By Glen Bain
MAY is Water Safety Month in the United States so I wanted to share a few “Best Practices” with you here in Costa Rica. I hope you take these safety tips with you no matter where your pool(s) are located. Contact Costa Rica Pools in Quepos 2777-1700 or in Jaco 2643-3227 for any safety item you want, we import items every month and we have several vendors we work with in the U.S. so there is a good chance we can find what you are looking for. We fulfill special orders/requests all the time.
Read More…
Filed under: Costa Rica Pools & Construction, Pool Care Basics on May 16th, 2013
No Comments »
By Glen Bains
Minerals and other substances find their way into every pool. Iron, calcium and copper exist naturally in source water, and can be prevalent in well water. While other materials can stain plaster and vinyl just as easily – sources include organic matter such as leaves, and excessive oxidizer – dissolved minerals remain one of the most common staining culprits. In an ideal world, pools would never suffer from stains because their perfect water balance would hold metals in solution all the time. In reality, though, pH and alkalinity can drift and calcium levels can climb, leading minerals to fall out of solution, or precipitate, and stain. The key is maintaining a good chemical balance to avoid the ups and downs, but sometimes change is impossible to avoid. To combat this problem, try to keep your chemicals balanced at all times but in between our service calls, change can occur.
The following is a list of minerals and the color of their stain:
- Calcium – usually white crystals adhering to the pool plaster.
- Cobalt – fiberglass shells – red, blue, gray and black.
- Copper – Blue, green, black, teal and dark red.
- Iron – Dark red, brown, black, gray and green.
- Manganese – Pink, red and black.
Many of these stains can be removed with acid washing the pool plaster or stained area. Success really depends on how deep the stain goes, as acid washing removes a small amount of plaster, grout or cement.
If you need help with your pool please contact Costa Rica Pools at 506-2777-1700 or 506-2643-3227 , or by email at costaricapools@hotmail.com or www.costaricaswimmingpools.com
Filed under: Costa Rica Pools & Construction, Glen Bain, Pool Care Basics on March 30th, 2013
No Comments »
By Glen Bains
Think of the pool filter as your liver….it filters all the bad elements out. When you don’t have the correct size (undersized) or choose the wrong type you will always have issues keeping your pool clean. Sand filters are good and are by far the most commonly used type of filter here in Costa Rica but there are better filters available here in Costa Rica. There are three types of pool filters, sand, cartridge and D.E. (which stands for Diatomaceous Earth).
Read More…
Filed under: Costa Rica Pools & Construction, Glen Bain, Pool Care Basics on February 11th, 2013
No Comments »
By Glen Bains
- Check pool chemistry 2-3 times per week during the summer and once per week in the winter.
- Clean out skimmer basket(s) weekly, or as needed if conditions exist.
- Clean hair and lint pot in the pump every couple of weeks or as needed. Turn off pump to do this.
- Check and monitor water level at least once per week, adjust as needed. Water level should be at the center of the skimmer.
Read More…
Filed under: Costa Rica Pools & Construction, Pool Care Basics on January 27th, 2013
No Comments »
By Glen Bains
Saltwater Pools
A major part of having a saltwater pool is generating your own chlorine with salt. Traditional chlorine pool owners buy, handle and store their own chlorine. Manual chlorine usage (putting it in the pool yourself) often causes a larger work load and the need to work with your pool every day.
Read More…
Filed under: Costa Rica Pools & Construction, Pool Care Basics on December 15th, 2012
1 Comment »
By Glen Bain- Costa Rica Pools
So you have a swimming pool but you think it is too much work to maintain. Pools once balanced can be very easy to take care of if you have the right set up and equipment. There are many factors that can affect your pool water and make it unhealthy and unattractive to swim in. Some are, allowing your water to become unbalanced, large bather loads, heavy rains, extremely long hot dry spells, trees dropping debris into your pool, poor inadequate filtration and incorrect pump size.
Read More…
Filed under: Costa Rica Pools & Construction, Pool Care Basics on June 22nd, 2012
1 Comment »
By Glen Bain
Filtration
Adequate filtration is essential. The water passes through the filter, is cleaned and returns to the pool. The correct size of pump and filter is critical. The sand in the filter (if applicable) will need to be changed every 2 years although this time period may vary depending on the factors affecting your pool. Please contact Costa Rica Pools if you are unsure as we will also be able to assist with this process.
Circulation
Water moves through your swimming pool, distributing chemicals in the water. The aim flow(s) should be aimed 30-45 degrees down. This will give you better chemical distribution and the water flow will not affect the performance of the pool cleaner.
Read More…
Filed under: Costa Rica Pools & Construction, Pool Care Basics on May 29th, 2012
No Comments »
The Quepos Bridge Club plays at 11 AM every Tuesday at Dos Locos Restaurant.
visitors since December 2009
