Typically, you’ll fill containers with pool water and add the specified number of drops of bleach or other chemicals to the samples. Then, dip a test strip into each container following the manufacturer’s instructions to evaluate the water’s chemistry. You can get free test strips online by visiting the Water Quality and Health Council website at https://waterandhealth. org/healthy-pools/.

Be sure to backwash your filter regularly so the contaminants travel out of your pool and into the waste port.

Work from the shallow end to the deep end and be sure to clean and empty all the filters when you’re done. To maintain the pool, get a vacuum once a week. The plaster and pebbles cannot tolerate loads of dust. [4] X Research source It does wonders for the color of the pool. When you go on a vacation and come back, the color of the water may be Tahoe blue or have a grayish tint. But when you turn on the vacuum, you can see streaks, and the pool becomes blue again. [5] X Research source It is not expensive. Most vacuums cost less than $200.

Shock your pool after rainstorms and pool parties as well to sanitize the water.

If swimmers are having a problem with “burning eyes,” the pH is probably to blame, not the chlorine. Pool owners with zero CYA will notice that the chlorine is more effective at a low pH (around 7. 2) while owners who have CYA in their water will see similar kill times even at a high pH.

The active ingredient in chlorine tablets and sticks is called “Trichlor” (or Trichloro-S-Triazinetrione), and the active ingredient in granular chlorine is called “Dichlor” (or Sodium Dichloro-S-Triazinetrione). [12] X Research source Look for a concentration of 90% Trichloro-S-Triazinetrione in chlorine tablets or sticks. [13] X Research source If you choose to use granular chlorine, look for a concentration of 56% to 62% Sodium Dichloro-S-Triazinetrione in granular chlorine. [14] X Research source

Instead of a floating feeder, some pools have a skimmer basket that hooks on the side of the pool. If your pool has this, drop the chlorine tablet right into the basket. Skimmer baskets are commonly used with above-ground pools. Other pools come equipped with chemical feeders. Chemical feeders slowly meter out precise amounts of chlorine into your pool water automatically and offer very precise control over the amount of chlorine being added to the swimming pool. If a feeder is adjusted properly, you may not have to worry about your chlorine level for a week or more.

At 40 ppm, cyanuric acid will allow chlorine to perform optimally (high levels of CYA contribute to Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) which interferes with chlorine activity). [17] X Research source If the CYA is too high, switch to chlorine tablets or sticks that don’t contain it until the levels drop an acceptable amount.