Pool Opening Checklist: 6 Supplies to Have on Hand

What should be on your pool maintenance checklist?

1. Use a skimmer to remove debris
2. Use a brush to scrub out sediment
3. Use a vacuum to remove algae and dirt
4. Use a test kit to measure water chemistry
5. Use pool chemicals to balance the water’s chemistry
6. Use pool chemicals to deal with pool problems

When you have a pool, it’s a big responsibility of yours to make sure it is clean and safe enough for anyone to use — which is why routine maintenance is a must. That said, it can be hard to figure out what exactly you need to do regularly to maintain your pool properly.

If you’re struggling with your pool maintenance checklist, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve compiled a short and simple list of tasks and supplies you need to clean your pool — so you won’t forget a thing!

Use a skimmer to remove debris

The first thing that you should always do for pool maintenance is to remove any debris that may be floating in the water. To do that, you need a long handle skimmer — like this Hayward Deluxe Leaf Skimmer to be attached to a telescopic pole — to gather up any leaves, twigs, insects, and other things that are floating in the water.

Removing the debris before it sinks into your pool is a must. Otherwise, it can clog up your filtration system, create stains on your pool’s floors or walls, and become more difficult to remove. This part of your maintenance routine should only take a few minutes, and does a lot to keep your water looking clear and clean!

Use a brush to scrub out sediment

The second thing to do is grab a brush, such as our Hayward Curved Wall Brush, and scrub out the walls, floor and fixtures in your pool. We recommend doing this at least once a week to remove any sediment or debris, and prevent the growth of algae. And, you can use your brush to gently push any removed sediment toward your pool’s main drain, which will make the next step of this maintenance checklist much easier.

Use a vacuum to remove algae and dirt

Next, grab your pool vacuum. If you don’t have one yet, you can order one at our online shop! We also sell 30ft and 50ft hose attachments, and telescopic poles. This tool is needed to gather up all the debris that has sunk to the pool floor, and any sediment that’s been brushed off from the walls and fixtures.

All you need to do is plug in your pool vacuum, set it on the floor of your pool, and turn it on. These are easy to move around and can quickly suck up all the dirt and gunk in your pool. And, our Hayward Standard Flex Vacuum features a vacuum head specifically designed to hug the bottom and curves in pool walls — making it an efficient and easy-to-use cleaner.

Use a test kit to measure water chemistry

Once you’ve cleaned up the first in your pool, you can move on to dealing with your pool’s water chemistry. Maintaining a fine balance of several elements — chlorine, alkalinity, calcium hardness, cyanuric acid, and pH levels is key to keeping the water clean and safe enough to use.

The good thing is that checking your water’s chemistry is fairly easy. We recommend picking up a few packs of our test kits here so that you can do this maintenance task regularly. We suggest checking it two to three times a week, depending on how often you plan on using your pool.

Keep in mind that the ideal levels of these five chemicals are the following:

• pH — from 7.2 to 7.6
• Total alkalinity — from 80 to 150 parts per million (ppm)
• Calcium hardness — from 175 ppm to 300 ppm
• Chlorine — from 1.0 to 3.0 ppm
• Cyanuric Acid — 0 to 30 ppm.

Use pool chemicals to balance the water’s chemistry

The first thing to check is your water’s chlorine levels, which are the most likely to fluctuate day to day. Depending on the results, you will need to measure how many chlorine tablets or chlorine granules you need to hit the ideal range of 1.0 to 3.0 ppm. If you’re unsure of how to calculate how much chlorine to add to your pool, we have an in-depth guide to measuring out pool chemicals here.

Likewise, you should also check how high (or low) your water’s pH level is. If it’s lower than 7.2, then you need some soda ash to increase it. If it’s higher than 7.6, then you should use HCT dry acid to lower it — a good thing about it is that it’s a safer alternative to muriatic acid.

For total alkalinity levels, you can also use HCT dry acid to lower it down to the ideal range. Otherwise, use a pool chemical called sodium bicarbonate to raise it.

For calcium hardness, you should always aim to keep its levels between 175 ppm to 300 ppm to prevent the water from calcifying in your pool — which is when it eats through your pool’s plaster and tiles. To raise calcium hardness, add calcium chloride. To lower it, you might need to drain some of your pool water and replace it with fresh water.

Cyanuric acid is what helps chlorine (calcium hypochlorite) stabilize in your pool, which is why it’s important to maintain a certain amount of it in your water. It’s not often that you need to add cyanuric acid to your water — you only really need to do it when using fresh pool water.

Use pool chemicals to deal with pool problems

Aside from the different chemicals we mentioned previously, there are a few different chemicals you might want to pick up from Oktakem to properly maintain your pool.

One product to consider is an algaecide — like Pool Algaecide HCT or GLB Algimycin. This chemical helps kill any algae colonies in your pool and prevents it from coming back. Another important one is a pool clarifier, which is crucial for cleaning up your water. This chemical causes small dirt particles to clump together, making it much easier to brush, scoop, or vacuum out.

These chemicals aren’t used as often as the ones for water chemistry, but they do serve crucial roles in keeping your pool water sparkling clean.

Key Takeaway

Use this pool maintenance checklist to make sure your pool stays clean and safe — all year round! And, if you’re on the search for swimming pool chemicals, contact Oktakem — we carry all the supplies you need to maintain your pool, and can deliver them in bulk! Visit our website shop, official Shopee page, or official Lazada page to get all the swimming pool chemicals you need. You may also call us at +63933-8608708 (Smart). or +63917-8461689 (Globe), or send a message to oktakemtrading@gmail.com to order today!