].
[Decathlon.es]
Conclusion
Now, as we relax with a coffee and watch our robot do what we used to struggle to do, but much more efficiently, we can enjoy swimming in our debris-free, clear and healthy water.
Our next pool project is to invest in a pool cover to keep dust, leaves and other garden debris out of the water.
© The DIY Guy MMXXVI
Pictures:
C-pool. Decathlon.es, Wikipedia
Thanks:
Kevin Speak, Miguel Cabello, Paul Whitelock, Ronda Green
Tags:
algae. calima, C-pool, chlorine shock, cover, Decathlon.es, debris, DIY Guy, dust, green, hoover, Kevin Speak, leaves, Miguel Cabello, MX8, Paul Whitelock, robot, Ronda Green, vacuum, Wikipedia, Zodiac