Removing Phosphates From Swimming Pool Water!

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Phosphate Removal in Swimming Pools

Phosphate Removal From Swimming Pools Dallas Texas

With springtime in the air, Dallas has been known to get windy and with wind comes issues for your swimming pool. Specifically, phosphates which are a challenge and can be a nightmare in your swimming pool especially if you don’t what they are, how they affect your swimming pool’s water chemistry, and how to remove them because your everyday filter can’t do it without support. Since you can’t physically see them it can be challenging, but as their levels increase in the swimming pool the water could turn cloudy and green! This is where the problem is because even though you have adequate amounts of chlorine in the swimming pool algae can and will grow. Phosphates, “(also denoted as PO4) are known nutrients to help increase plant growth rates such as in algae.” Simply put, phosphates are food for algae and when their levels increase maintaining a blue and clear pool is extremely challenging.

Do you have a lot of trees in your backyard or struggle with lots of debris/soils in your pool? If you do, have adequate amounts of chlorine in the pool, and it’s still turning green chances are you have phosphates. That’s why at Weber Pools we recommend purchasing a phosphate test kit.

One of the biggest challenges with phosphates is in specific environments they are constantly being introduced into your swimming pool water. They can be found in vegetation, fill/tap water, lawn and garden fertilizers, soils and even in other pool chemicals that you use! With that said, phosphates can enter into your swimming pool in the following ways:

  • A constant wind that blows dirt and other vegetation into the pool, which does happen in the Dallas Ft. Worth area.
  • Sprinkler runs off from your lawn or landscaping/dirt gets into your pool.
  • Certain chemicals that contain phosphorous to help clean your pool

How Do You Remove Phosphates From The Pool?

At Weber Pools, we recommend testing them at home and if you have lots of vegetation in your backyard you should definitely have a phosphate test kit. If your levels are high, you will need to remove them and this can be done a couple of different ways. Please keep in mind, you can also be pro-active in removing dirt, debris, and vegetation from the pool as soon as possible instead of allowing it to sit on the surface or bottom of the pool. During the windy season skimming the pool on a regular basis is highly recommended. This will definitely help in the future but to remove them you must purchase a phosphate remover. This is a more expensive chemical but it is extremely effective if used following the directions based on the number of gallons in your pool. PLEASE ONLY USE WHAT IS NECESSARY, MORE ISN’T BETTER!

Please keep in mind phosphate removers will make your pool cloudy. It is best to run your filter continuously until the cloudiness is gone and your phosphate levels are lowered. This might take several treatments. If you should have any questions, please contact us today!

Please note, The Puripool Process will also lower phosphates. If you have any questions, please contact us today!

 

How Do You Test For Calcium Hardness

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Testing for Calcium Hardness Dallas

Testing for Calcium Hardness Is Important

Have you ever heard the term hard water before? Do you know that it is referring to Calcium Hardness? Have you taken the time to learn how it will affect your plumbing, filtration equipment, and your swimming pool? If you haven’t, you really should because in Dallas, our water is pretty hard! Basically, this is a fancy way of letting you know it’s loaded with calcium, magnesium, and other hardness minerals that can cause major damage to your swimming pool and filtration equipment! If you’re not sure if you have it, if you have a white ring around your tile or scaling on your water features trust us when we say, it’s there!

Maintaining the proper Calcium Hardness level in your pool is essential to you maintaining proper water quality and reducing the chances of your water corroding the plumbing in your pool or causing the scale to build up on the interior finish of your pool. In Dallas, our water is loaded with it which is why it’s important to know what it is and how to test for it.

What is Calcium Hardness

Calcium Hardness (CH) is the measure of how hard or soft your pool water is, and how much calcium is dissolved in your pool water. Ideally, you should strive to have your CH levels between 200 – 400 parts per million (ppm) with your ultimate goal being to try to keep it right in the middle of that figure. If you stray too high which is extremely common, your water will become too hard which could lead to problems down the road like scaling of your water tile line, interior finish, filtration equipment, spillways, decorative water features, and salt chlorinators if you have one.

How Often Should You Test Your Pool Water For Calcium Hardness?

Honestly, this test doesn’t need to occur nearly as much as checking for chlorine, pH, and Total Alkalinity but since we live in an area with high levels of calcium in the water we do recommend checking it at least once a month.

How To Test For Calcium Hardness

At Weber Pools, we recommend using The Taylor Test Kit for Calcium Hardness to achieve the most accurate results. After you obtain the water sample you must add the buffer solution to the sample. Next, you will need to add 5 drops of the Calcium Hardness reagent which will cause the water to turn pink. You will want to make sure you agitate it enough to cause this solution to completely dissolve. Next is titration which you must do drop-by-drop by counting the number of drops until the test sample begins to turn blue. Please keep in mind for every one drop it is 10 parts per million (ppm) so if you need 55 drops, your reading will be 550 ppm.

How Do You Lower Levels of Calcium Hardness?

When it comes to hard water in your swimming pool you have two options. You can either drain your pool and refill it but keep in mind our water is already hard (around 350 ppm) or you can choose to recycle it using our Reverse Osmosis (RO) Puripool mobile filtration which will leave you with much better water than tap and with water that will not only look better but feel better too.

At Weber Pools, we recommend purchasing a good Taylor Technologies drop test for the most accurate results. If you should have any questions, please feel free to contact us today!

Spring Time Swimming Pool Preparation

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Swimming Pool Weekly Service Dallas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preparing Your Swimming Pool For Swim Season

Well, we’ve made it, we have officially made it through another winter and are heading into the time period when we can start to think about swimming again. If you own a swimming pool that means changes and prepping your swimming pool for swim season is extremely important. That is why we wrote this blog post and we hope it helps to answer any questions you might have on changes you need to make when the water starts to warm up.

With springtime temperatures just around the corner, Weber Pools would like to make sure your swimming pool is ready for the upcoming season. We understand that when you spend a lot of your hard earned money on a swimming pool, it’s extremely important to keep it clean and clear. Ultimately, hiring a reputable swimming pool service and repair company (like us) should be at the forefront of your mind but we know that some people might not have the budget and would prefer to do it on their own. First and foremost, chemistry is extremely important and we recommend using the reliable Taylor Test Kits to check for adequate amounts of chlorine, pH, Total Alkalinity (TA), Cyanuric Acid (CYA), Calcium Hardness and phosphates. Now that spring is around the corner, checking chlorine, pH, CYA and TA should be done weekly along with brushing the tile line, the interior finish, steps, and benches. Skimming out all debris with a net as soon as possible when bushes and trees bloom is also extremely important to prevent chlorine loss in the pool. Please note, any dirt and debris effects water chemistry that is why it’s such a priority. You will also want to make sure to empty out the skimmer and pump baskets to allow for proper filtration in and out of the filter.

The following are appropriate values to remember when it comes to  water chemistry in the spring/summer time:

Chlorine – 3 – 5 ppm

pH – 7.4 – 7.8

TA – 80 – 120 ppm

CYA – 30 – 50 ppm

When levels of chlorine fall below recommendations or filtration is compromised algae will begin to grow. Please note, the warmer the water the faster it will grow! If the pH climbs above 7.8 the water can become cloudy and scaling can occur on the tile.  To prevent possible algae growth now is the time to increase your chlorine levels along with your filtration run times. Typically, depending on the size of your swimming pool your filter run times will be between 8 – 12 hours a day.

In conclusion, now is the time to get your water tested and to make sure you start making changes to the way you take care of your swimming pool. This is also a good time to have your filter checked as well for the increased amount of swimming that will occur. If you should have any questions or are looking to hire a company that can take the stress away from you, please contact us today!

Reverse Osmosis (RO) Filtration For Swimming Pools

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Puripool Mobile TrailerReverse Osmosis Filtration For Swimming Pools

Reverse osmosis (RO) is high-quality filtration that uses a semi-permeable, thin membrane with pores small enough to pass pure water through while rejecting larger molecules such as dissolved salts (ions) and other impurities such as bacteria. RO is used to produce highly purified water for drinking water systems, industrial boilers, swimming pools, cosmetics, pharmaceutical production, seawater desalination, beer, disaster relief, and so much more. It has been a recognized technology for more than a century and commercialized since the early 1960s.

At Weber Pools, we utilize both mobile and inline RO filtration for use in the swimming pool industry. With high Calcium Hardness, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Cyanuric Acid (CYA) and waterborne diseases pools have to change out their water from time to time. In areas where water is hard, mobile filtration can come to your residential or commercial swimming pool and recycle the swimming pool water onsite. Whereas, inline provides a more permanent solution to help keep commercial pools in compliance and excellent water quality for their bathers. Since the Dallas Ft. Worth area highly regulates commercial swimming pools this is a great option. This process conserves up to 85% of the existing water in the swimming pool and puts drinking quality water back in your pool which is much better than tap water.

“The Puripool™ Process” was invented in 2009 by Pure Water Industries with the sole belief that draining a swimming pool must be a thing of the past. Water conservation, less chemical demand and a swimming pool that is cleaner, safer and healthier for you and your family; ­all the benefits of maintaining your investment with Pure Water Industries. The current drought conditions and emphasis on water conservation have served to solidify the need for systems that conserve large quantities of water, and “The Puripool™ Process” has been leading the way since 2009.” We purchased two of their trailers to offer this service in the Dallas Ft. Worth area to both residential and commercial swimming pool owners.

Why hassle with pumping the water from your pool, paying for the refill and then trying to figure out the complicated chemicals needed to re­-balance your pool water, when Weber Pools can take care of it all for you? In less than a day, we can filter your residential pool and lower Calcium Hardness (CH), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Cyanuric Acid (CYA), phosphates, salt, bacteria, viruses, etc. and provide you with a clean, fresh pool!

So our question to you is, wouldn’t you love to swim in drinking quality water this upcoming season? If your answer is yes, using Reverse Osmosis for your swimming pool is definitely the best way to go. Trust us, your pool is going to love it and you are going to swim in the most amazing water ever! To learn more please contact us today!

How To Lower Cyanuric Acid In Your Swimming Pool

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Lowering CYA in Swimming Pools Dallas

The Best Way To Lower CYA In Your Swimming Pool

When it comes to keeping your pool sanitized, clear and blue, chlorine is one of the most important chemicals that you will use in your swimming pool. Whereas, Cyanuric Acid (CYA), also known as conditioner/stabilizer, helps prevent chlorine loss in swimming pools. Think of it as a “sunblock” for your pool that prevents rapid chlorine loss. As much as this chemical is vital in your swimming pool, it can also be extremely challenging when the levels get too high! During the hot summer months the sun’s ultraviolet rays destroy free chlorine but having the proper amount of CYA in the swimming pool can prevent that and we hope that this post helps explain why CYA is necessary for your swimming pool and how to lower it when the levels get higher than normal recommended amounts.

Typically, the ideal amount of CYA in your pool is between 30 and 50 parts per million (ppm). If your swimming pool gets more direct sunlight, that number might need to be a little higher. If you own a salt chlorinator Weber Pools recommends referring to the owner’s manual as each system has different CYA requirements. But, what happens when the number gets much higher than 100 ppm and why does this happen? When CYA levels rise above 100 ppm, it can cause a fair amount of problems. It can actually “bind or lock” up the chlorine and reduce its effectiveness thus making it harder to kill algae and other bacteria in your swimming pool. The most common reason why CYA increases is because stabilizer is one of the main ingredients in chlorine tabs. Tabs are frequently overused and cause CYA to rapidly rise. When this happens it can be much more challenging to keep free chlorine working optimally in your swimming pool because the factor to establish the level of free chlorine needed to combat algae is the level of CYA x .075. So, if you had 100 ppm it would take approximately 7.5 ppm (free chlorine) to keep your pool algae free and that can be challenging especially when the water is warm. That’s why the recommended levels of CYA in a chlorine pool are between 30 – 50 ppm.  When this happens you can do numerous backwashes in your swimming pool if you have a sand filter or DE filter but that can be extremely time consuming and also a huge waste of water. A better option is to use our Reverse Osmosis (RO) Mobile Filtration System to recycle your swimming pool water instead of draining it.

In conclusion, if you maintain proper CYA levels, it can reduce the cost of operating your pool because it prevents chlorine loss and reduces the amount of chlorine needed to properly sanitize your swimming pool. If you’re interested in learning more about how our mobile filtration trailer can help you, contact us today!

Phosphate Removal From Your Swimming Pool

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Phosphates In Pools Dallas

Removing Phosphates From Your Swimming Pool

Phosphates can be challenging and a source of stress in your swimming pool especially if you don’t know what they are, how they affect your swimming pool chemistry, and how to treat them. Since you can’t see them it causes major problems if you don’t keep track of the levels, but as their levels increase in the swimming pool the water could turn cloudy and green! This is where the problem is because even though you have adequate amounts of chlorine in the swimming pool algae can and will grow. Phosphates, “(also denoted as PO4) are known nutrients to help increase plant growth rates such as in algae.” Simply put, phosphates are food source for algae and when their levels increase maintaining a swimming pool is extremely challenging. In Dallas, we deal with wind, vegetation, and other factors that equate to the possibility of phosphates in your swimming pool.

One of the biggest challenges with phosphates is in specific environments they are constantly being introduced into your swimming pool water. They can be found in vegetation, fill/tap water, lawn and garden fertilizers, soils and even in other pool chemicals that you use! With that said, phosphates can enter into your swimming pool in the following ways:

  • A constant wind that blows dirt and other vegetation into the pool, which does happen in the Dallas area!
  • Sprinkler fun off from your lawn or landscaping/dirt gets into your pool.
  • Certain chemicals that contain phosphorous to help clean your pool
  • Not removing debris in a timely manner

How Do You Remove Phosphates From The Pool?

First off, are you reading adequate levels of chlorine? Is your pool turning green or are you developing algae blooms on the interior finish, steps, or benches? This is your number one sign that phosphates might be present. Next, have you tested your levels? You can either do this at home with a dedicated phosphate test kit or take a water sample into a pool store.  Personally, since the test is easy we recommend testing them at home and if you have lots of vegetation in your backyard you should definitely have a phosphate test kit on hand to check from time to time. If your levels are high, you will need to remove them and this can be done a couple of different ways. Please keep in mind, you can also be pro-active in removing dirt, debris, and vegetation from the pool as soon as possible instead of allowing it to sit on the surface or bottom of the pool. That will definitely help in the future but to remove them you can purchase a phosphate remover. This is a more expensive chemical but it is extremely effective if used following the directions based on the size of your pool. Please only use what is recommended. This isn’t a product where using more is better.

All phosphate removers will make your pool cloudy. It is best to run your filter continuously until the cloudiness is gone and your phosphate levels are lowered. This might take several treatments. Another way to lower phosphate levels in your swimming pool is by using our Mobile Filtration Reverse Osmosis (RO) Filtration system. The Puripool Process is an alternative to a drain and refill that will lower Calcium Hardness, TDS, CYA, Phosphates, and so much more. 

If you should have any questions, please contact us today!

Commercial Swimming Pool Regulations in Dallas, Texas

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Commercial Swimming Pool Regulations Dallas

Commercial Swimming Pool Service Dallas, Texas

Weber Pools is a Greater Dallas/Fort Worth pool service company that specializes in working with commercial properties. We work with numerous management companies in some of the largest luxury developments in the DFW area. Weber Pools is familiar with the property management process, and we carry the current pool service licenses and insurances required by most commercial facilities. In addition, we also are aware of all the current and ever-changing health department swimming pool requirements and processes.

One of the primary reasons people switch their pool service needs to Weber Pools is that we are always available when you need us. When problems inevitably arise, the Weber Difference is that we are always easy to reach and ready to respond when you need us. When it comes to a DFW commercial pool service, we take that pool service to a higher level!

Our staff has an abundance of knowledge, and most of our staff have been with us for ten years or longer. A lot of pool companies have a revolving door of employees and have no experience base. We, however, train our technicians well and pay our technicians at the top of the industry scale, which in turn provides our customers with superior service. If you give us a try, you will notice the Weber difference.

This is why if you own a commercial swimming pool in the Dallas area, you should hire Weber Pools. We make it a point to keep up on the pending and proposed regulations and laws going through our legislature to make sure we have the solutions to take care of any problems or concerns our customers may have. We also keep an eye on new technologies and beta test them when possible before offering them to our customers. There are many technologies out there now that are worthy of our customer’s dollars and can make their pools safer and more cost-efficient.

As a commercial swimming pool owner in the Dallas area, your pool will be regulated by the city. The city is constantly checking on water chemistry and water quality due to the number of bathers. That’s why we feel so strongly about having the knowledge to stay on top of regulations so your swimming pool stays in compliance and your bathers happy with how the pool looks.

If you have any questions on how this mobile trailer can help you, contact us today to learn more!

Water Quality In Dallas Swimming Pools

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Commercial Pool Service Dallas

Commercial Swimming Pool Service Dallas Texas

Swimming in quality water is always critical but just because the water is blue and doesn’t mean it’s always safe to swim in. Do you swim in commercial swimming pools? If so, this thinking should always be more of a concern of yours. Weber Pools, Dallas, Texas, is a premier weekly pool service administered by a staff with decades of experience in the industry. We service the Dallas and Dallas Ft. Worth area. We are literally a one-stop shop for all your pool needs — whether that consists of pool cleaning, repair or general pool maintenance. We specialize in residential and commercial swimming pools and we want to educate all swimmers on the importance of water quality. We hope this blog post gives you some insight if you enjoy swimming in hotel pools, apartment pools, water parks or parks, and recreations pools.

When it comes to quality, that word can go far beyond just the work that is performed. Everyone who hires a weekly pool service company always wants quality but this also pertains to the water as well. We are committed to our service and to make sure your steps, benches, and walls of your swimming pool are brushed and free of debris. Emptying the skimmer basket and pump basket along with skimming the surface of the pool to make it look clean always happens. If the pool needs vacuuming we get it done. Making sure there are adequate amounts of sanitizer is always a priority. We also make sure the pH is balanced too. But even when all of these are done, it doesn’t mean that the water is safe to swim in. This is where things can get confusing because even when the pool looks great and the chemistry is correct, there still can be issues and they might not be detectable with standard water tests.

Tap/fill water has been and still is an issue in the Dallas area. The possibility of people urinating and defecating in the swimming pool is always a possibility. With that said, here are some precautions you should always take when you are ready to swim:

  • Rinse off before and after you swim
  • Never drink the water
  • If you see someone urinating or defecating in the pool, let someone know and exit the pool immediately
  • If you feel sick after swimming call your doctor and get tested for waterborne diseases
  • Never swim in a pool if you are sick or getting over being sick

Another way you can make sure you are swimming in the best quality of water is by having Weber Pools recycle your swimming pool water using our Reverse Osmosis (RO) mobile filtration system. The Puripool Process lowers Calcium Hardness (CH), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Cyanuric Acid (CYA), and removes waterborne diseases without draining the swimming pool. The type of filtration provides your swimming pool with drinking quality water for swimming in. If you’re interested in knowing more or having us test your water, contact us today!

One other note, it isn’t uncommon to see cloudy water in most commercial swimming pools. The water also might be salty. This can be prevented with RO filtration. We know large pools can be fun to swim in but poorly maintained water is definitely a risk and something that can be avoided by hiring Weber Pools!

How Calcium Destroys Your Swimming Pool

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Puripool in Dallas

High levels of Calcium Hardness will damage your pool

If you live in the Dallas area dealing with Calcium Hardness in your fill water can literally destroy your swimming pool’s interior finish, tile, and equipment. Calcium is naked to the human eye when you look at the water (unless it’s at night with your pool light on) but it can definitely be seen along the water tile line, on decorative fixtures, waterfall spillways and on your swimming pool equipment. If you have a salt chlorinator you will also see it scale the electrode plates as well. Unfortunately, when building a swimming pool or buying a house that has a pool this is the one subject that isn’t talked about very much but it should be. If you live in Texas and Oklahoma where there are high levels of calcium in the water, unless you change out your water every two to three years you will begin to run into issues controlling the water chemistry in the pool or it will start scaling in areas that suddenly turn your backyard paradise into a nightmare.

When this happens you might have to spend a lot of money on removing the calcium from the tile, spillways etc. but it is imperative that you change out the water as well. If you don’t, it will just come back! You can either drain and refill with our moderately hard water from the tap or you can recycle your swimming pool water with our Reverse Osmosis (RO) mobile filtration system (The Puripool Process). The benefits of recycling your swimming pool water are not only saving our precious water but also providing the lowest level of calcium in the water that is safe but also swimming in drinking quality water. Not to mention… if you recycle the water every two years it will make some of the above issues harder to achieve.

Recently, we recycled a 20,000-gallon swimming pool with the following initial chemistry:

Calcium – 760 ppm

Total Dissolved Solids – 5504 ppm

CYA – 300 ppm << this is extremely high and if you want to learn more about CYA and its harmful effects, CLICK HERE!

After recycling this swimming pool for 16 hours and saving 85% of the water we achieved the following results…..

Ending Water Chemistry

Calcium – 140 ppm

Total Dissolved Solids – 760 ppm

CYA – 20 ppm

So remember when it’s time to change the water in your swimming pool, don’t drain when you can Puripool!! Contact Weber Pools today to learn more

Investing In Your Swimming Pool

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Dallas Weekly Pool Service

As a swimming pool owner in the Dallas area, we endure harsh weather patterns which can make maintaining a swimming pool a little challenging. At Weber Pools, we are extremely aware of our harsh weather patterns and would like to discuss how they can affect your swimming pool and how you should handle them. Depending on what time of year it is will call for different ways to manage your water chemistry etc. but we want to discuss each one more in-depth and we hope this blog post gives you some insight on what it takes to keep your pool looking great.

Between the extremely warm and cold temperatures, freezing temps, high winds, and hard water it can definitely make maintaining water chemistry more challenging and that is where we want to begin. In the summer our temperatures in the Dallas Ft. Worth area are extremely warm. In fact, some of the summer months mean ambient temperatures above 100 degrees and since algae love warm water keeping track of your water chemistry during the summer is vital! At Weber Pools, we recommend checking your water chemistry at least once a week, brushing the steps, benches, and interior finish once a week as well. You will want to make sure you have at least 3-5 parts per million (ppm) levels of chlorine and if you develop any sorts of algae (green, mustard, or black) raise it up even higher. This is why brushing the interior finish and removing debris as soon as possible is so important! You will also want to make sure your Cyanuric Acid (CYA) levels are between 30 – 50 ppm to help maintain chlorine.

In the Dallas Ft. Worth and Grapevine area, we also deal with extremely hard water. Our calcium levels coming out of the tap are high which can cause scaling to your water tile line, interior finish, filtration equipment, and spillways. High levels of Calcium Hardness can make it more challenging to manage water chemistry and take life off of your interior finish and filtration equipment. Changing out your water every two years will help with this.

Finally, during the winter time, it can get pretty cold and many nights freezing temperatures will occur. As many of you know, you can lower your chlorine levels and run your pump less but we always recommend running your pump if temperatures reach freezing levels to prevent problems from occurring. We know managing a swimming pool in our area can be challenging and we would love to help!

Here, at Weber Pools, we understand that your life can be stressful and hectic. Weber Pools is a certified pool operator and holds all required licenses. We work with HOA boards, property managers, city inspectors, and individual homeowners on a daily basis. Because we have such a broad base of experience and have affiliated relationships around the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, we can do just about everything to keep your pool safe, clean and ready for fun. To learn more about how we can help you, please contact us today!