You don't necessarily need to shock your pool weekly. Shocking frequency depends on usage, weather conditions, and your free chlorine levels. Most well-maintained pools need shocking every 2-3 weeks or when combined chlorine exceeds 0.5 ppm.
Pool algae itself cannot kill you, but certain types like blue-green algae can cause serious illness, and algae creates slippery, dangerous swimming conditions that increase drowning risk.
No, never use pool chlorine tablets in your well water system. Pool tablets contain trichlor and stabilizer that make water unsafe for drinking and can damage plumbing systems.
Pool chlorine can make you sick when levels are too high (causing irritation) or too low (allowing harmful bacteria). Proper chlorine levels of 1-4 ppm based on your CYA level prevent illness.
Cloudy pool water can be dangerous to your health as it often indicates the presence of harmful bacteria, parasites, and contaminants. Never swim in cloudy water - clear it first using proper shock treatment.
Cloudy pool water results from poor filtration, chemical imbalance, or contaminants. Fix by testing chemistry, shocking to proper FC/CYA ratio, and running filtration 24/7 until clear.
First, diagnose your above ground pool issue by checking water chemistry, equipment function, and structural integrity. Most problems fall into water quality, circulation system, or liner/wall issues.
Salt water pools themselves don't cause UTIs, but inadequate sanitizer levels or poor water chemistry can create conditions where bacteria thrive. Proper chlorine levels (2-4 ppm) and balanced pH prevent infection risks.
Hot tub water care requires maintaining proper pH (7.4-7.6), alkalinity (80-120 ppm), and sanitizer levels while following regular testing and chemical adjustment schedules. Higher temperatures and smaller water volumes make spas more sensitive to chemical imbalances than pools.
No, you should not swim in a green pool as it contains harmful bacteria, algae, and potentially dangerous microorganisms that can cause serious health issues including skin infections, eye irritation, and gastrointestinal problems.
Yes, you can turn your pool pump off at night in most cases, but your pump should run 8-12 hours daily for proper circulation and filtration. The key is ensuring adequate daily runtime for your pool size and conditions.
Pool alkalinity typically drops due to heavy rainfall, organic contamination, frequent chlorine shocking, and acidic water sources. The most common culprit is dilution from rainwater, which has near-zero alkalinity.
Yes, cloudy pool water can make you sick by harboring harmful bacteria, viruses, and parasites that cause infections, skin irritation, and respiratory issues. The cloudiness indicates poor water quality and inadequate sanitation.
Pool algae itself doesn't directly cause UTIs, but algae-contaminated water creates ideal conditions for E. coli and other UTI-causing bacteria to thrive. The solution is eliminating algae through proper chlorination and water chemistry.
Yes, you absolutely need both a pool pump and filter. The pump circulates water while the filter removes contaminants - together they're essential for maintaining clean, safe, and swimmable pool water.
