East Oahu Pools

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Chlorine vs Salt Pools You may be contemplating switching over your chlorine pool to salt or vice versa. Weighing out your options prior to deciding on what may work best for you would be a good idea. Below are some pros and cons to both. SALT POOLS... Despite the name "salt water pool", the water is about 1/10 the salinity of ocean water or equivalent to human tears. People also think that the water contains zero chlorine...WRONG Truth is that salt water pools use a process called electrolysis to produce chlorine from the salt added. The chlorine levels in a salt pool are lower because it is released into the water at a steady rate rather than being added at once in tablet or power form like the traditional pool. PROS: Lower chlorine levels=gentle to skin and eyes Less fading of clothing/swimsuits Less chemicals used day to day Because of slow release chlorine, less algae buildup Pool salt is inexpensive in the short term Low maintenance CONS: Expensive; high initial investment More things to break High PH levels require continuous monitoring Salt cells need to be cleaned every few months and only last a couple years before needing to be replaced= costly Salt is very corrosive and can damage pool equipment, surface and lighting Uses more electricity CHLORINE POOLS Chlorine pools use different types of chlorine forms (tablets, powder or liquid) as the main source of sanitation. This has been the most popular and main source of sanitation for over 50 years, as it is fairly inexpensive and easy to acquire. PROS: Initial installation and cost is cheaper than salt Use less electricity Most effective way to kill bacteria, algae, and viruses Can work with all pool types and equipment CONS: Harsh on eyes, skin, hair, clothing Requires constant chemical adjustments to kill excess bacteria and keep proper chemical levels Frequent adding of chlorine needed Strong chemical pool odor More expensive yearly chemical costs So what are your opinions about one, the other, or both? We'd love to hear what you think!

How long do I need to run my pool pump each day? We get this question A LOT Most pool pumps, especially here in Hawaii, should be run about 8 hours a day because...... A pool pump takes a certain amount of time to fully cycle through all of the water in your pool once. This is known as a turnover rate, and it’s different for each pump. On average, a pump’s turnover rate ranges from 610 hours. So, when you run your pump for at least 8 hours each day, you’re getting a bare minimum of one full cycle. For optimal filtration, 2 full cycles are best. The amount of time for 2 cycles to complete all depends on the pump and size of your pool. To calculate how long this will take... 1Determine the volume of the pool Length x Width x average Depth x 7.5 (for rectangular or square pools) [or x 5.9 for any other shape] 2Find out the Flow Rate of the pump on average 1 HP pump will move about 50 gallons per minute= 3,000 gal/hr *take into account the resistance to flow (approx 20ft/lb for small pools and 40ft/lb on large pools or pools that are located further away from the pump) 3Calculate turnover rate for pool (at least one turnover is great but ideal would be two full cycles in any given 24 hour period) (Pool Volume Filtration rate)2 = Hours to run your pump Doing this will... -Help to keep water clean as long as it runs long enough to circulate all the water through the filter. -The pump pulls water from the pool and circulates it through the filter to remove particles, algae and bacteria, then returns the cleaned water back to the pool. -The pump also helps to distribute the chemicals that keep the water clean and clear.