How to Look After a Mineral Swim Pool
Pool Maintenance
Looking after a Mineral Swim pool is easier than most may think. The chemical reactions that take place between the minerals, ozone purification technology and your pool, means there is far less maintenance required than in a traditional chlorine or even saltwater pool.
With mineral pools, cleaning and maintaining your oasis becomes a WHOLE lot easier — you no longer need to carry huge buckets of chlorine to sanitise your water and you don’t need to worry about the chemicals touching your skin or inhaling bad odours. Sounds fantastic, right? But how does it all work?
Mineral Swim & Ozone Swim work hand-in-hand by generating ozone to do the majority of sanitising work in your pool, reducing the chlorine demand by up to 80%. Ozone neutralises organic contaminants instantly and reverts them back to oxygen by the time your water returns to the pool body as it is 3,500 times faster at killing bacteria than chlorine is. This produces noticeably softer water that is also far more hygienic and safe.
*Fun fact: Ozone water purification is the same process that is used to purify bottled mineral water.
The 100% natural Dead Sea minerals, known for their health benefits, have no synthetic additions. The minerals and chlorinator cell causes naturally occurring conversions into smaller amounts of chlorine than in standard pools, necessary for keeping pool water free of bacteria. The level of chlorine is significantly lower than in other pool types - usually sitting around 2.0-3.0ppm compared to the Mineral Swim system with approximately 0.5-1.00ppm.
Mineral Swim Poolside
More often than not once your system is installed and the pool is converted, the pool maintenance is approximately 4-5 bags of minerals per year (for an average pool size). Minerals are only added to the pool water when water has been lost or after the winter season when pools are typically 'hibernated'.
Chlorine will still be needed but the minerals and ozone purification unit together will dramatically reduce the load on the chlorinator. In most instances, a chlorinator’s output will be halved. Secondly, the flocculation effect makes pool filters more effective.
Now that you know how the minerals and Ozone components of the Mineral Swim system work together, let’s talk about mineral pool maintenance. We get it, swimming pool maintenance isn't nearly as fun as splashing and swimming, so here are a few hassle-free pool care guidelines to help you keep your mineral pool water healthy and crystal clear:
1. Don’t Skip the Basics
Before jumping into the nitty gritty of it all, let’s take a look at the basics of swimming pool maintenance. Here are some ground rules that you need to remember:
Skim the surface of your swimming pool
Clean your pool filters
Test your swimming pool water chemistry, including the pH, regularly
Brush the pool walls and waterline
Vacuum and sweep your pool regularly
Backwash the pool filter regularly
Cover your pool to prevent evaporation
Staying on top of these simple yet essential tasks will keep you ahead of the game when it comes to maintaining your swimming pool, in both the on and off-seasons!
Investing in a Dolphin robotic pool cleaner will help with most of these tasks. A wall climbing Dolphin robot will not only clean the bottom of your pool, but will also scrub the walls and waterline. It will suck up dirt and debris before it reaches your pool filter, meaning less time spent cleaning your swimming pool filter and backwashing. Saving you time and money in chemicals and water!
2. Get the Right Pool Cleaning Equipment
In a nutshell, pool cleaning and maintenance consists of skimming, brushing, and vacuuming, while simultaneously balancing water chemistry, with the occasional filter backwash and skimmer clean thrown in. To get started, arm yourself with the following equipment:
A telescopic pole
A skimmer net or leaf shovel or leaf scoop
A pool broom head.
A vacuum pool cleaner (a manual vacuum, suction cleaner or for low maintenance and maximum cleaning power a robotic pool cleaner)
Chemicals for cleaning and balancing water post-cleaning
3. Keep your Pool Chemical Levels within the Recommended Parameters
Just like any pool system, the key to proper maintenance and crystal clear water requires keeping your swimming pool chemical levels within the recommended parameters.
Don’t worry, we’re not going back to chemistry class for this one and you definitely don’t need to memorise the Periodic Table.
Throw away your lab safety goggles and try to keep your mineral pool chemicals within the following ranges:
Simplify your life and pool system by installing an automatic pH Drive to your Mineral Swim system. The Maytronics pH Drive will automate your pool's pH level, so you don't need to worry about pH levels and handling chemicals. Balancing your pool's pH levels will mean comfortable swimming all year round!
4. Clean your Filter
Cleaning your swimming pool is useless if you disregard the filter. As a matter of fact, you'll be cleaning a lot more regularly if your pool's filter isn't clean enough to distribute the water effectively. Your pool should have one of three types of filters. Each type requires a distinct cleaning approach, so make sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions to clean your filter.
5. Set a Schedule
Okay, so you might be feeling a bit overwhelmed with the all the above information right now. Don’t worry, that’s normal. There’s a lot that goes into maintaining a pool but it doesn’t have to be a complex procedure. Once you start a maintenance routine, it will all get easier, we promise.
The last step is to get organized. Make a pool care schedule and post it somewhere visible and where you’ll see it every day or even set periodic reminders in your phone. This will ensure you don’t miss any essential tasks.
To recap, maintaining a mineral system for your swimming pool is a fairly simple process. Armed with your newfound understanding about how your pool operates and what you need to do to keep your pool looking its finest, you’re ready to get out there and get started!
Sure, it requires time and effort but with the right techniques, equipment and maybe some help from the family, you’re on your way to enjoying a crystal-clear pool free from smells, odours and itchiness.
**All pools will vary depending on the climate, pool environment, and frequency of use. Some of the figures mentioned above may differ as a result. Speak to your local consultant for tailored details if unsure.
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