As parents, grandparents and just members of the community it is important we make our swimming pools, spas and water features safe.   Over the last 25 years, 965 children under the age of five have drowned in Australia. Educating owners on the safety requirements for swimming pools is an important component of the compliance strategy for ensuring community safety. New pool safety laws were introduced in December 2015, requiring all regulated pools to meet a single swimming pool barrier standard. 

In our area The Ipswich City Council has the "Swimming Pool Inspection Program" and it aims to achieve the following outcomes:

• Identify illegal pools without building approval and prompt owners to obtain approval or have the pool decommissioned.
• Identify and remedy pools with non-compliant barriers.
• Educate pool owners on the safety requirements for swimming pools.

What can a pool owner do before Council gets there?

There are five common problem issues you can check around your pool to help make it safe:

• Your pool gate is self-closing and self-latching.
• Your pool fence is at least 1,200mm high from ground level and any gaps in or under the fence are no greater than 100mm.
• There are no items near the fence that could be used to climb over.
• Your CPR sign is the current sign.
• Your pool is registered with the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC).

The Ipswich City Council has a Pool Safety Checklist

Please note: Self-checks are not a substitute for pool inspections and are for education purposes only. Use of this checklist is not acknowledgement of compliance and does not guarantee your pool is compliant with all relevant laws. To ensure compliance and relevant approvals are obtained, you should engage a pool safety inspector to carry out a complete inspection.

What to do if you believe there is an illegal or unsafe pool in your neighbourhood?

• Residents wishing to lodge a complaint about a swimming pool can contact the Ipswich City Council  to voice their concerns about a swimming pool barrier.
• Council investigates all regulated swimming pool complaints, including:
  • Portable/temporary above ground swimming pools and spas deeper than 300mm.
  • All permanent swimming pools and spas (in ground and above ground) on residential land.
  • Immersion incidents that occur in regulated swimming pools.
• The following information will be useful when you are raising pool barrier concerns with Council staff:
  • Property location of the swimming pool/spa.
  • Depth of the swimming pool/spa.
  • Whether the swimming pool/spa currently holds water deeper than 300mm.
  • Concerns regarding the pool/spa barrier.
• If a resident lodges a complaint with Council a compliance officer trained in swimming pool barrier safety will inspect the swimming pool. If any serious breaches of the new standard are identified the pool owner will receive an enforcement notice and may also receive an on-the-spot infringement.
• Non-compliance with the pool safety standard or failing to register your pool with the QBCC can result in penalties of over $2,000.

Pool Safety Certificates

If you are buying a new property or selling you can easily search for a property and view details of the most recent pool safety certificate if one has been issued: 

Check your Property for Valid Safety Certificate

Q: What problems can phosphate cause?

A: Phosphate is a major food source for algae. If you have phosphate in the water algae is sure to follow. Phosphate also prevents other chemicals from working at their most effective levels. These include algaecides, chlorine, salt chlorination and all other sanitisers.

Q: Where does phosphate come from?

A:Phosphates come from leaves, fertilizers, and bather wastes such as sweat and urine. Other phosphates sources are detergents, some insecticides, soft drinks, toothpaste and even some pool chemicals. In the majority of cases, the presence of phosphate indicates that this is likely to be an ongoing problem. This is a good reason to dose a phosphate affected pool regularly with STARVER.

Q: How do I prevent Phosphates from getting in my Pool?

A: FIRSTLY – try not to allow runoff from lawns, landscaping or washing decks to enter the pool.

SECONDLY – try and remove leaves and other rubbish etc from the pool regularly.

Q: I know that STARVER removes phosphates from the water but why do I need STARVER if I can’t see algae?

A: If your pool water sample tests positive for phosphate then, unfortunately, you have all the ammunition in your pool for algae spores to grow and multiply. When left untreated, phosphate provides the necessary food for new algae colonies to form.

Q: I know that I can see algae in my pool but my pool water has been tested for phosphate and there appears to be none there?

A:If you have algae in your pool, you can be sure that phosphates are present. If your pool sample has tested negative for phosphate this means that the phosphate has been consumed, and masked; by the algae and that is why it is not showing when a reading has been taken.

Q: I’ve got algae so why not just use an algaecide?

A:You’re right! You can treat algae very efficiently with the correct algaecide. You need to understand, however, that decaying algae actually increases the amount of phosphate in the water. New algae will, therefore, flourish even quicker and the problem becomes more difficult to combat. It makes sense to add STARVER and keep the phosphate level to a minimum.

Q: Should I add STARVER on a regular basis?

A:There are many sources of phosphate and these are being continually introduced into the pool water. It makes sense, therefore, to dose regularly and use STARVER as part of an ongoing maintenance program.

Q: Do I add STARVER directly to the water?

A:If you have a SAND FILTER it is best to add STARVER, via the pool skimmer direct to the filter, however if you have a CARTRIDGE FILTER it is better to add STARVER, directly to the pool water.

Free Water Testing Instore

How to Save Money, Power and Water

Sand vs Zeolite vs Glass Filter Media

So you have this huge round filter at the end of the pool and you are required to backwash it regularly to keep your pool water clear and looking amazing, but you have found that over time the pools clarity is just not as good as it used to be, so let’s have a look at Sand Filters first then your options.

They are called Sand Filters because in the past they were basically filled with Sand (Silica Sand) and they work by filtering the water through the sand from your pool which then allows the small debris, and dirt from your pool water to be trapped in the edges of the sand leaving it there until a lot of it is backwashed out.

However of the past 20 or so years a couple of other options have become available for us pool professionals to use as a replacement for the sand which we have found to provide better filtering, allowing you to save on water, power and chemicals and this is what we will look at below:

	Sand	Zeolite	Glass Media
Works by:	Process of Entrapment (trapping debris and dirt) as small as 20 -40 microns	Binds and removes nutrients such as ammonia and nitrogen, filters microns as low as 4 microns	Captures particles as low as 3-5 microns which results in a negative charge, particles stick like a sock to a static jumper. Backwashing releases the charge and contaminants are flushed out
Health & Safety:	Prone to housing potentially harmful varieties of bacteria, Surface houses bacteria	Controls odours and metals making the water softer.	Because of the smooth surface of the glass crystals bacteria cannot flourish or grow, and if the laterals do fail they do not put swimmers at risk.
	Harmful to breathe, Class II Carcinogen	Natural and safe	Safe, Not harmful to breathe – non carcinogenic
	Uses the most water and power	Lighter and requires less Media than sand	Cuts Chemical usage by up to 50%, lower chlorine demand
Environmental Concerns:	Requires the longest and the most often Backwashing	Can be used as a “slow release” fertilizer for gardens	Requires less backwashing, and is the quickest by 23% as it is lighter and less dense
	More water for backwashing	Decreases Backwashing compared to Sand	Less Water & Power usage, up to 65% less water.
		Cleaner than Sand	Smallest Carbon footprint
	Strip mined depletes our environment	Natural Mineral mined from Volcanic Rock in Northern NSW	100% Recycled Glass
Lasts for:	3 – 5 years	4 – 6 years	10+ years

Our opinion after using all of these options in our 16 years of being in the pool servicing industry is that glass is by far the more superior product especially if you are planning on staying in your home for a few years.

We changed our home pool from Zeolite to Glass a few years ago and the pool has never looked better.

If you would like a quote to replace your Sand with either Zeolite or Glass please phone us on:  07 3288 1033

Or alternatively if you would like to tackle the job yourself you can purchase the filter media instore and we also sell or hire out a venturi pump as seen here to quickly remove the old media from your sand filter tank.

Venturi Sand Pump

Information from the CSIRO says in the early 1900s, up to 90 per cent of Brisbane's population had dengue fever, but in the past few decades there had not been an outbreak.

"The last time Brisbane had significant Aedes aegypti and dengue epidemics they also had a lot of unsealed rainwater tanks," which lead to the removal of these tanks in the 1950s.  However they are not suggesting we need to remove our tanks just that we maintain them properly.

Approximately 40% of Brisbane / Ipswich properties now have a rainwater tank so it is important that people are aware that if the tank is not maintained properly we could be encouraging infestations of Mosquitoes,  which could then lead to outbreaks of dengue, chikungunya and Zika to our communities.

So what do we need to do to prevent this, well basically we need to make sure they are fully sealed and not capable of allowing mosquitoes in or out of our tanks.

Mosquito Proof your Water Tank

• Check there are sieves at the entrance and overflow and there are no gaps
• Check the sieves are not rusty and there are no holes
• Check for cracks in plastic tanks
• Keep Gutter leaf-free as Mosquitos feed on broken down leaves
• Check that first flush devices are draining
• Check that pipes have not loosened

So you need to replace a current pool cleaner or are just sick of having to manually vacuum your pool, now you have to decide from the many great cleaners available which is the best one for you and your pool.

Pool Cleaners not only collect leaves pool but also the dust and fine particles floating in your pool. Which then inturn helps keep your pool sparkling clear.

We often visit pools when doing a mobile service to find a cheap lookalike pool cleaner is sitting discarded in the shed because they are more trouble than they are worth, don't get me wrong not all cheap cleaners are nasty but the majority of cleaners sold under $250 are useless and then try and get the replacement parts for them. 

Our advice is to go with a known brand, known in the pool industry that is and then you will be sure when you need to replace a mat or diaphragm in 2 years they are readily available.

So save yourself this drama and money and contact us for the best for the options that will suit your particular pool and lifestyle.

Three are 4 main types of Cleaners:

1. Manual Pool Cleaning
2. Suction Pool Cleaners
3. Robotic Pool Cleaners
4. In-Floor Pool Cleaning Systems

Manual Pool Cleaning

You will need:

• Telescopic Pole
  • Vaccum Head
    • Pool Broom
      • Pool Leaf Rake
• Manual Pool Cleaning Hose

This is a great option for people who love to spend time in the yard and is very effective if your pool does not have alot of leaves dropping into it.  This is the cheapest option as your initial cost will only be between $200 - $300 to set up.

However if you are like us and very time poor you do not want to spend your weekends vacuuming your pool and would rather be swimming in it, then the next option maybe for you.

Suction Pool Cleaners

As suction pool cleaner is like the commonly available Baracuda G2 or the Kreepy Krauly and many others.

This is where the cleaner connects to your vacuum plate in your skimmer box, the cleaner is connected via a automatic pool hose and when your pool pump comes on during the day automatically the cleaner starts vacuuming the leaves and debris on the bottom of your pool.  The leaves are then collected in the skimmer basket, which depending on the quantity of leaves in your area needs to be manually emptied.

Pricing for a decent Suction Cleaner varies from around $400 to $800,  many customers choose this option as it is a automatically cleans the pool for you so it is easy to maintain a clean pool.

But while this is a great and very common option it does not allow for surface cleaning, also it can be annoying trying to take a swim while the pool cleaner appears to be chasing you around the pool so it normally gets removed, and quite often from our kids they forget to put it back in.

Robotic Pool Cleaners

A Robotic Pool Cleaner is an awesome option for those who don't want to do much in the way of manual cleaning or are time poor.  These cleaners are totally independent of the pool filtration system which allows your skimmer box to do what it is intended for and skim the top of the waters surface.

Robotic Cleaners brush the floors and depending on the brand and model will also brush the walls and waterline of the pool.

You need to empty the sock, basket or cartridge depending on brand as needed.  

In-Floor Pool Cleaning

So if you are about to build a new pool then this may be the solution for you as these need to be installed at time of construction.

Range of benefits including:

• Pool will self clean all year round plus during normal filtration hours
• No additional equipment is required around the pool making it clutter free
• Can handle very high debris levels
• Assists in heating and circulation throughout the pool
• Versatile for all pool designs

However with prices starting around $9,500 depending on the brand, warranty and size of the pool, also In-floor cleaning systems also add to the power bill and cannot clean the walls of the pool, only the water and loose debris.

There are a couple of other things to consider:

• The surface of you pool, ie not all cleaners will work in Vinyl swimming pools
• The shape and the style of steps in your pool design, as some cleaners have trouble maneuvering around some pools.

If you need help with your decision or have any questions please contact us

Without proper water maintenance, everything in the pool environment will deteriorate. Daisy and ourselves are aiming to make more pool owners aware of this.

While a pool cover is fantastic at stopping evaporation and chemical loss, it also needs to be removed regularly to let the pool ‘breathe’ and to check its water chemistry.

Regardless of any fancy options some companies may offer, there is no alternative to removing the pool cover to let the pool breathe.

What are the contributing factors towards equipment and pool surface deterioration?

It simply comes back to pool maintenance, ensuring chemical balance of the water. Think of it like buying a new car and never getting it serviced. Then, when the engine fails you might blame the air filter for killing the engine. It was not the fault of the air filter; it was the lack of maintenance of the car that made it fail. This is the same as a swimming pool, regular maintenance is essential to avoid any adverse effects of the water being ‘out of balance’.

Don’t Set and Forget!

What the team at Daisy are introducing is a ‘Daisy Day’ in the off season (winter period), when the pool is not being used as regularly, to remind you, as a pool owner, to remove the pool cover and test the water at your local pool shop. From there, your pool shop can help you correct the pool’s water balance to extend the life of your pool equipment and pool finish.

Generally, this is not needed in the swimming season as the cover regularly comes off and on for swimming allowing the pool to breathe.

When the swimming season finishes, a lot of us rarely enter our pool area and forget about looking after the pool and checking the water balance.

The Daisy Day is being introduced as a reminder and a reason to check your pool. You will increase the longevity of your pool cover and minimise the risk of damage to other pieces of pool equipment as well as the swimming pool surface finish.

What to do

On the first Saturday in July (then August), Daisy encourage you to remove the pool cover for the day and take a water sample down to Springfield Pool and Spa Supplies, 24 Commercial Drive, Springfield.  (Near Waterworx Swimming Pool)

Water Samples: To take a proper water sample, use a clean cup or bottle (with cap if you’re taking it to the pool store) and hold it upside down so that the opening is facing the floor. Insert into the water elbow-deep and turn it right side up to collect the sample. Do not take the sample near any return jets or skimmer opening. Click here for additional water balance information from SPASA Australia.

Why is Daisy doing this?

We want to help pool owners experience and maintain their swimming pools, so that more people will be enjoying their pools more often with less headaches along the way.

Daisy, as the market leader of pool covers, really is aiming to educate the industry and wider community on what pool covers are and what they will and won’t do. There are a few misconceptions out there about adverse effects of a pool cover on the pool’s water balance or surface finish.

Independent verification of surface finish and equipment failures shows that the water balance of the pool is the contributing factor for all perceived negative outcomes.

Make sure you get on board with Daisy Day – your pool will love you for it!

Short Answer is a Big Fat YES!

Why you ask:

It will substantially increase the value and return on the investment you have made in your pool or spa by achieving the following.

• Minimise the cooling of the pool by stopping evaporation and convection heat loss. This occurs mainly during the night when the ambient air temperature drops below the temperature of the water in the pool. 
• By creating a barrier between the water surface and the outside air, these losses are virtually eliminated. By keeping evaporation to a minimum, you not only save water, (approx 1.5 metres per year in the Sydney Metropolitan Area)
• You also save on the cost of chemicals as you don’t have to re balance you pool after topping up. 
• It also reduces the amount of chlorine lost to the Suns' UV Rays. 
• Blankets keep the pool cleaner - about 80% to 90% of debris is kept out of the pool. This reduces the work load of your pool cleaner. Most types of pool cleaners will work quite happily under the blanket. 
• Reduces pool heating costs by up to 50%. Even the cost of running solar system pumps is saved by reducing the amount of heat loss from the pool. Effectively 90% of heat loss is from the surface of the pool. By using a blanket in conjunction with Gas, Electric or Solar heating systems, significant energy cost savings can be made.
• Extend the swimming season. Even without other forms of heating on the pool, the addition of a pool blanket can result in a temperature increase of from 6 to 8 degrees in a pool that has a sunny aspect. 

INSTALLATION 

When having a pool blanket fitted, be sure it fits the pool exactly, as gaps around the edges will reduce the blankets efficiency. Consideration should also be given to purchasing a roller with the pool blanket. 

Using a roller to remove and store the blanket makes it an easy and efficient way off adding extra value to your pool.

The importance of a well maintained cartridge

The life of a filter cartridge depends on how you treat it.

Filter clogging is caused by soaps, chemicals, perspiration, body fats, oils and fine particles of dust or dirt.

Maximise the life of your filter

There are specific things you can do to maximise the life of your filter:

• Maintain the pool water chemistry in proper balance.
• Clean the cartridge in accordance with its cleaning instructions.
• Do not scrub the filter with a stiff brush.
• Do not use a high pressure hose.
• Rotate two cartridges to prolong the life of the filters considerably.

Instructions for cleaning your filter cartridge

All cartridge filters should be cleaned at least every 2 months (we advise 1 monthly during the Qld Summer). If you follow these cleaning procedures you will ensure the maximum life of the cartridge:

• Remove the cartridge from the filter housing or skimmer box.
• Wash the filter using a garden hose working from the top down. Do not use a high pressure hose or a brush.
• Soak the cartridge for at least an hour (overnight is preferable) in a cartridge cleaning solution / filter degreaser which you can purchase in-store.
• Rinse the cartridge once more with a hose to remove any remaining oils or cleaning solution.

Eventually your cartridge filter will block and will need to be replaced - usually within 1 to 2 years - depending on the amount of use.

When do I need to clean my cartridge filter?

Because a filter is designed to collect unwanted particles, debris, oils, soaps etc, it will need to be cleaned periodically. Basically the more you use your spa or pool, the more often you have to clean the cartridge filter. From very high usage (every 2-3 weeks) to low usage (every 2 months).

A blocked cartridge can put undue pressure on your pump and motor and decrease the life of these parts.

How do I clean my cartridge filter?

Please see "Spa and Swimming Pool Filter Maintenance Blog" for further advice on cleaning.

When do I need to replace my cartridge filter?

Magnum cartridge filters (our supplier) do not have a defined termination point, but over a period of time your cartridge will gradually block up and will need replacing.

There are three factors in determining whether you cartridge needs replacing:

1. The cartridge gets blocked quickly, and you have to clean your cartridge more often.
2. Restricted water flow and high differential pressure (differential pressure is the difference between the pressure coming in and the pressure going out, caused by a blocked cartridge).
3. A cracked or damaged cartridge (this is very rare, and is caused by high differential pressure).

In a spa or pool with very high usage this can be within a year, but normally between 18 months and 2 years.

Why is the endcap cracked?

If the cartridge filter is very old and dirty, it needs to be replaced (although it is rare for the endcap to crack because of being blocked).

If the cartridge filter is new and fairy clean, then the filter housing or skimmer box could be plumbed backwards. 

Simply put, the inlet and outlet on the filter housing were reversed during installation, which means the water flow is going through the cartridge filter ‘inside out’ rather than ‘outside in’.

The pleats also appear to be rounded and puffy, rather than sharp.

Our advice is to contact us with a photo or bring the cartridge back to us for confirmation.

In the dimension chart, there are two cartridges with the same dimensions, which one do I need?

Some cartridges are the same size but the difference is the amount of filter material (number of pleats). Manufacturers of filter housings do this so they can use the same housing for different size pools or spas. If the filter housing does not stipulate the type of cartridge (e.g. 50sq ft or 75sq ft) then please contact the manufacturer or installer of the filter housing. If this can not be done, it is better to over spec than under spec, (e.g. 75 instead of 50). If it has more square footage than it needs, it will normally last longer.

Basically it is a piece of equipment installed alongside your filter equipment that makes chlorine out of salt water, and then sends that back to your pool, to keep it healthy and clear.

Why Install a Saltwater Chlorinator?

We will always advise our customers to install a Chlorinator on their swimming pools if they currently have a Liquid Chlorine pool, as who enjoys paying for liquid chlorine monthly, carting drums of chlorine home and then having to manually add to the pool, then find you have run out when you really need it.  Salt water pools makes this problem disappear.  Saltwater Pools are so much easier to care for but even so sometimes even saltwater pools will have water problems, but they are normally pretty easily fixed.

How to Care for Your Saltwater Swimming Pool?

The main and extremely important key to keeping your pool happy and healthy for your family is to get monthly water testing in-store by a pool professional.  We provide this service FREE and are happy to answer any other questions you have about your pool at the same time.  We advise this because it means you have to work less, spend less and enjoy your pool more. If you can do this regularly it really does prevent problems before they start.

Instore we use a computerised water testing analysis equipment so no guessing is involved, the water balance is critical for your expensive equipment to work properly without being damaged by out of balance water.  

https://springfieldpoolshop.com.au/contact-us/