Frequently Asked Questions

Why has my pool turned green?
How long should my pump run for?
What is the best time to run my pump?
How often should I have my pool serviced?
Is my pool leaking?
Is there too much chlorine in the pool?
What is causing my kids eyes to sting?
Should I drain the pool if it is overfull?
The pump is making a noise.

Why has my pool turned green?
Your pool will only turn green for one reason - lack of chlorine. What you really need to be asking is why is there no chlorine in your pool? The answer could be one or more of the following;

  • Low salt level
  • Faulty or dirty chlorinator
  • Low stabiliser level,
  • Insufficient running hours on the timer
  • Reduced water flow due to dirty filter or baskets
  • If you have a chlorine pool then the reason could simply be that you are not adding enough chlorine each day.

The best solution is to give JC Pool Services a call to inspect and test your pool and get it back to top condition.

How long should my pump run for?
Your pump and filter system has been matched to the size of your pool so that the total water volume is re-circulated roughly twice a day. In most cases this means running the pump for about 6 hours during the winter and about 8 hours during the summer.                                                                                                                                  

What is the best time to run my pump?
In a saltwater pool the chlorine is manufactured by the chlorinator as the pump is running, providing a "trickle feed" into your pool. Since chlorine is affected by UV light it can disappear as quickly as it is made if the pump is running during the day. For this reason it is generally recommended that the pump is set to run in the early mornings and late afternoons when the sunlight is not as strong. I usually set the timer to 3-4 hours from 6am and another 3-4 hours from 4pm.

What is the best time to run my pump?
In a saltwater pool the chlorine is manufactured by the chlorinator as the pump is running, providing a "trickle feed" into your pool. Since chlorine is affected by UV light it can disappear as quickly as it is made if the pump is running during the day. For this reason it is generally recommended that the pump is set to run in the early mornings and late afternoons when the sunlight is not as strong. I usually set the timer to 3-4 hours from 6am and another 3-4 hours from 4pm.

How often should I have my pool serviced?
The answer to this is of course going to depend very much on the individual circumstances, but as general guide, for units and other high-use pools, at least once a week. For private pools with average use and any sort of vegetation nearby, once a fortnight should be OK. For pools that are relatively new, have little use and no trees nearby, then once every four weeks may be the go. During the wet no pool should go any more than two weeks without at least having a water test. Why not call JC Pool Services for a free quote?

Is my pool leaking?
Evaporation rates in Brisbane can be very high, especially during the dry season when they can reach up to 5 or 7mm per day. As the dry season gets into full swing people are often alarmed at how quickly the water level drops, but in most cases it is just evaporation. A simple test can answer the question for you:- fill the pool to the correct level and then make a mark with a pencil inside your skimmer box at the water line. Check this mark each day over the next few days and measure the drop in water level. If it is more than the current evaporation rate then there may be a leak, and you will need to call someone like JC Pool Services to find and fix it. Funny how I never get asked this question during the wet season, it may have something to do with the metre or so of rain that we get.

Is there too much chlorine in the pool?
If there is a strong smell of chlorine around your pool then there is probably not enough chlorine in there. Insufficient chlorine levels result in compounds called chloramines being formed which is what you can smell. The way to get rid of them is to superchlorinate or "bomb" the pool with chlorine. Speak to JC Pool Services about the correct dosage for your pool.

What is causing my kids eyes to sting?
The most likely cause of this is an incorrectly adjusted pH level. Whilst a very high chlorine level could be at fault it is very unlikely that the chlorine could climb high enough to be a problem. Take a water sample to a pool shop for analysis, or call JC Pool Services to do a full checkup and balance of your pool. Remember too that opening your eyes under water for any length of time, no matter how good the water, is going to irritate the eyes.

Should I drain the pool if it is overfull?
During the dry season, definitely not. If we get enough rain at this time of year to overfill the pool you can rest assured it will not last and within a very short space of time the water will evaporate off again. During the wet season I only recommend you drain the pool if it is going to overflow to somewhere that you don't want the water to be (like your lounge room!) or if there are lots of leaves in the pool that need to be skimmed off.
If you must drain the pool, remember these two things:

  • Use the "waste" position on the valve, NOT "backwash", and
  • NEVER turn the valve while the pump is running.