Sand, cartridge, and DE filters each have real trade-offs that affect your water clarity, your weekend routine, and your wallet. This breakdown compares all three side by side so you can make a confident choice for your specific pool situation.
Pool shock is a high-dose chlorine treatment that kills algae, breaks down chloramines, and resets your water chemistry when regular chlorine can't keep up. This guide covers what shock actually does, the specific situations that call for it, and the right dosage for your pool size.
When lots of people are swimming every day, your pool chemistry moves fast. Chlorine drops, pH climbs, and combined chlorine builds up quicker than most people expect. This guide covers the specific numbers and habits that keep a busy summer pool clear instead of cloudy.
Not all pool algae is the same, and treating the wrong type the wrong way just wastes time and chemicals. Green algae is the most common and easiest to beat. Yellow algae is stubborn and chlorine-resistant. Black algae is the hardest - it roots into plaster and comes back if you don't kill it completely. This guide breaks down each type and exactly how to handle it.
Robotic cleaners do the most thorough job with the least effort, but suction cleaners win on upfront cost, and a manual vacuum is still the right tool for spot cleaning. The best choice depends on your pool size, debris load, and how much hands-on time you want to spend. Here's how to think through it.
CYA - cyanuric acid - is the chemical that protects your chlorine from UV burnoff, but most pool owners either ignore it completely or let it creep too high. The right range is 30-50 ppm, and outside that window your chlorine either disappears in hours or stops working almost entirely. Here's how to read your levels and fix them.
Setting up pool chemistry for the first time doesn't have to be overwhelming. This guide covers every chemical a new pool owner needs, what each one does, and the target numbers to hit. No fluff, no guessing.
A vinyl liner in an above-ground pool typically lasts 7 to 10 years, but bad chemistry and rough handling can cut that in half. This guide covers the specific habits - from pH control to winterizing - that keep liners looking good and holding water for the long run.
Pool maintenance costs range from about $600 to $1,200 per year for a DIY owner and $1,800 to $4,800 per year if you hire a weekly service. The spread is wide because equipment age, pool size, and whether you do your own work all move the number significantly. This breakdown gives you realistic line items so you know what to expect and where the money actually goes.
Most pool owners reach for pH increaser or decreaser when their water is off, but if total alkalinity is out of range, your pH fix won't hold. You need to correct TA first. Here's exactly why that order matters and how to do both correctly.