Advice for splash pool

Speaking as a relative novice regarding pools, I´d welcome some advice please! We have an above ground splash pool which we usually empty each winter and refill in the spring. However, this year, we decided to leave it filled and cover it over. Mike's out again early May and we want to get the pool up and running for the warm weather, but I need to know what we should be doing to it to get the water right. Any advice welcomed, thanks in advance!! x

Hi Sally,

Everything depends on your filtration system - like you I have a plunge pool so I assume the process is relatively the same. Assuming your sand in the filter is newish, select the backwash setting and connect a suitable hose (if not already installed) to the outlet pipe then run the system for approx 3 or 4 Min's, this will dispel all the dirt from the filter. Isolate the pump and remove the internal filter to give it a good clean, once done run the system in the filter position for a few minutes. Adding chlorine can be done in 2 ways either by using a floating skimmer or directly into your skimmer basket, once the chlorine tablet is in run the system as normal for a couple of hours to get it circulating. You can buy chlorine test strips (cost about 5€) in the pool shop in Baza and then all you have to do is dip the strip and check the reading against the graph on the test strip package and adjust the chlorine thereafter until it matches as closely as possible to the optimum levels - remember everything is relative to the amount of water, your filtration system and your pump capacity - the most important thing is the back wash as this cleans the dirt from the filters - adding the chlorine can be a bit hit and miss if its only a bit over chlorinated it won't do much harm to adults but it can affect kids as their skin is more sensitive - Good Luck

Thanks Daryl x

And another tip,

when its up and running make sure folks dont get in either by their own doing or being pushed with cigarettes in pocket

not good for the pump!!

Also quite alarming for folks sharing the pool at the same time

Sally - if the water's cloudy, you may need to add a floculant, which precipitates the muck suspended in the water onto the bottom so it can then be vacuumed. It usually takes me a week to get the water right after uncovering the pool. It's just a matter of checking the pH level, chlorine level and general muck, and adding the relevant chemicals. I sometimes have to use floculant 2 or 3 times before the water's clear.

The pool shop at the start of calle Sierra Nevada in Baza (Riegos Moya??) has a useful photocopied chart of problems and solutions, BUT they are pretty expensive for chemicals. I'm told that the pool place in Albox is cheaper, but one would need to cost in the time and fuel needed to get there.

I've also been told that all one needs to do is to chuck in a goodly amount of agua fuerte (basically dilute hydrochloric acid), but I've yet to try that out. Not too keen on subjecting my grandkids to that, and presumably you'd feel the same about your paying guests!

It's a pain, every year - but then comes the point when the water's crystal clear, the sun's hot and it's such a pleasure to jump in - worth it, every time.

You can use Copper Sulphate I have and am useing it, it lasts for about 6 months. I am finding it deficult to pay here, the pool shops don't want to sell as in my case it greatly reduces the chemicals I buy and the work.

I left the pool a long time before treating the water but am now working on it to get the water correct reducing the PH /chlorinated, filtered / backwashed and rinsed twice now our cleaning lady has been able to get us two bottles of “Clear N Clean” from the newish shop “TRUE BLUE POLLS” which I understand has replaced “Octopus” in Albox so now I am just filtering the water. Will just keep an eye on it but should not need much work on it for the coming six months.