When you have questions about your pool, you want to get all of your information from a reputable source. We’ve rounded up the top 13 most popular questions below.
1. A bird accidentally fell into the pool, how do I get rid of contaminants in the water?
Birds are big lice carriers, and they have a lot of oils in their feathers that can leach into the pool water if they fall in. You have to get the bird out of the water, get everyone out, and shock it. Ideally, shock it overnight and let the sun burn it off.
In the morning, test your chlorine levels and disinfect your pool’s filtration system. Your family can go for a dip when your pH is between 7.2 and 7.6 and the chlorine falls below 5 ppm. (article 4)
2. How do you remove baby ducks from your pool?
Get a pool scoop or anything that you can gently slide under the ducklings and lift them out of the pool. Get a box and place a towel in the bottom before depositing the ducklings into it. Keep the ducklings in full view of the mother as you scoop them out and transfer them to the box. If the ducklings dive, wait for them to surface.
Move the box with all of the ducklings to a confined space like a shed so you can catch the mother. When you catch her, put her with the ducklings, call your local humane society or relocate them yourself. Shock the pool before you get back in.
3. What happens if you have duck poop in your pool?
Duck poop has dozens of germs and bacteria that can get into your pool water, and you want to treat bird poop like you would human waste products. Close the pool, put on disposable gloves, and use a net or bucket to remove larger amounts of bird poop.
Sanitise your tools and remove your gloves. Wash your hands thoroughly, and start raising the free chlorine levels in the pool to 2 ppm with your pH staying at 7.5 or lower. Raise your pool temperature to 25°C for 30 minutes, and double-check that your filtration system is working. Allow it to run for a few hours uninterrupted.
4. Is it dangerous for a baby to drink pool water?
While swallowing a small amount of pool water isn’t dangerous, you should put in a call to the Poison Information Centre at 131-126 if you’re not sure how much they actually drank. They field calls from Melbourne, Victoria and throughout Australia 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
5. Does chlorine make your eyes red?
A lot of people mistakenly believe that red and irritated eyes come from the chlorine levels in the pool. If you notice that your eyes are very red and irritated after you get out of the water, it means you have too much chloramines in the water. Chloramines end up in your pool water when debris or body oils mix with chlorine, and can cause swimmer’s eye.
6. Can chlorine turn your hair green?
Chlorine can’t turn your hair green, even if you dyed or bleached it recently. Your hair can take on a greenish tint after you swim, but it’s not from the chlorine. The culprit is the copper in your pool water. Copper is a popular ingredient in many algaecides, and old brass fittings or gas-heater coils can be to blame. The tint should fade after you wash your hair.
7. Is it necessary to add pool chemicals?
Yes, but your pool type will play a role in which chemicals you add. Chemicals keep the water safe and clear, and all water has chemicals. This includes tap water, and pool chemicals only turn into a problem when you don’t balance them correctly.
8. How do you keep geese and ducks away from your pool?
If you’re someone who has domesticated geese or ducks and you don’t want them to take an interest in your pool, consider raising them somewhere they can’t see it. Removing plants that produce nuts, fruits, or seeds from around you pool will remove the temptation for your ducks or geese to get close enough to get a taste. Trim or remove any shrubs, and get rid of any bird feeders around your pool.
9. What are your options with available pool chemical testers?
There are three categories with pool chemical testers. The most cost-effective one is test strips, but they’re not totally accurate. Digital testers are relatively new to the market, but you also have the choice of a comprehensive test kit that includes every pool chemical you have.
10. How often should you test your pool chemical levels?
The age of your pool will determine how often you test the chemical levels. If your pool is a few years old, make it a point to test the chlorine once a week, once every two weeks, or even once a month. If you’re new to owning your pool and you’re still figuring out the chemicals, test it twice a week.
11. Do fibreglass pools resist bacteria?
Yes, when you buy a fibreglass pool from a reputable dealer like Compass Pools Melbourne, you’re getting a pool that naturally resists algae growth and bacteria. Fibreglass is non-porous, and this means the bacteria can’t grow on or in it. There are self-cleaning systems available too.
12. Is there a best time to run my pool pump?
You want to run your pool pump during the hottest part of the day, for at least eight hours. If you run the pump at night, the sun will burn through your chlorine, which in turn can cloud your water and encourage algae growth. (article 5)
13. If you don’t backwash your pool, what happens?
When you backwash the pool, you help flush the debris and dirt out of your filter system so it runs more efficiently. Debris can clog your system or slow it down if you don’t routinely backwash it, and it’ll eventually burn your pump out. You also need to regularly clean your filter.