Pool Care Advice

Green pool water is almost always caused by an algae bloom triggered by low or zero chlorine. In Perth's summer heat, chlorine gets consumed extremely quickly — skip even a day or two during a heatwave and algae can take hold overnight.

Other common triggers include pH getting too high (above 7.8), which makes chlorine far less effective, heavy bather loads, or a malfunctioning chlorinator that quietly stopped producing.

Mild green pools — still somewhat visible at the bottom — can sometimes be self-treated with a shock dose of granular chlorine, algaecide, and a long filter run. You'll need to test water first and correct the pH.

However, dark green or black pools where you can't see the bottom usually require a clean-to-waste process, bypassing the filter and pumping to waste while dosing heavily. Getting this wrong can damage equipment or drag the recovery out a week. If in doubt, call Josh.

A professional clean-to-waste recovery typically achieves crystal-clear water in 48–72 hours. Very severe cases may take a little longer.

DIY recoveries often drag to 5–10 days because without the clean-to-waste process, the filter keeps recirculating dead algae back into the water.

The three pillars of algae prevention are consistent chlorine, correct pH, and adequate filtration runtime.

In summer, run your filter 8–10 hours a day minimum, test water twice a week, and keep free chlorine at 2–3 ppm with pH between 7.2–7.6. A correctly-sized salt chlorinator handles most of this automatically.

Ideal ranges for a Perth pool:

pH and chlorine are the most critical day-to-day. The others should be checked monthly or when something seems off.

The most common causes are high cyanuric acid, a worn-out salt cell, or pH that is too high.

Cyanuric acid (stabiliser) protects chlorine from UV — but above 80–100 ppm it starts locking the chlorine and making it ineffective even when test kits show it present. This is called chlorine lock. The only fix is partially draining and refilling with fresh water.

Also check that salt levels are within range and the cell is clean and free of calcium buildup.

Cloudy water with good chemistry is usually a filtration issue — worn filter media, pump not running long enough, or water short-circuiting the filter.

It can also be caused by very high calcium hardness (above 500 ppm), fine particles like dust or sunscreen, or dead algae not yet fully filtered after a treatment.

Try running the filter 24/7 for 48 hours and backwash. If it doesn't clear, the filter media may need replacing.

The most common product is hydrochloric acid (pool acid / HCl). Contact Josh directly for dosing advice specific to your pool.

Safety rules: Always add acid to water, never water to acid. Pour slowly around the deep end with the pump running. Wait 4 hours before retesting. Never mix chemicals before adding to the pool.

Loud pump noises usually indicate: air in the system (gurgling), worn bearings (grinding or squealing), or cavitation (rattling) from a blocked suction line.

Air ingestion is often caused by a failing lid o-ring, loose union fitting, or low skimmer water level. Bearing failure usually means a motor replacement is approaching. Don't ignore it — running with worn bearings or air ingestion leads to complete pump failure. Book a diagnosis.

General rule: if the pump is under 5 years old and it's a minor issue (seal, capacitor, basket), repair it. If it's 8–10+ years old or the motor has failed, replacement usually makes more sense.

A modern Variable Speed Drive (variable speed) pump uses up to 65% less electricity than an old single-speed pump. On Perth power prices, the savings alone can pay off the new pump in 2–3 years. Use the getting in touch on the home page for a quick estimate.

A quality cell typically lasts 5–8 years with proper maintenance. Its biggest enemies are incorrect salt levels, calcium scale buildup on the plates, and running output too high.

Clean your cell with diluted hydrochloric acid (1:10 ratio) every 3–6 months, or when you spot calcium buildup. Many modern chlorinators have a self-cleaning reverse polarity function that handles this automatically.

Backwash when the pressure gauge reads 7–10 kPa above the clean starting pressure, roughly every 1–4 weeks depending on bather load and pool conditions.

Don't over-backwash — a slightly dirty sand bed actually filters better than freshly backwashed sand. Always run on “Rinse” for 30 seconds after backwashing before returning to Filter mode.

Sand should be replaced every 5–7 years. Old sand becomes rounded and smooth, losing filtration ability.

For Perth's climate, an inverter heat pump is almost always the best choice. Unlike gas heaters, heat pumps use ambient air to heat water — making them 4–6x more energy efficient than electric resistance heaters.

Inverter models like the inverter heat pump Elite modulate output rather than running at full power constantly, making them even more efficient and significantly quieter than standard heat pumps.

Gas heaters heat water faster but cost considerably more to run year-round. Solar is cheapest to operate but struggles in winter and requires significant roof space.

A rough guide: allow approximately 1 kW per 10,000 litres with a pool cover, or 1.5 kW per 10,000 litres without. Perth's mild climate means you can size slightly smaller than colder states.

Contact Josh for a proper assessment that accounts for your specific pool shape, shade, and usage patterns.

Not essential, but a pool cover can reduce heat loss by 50–70% and dramatically cut running costs. Without a cover, a significant portion of the heat pump's output simply replaces heat lost to overnight evaporation.

A quality solar blanket typically pays for itself within one swimming season in reduced heating costs. Combined with a heat pump it's the most cost-effective way to swim year-round.

Run your filter long enough to turn the pool volume over at least once per day. For most residential pools:

Summer (Oct–Apr): 8–10 hours minimum
Winter (May–Sep): 4–6 hours

With a variable speed pump you can run at lower speed for longer and filter more water for less electricity. Overnight runs during off-peak tariff periods are ideal.

Most Perth pools need a partial drain and refill every 3–5 years. Over time, total dissolved solids, cyanuric acid, and calcium hardness build to levels that chemicals alone can't fix — only dilution with fresh water resolves it.

Signs it's time: persistent cloudiness despite correct chemistry, stabiliser above 100 ppm, TDS above 3,000 ppm, or water that just “looks tired”. A 50% partial drain is usually sufficient and is safer than a full drain for fibreglass pools.

Small top-up doses of chlorine or pH adjuster: wait 15–30 minutes with the pump running.
Shock treatment: wait until free chlorine drops below 5 ppm — usually 12–24 hours.
Algaecide: follow product label, usually 15–30 minutes.
Acid: wait at least 4 hours and retest pH before swimming.

When in doubt, wait and retest. Chlorine test strips are cheap and take 30 seconds.