SPRING INSTALLATION
1. INSPECTION OF MECHANICAL COMPONENTS
REINSTALLATION OF THE WATER CIRCULATION PUMP
When reinstalling a pump that has been dismantled for the winter, carefully check all seals and connections to prevent leaks after refilling. (It is advisable to replace the pump’s O-ring seals at the valve connections and at the hollanders – to prevent unwanted leaks.) It is important that operations in the engine room are carried out in the de-energised position.
CHECK THE SAND FILTER MEDIA
Open the top of the sand filter and carry out the following tests:
Problems that can be detected by EYE-TESTING:
The sand is white when dry: the presence of scale is likely.
Action to be taken:
- Replace, or
- descale the sand with the help of a specialist (Suggestion: DINAX FILTER CLEANER F, DINAX ANTISCALE F)
Our filter cleaner products are available on the link below:
Filter Cleaners
The sand has a greasy feel and is clumped together in large pieces:
Lift out a handful of sand, rub in palm of hand. If your skin becomes greasy to the touch, a biofilm layer has formed on the filter.
Causes:
- Biofilm formation is most likely due to flushing deficiencies, which may be caused by a pump malfunction or a malfunctioning six-way valve.
Action:
Have a professional check whether the six-way valve is working properly or whether the rubber seal or spring in it has failed. It is also worth checking the level of wear on the impeller of the water pump, and whether the sealing rings and bearings are working properly (pressure measurement).
Problems that can be detected by WATER and BIOFILM TEST
The tests must be carried out by a specialist as the operation requires a great deal of practice and attention. Suggestion: if you have visually determined that the sand is contaminated, seek the help of a swimming pool technician to clean it or replace the sand (if replacing, we recommend using burnt quartz sand or the latest green glass filter media.)
- Regardless of the tests, replace filter sand every 2-3 years!
- Twice a year, in autumn and spring, treat the filling with DINAX FILTER CLEANER F sand filter cleaning fluid!
Important! Always carry out a water test after checking the mechanical components!
2. WATER TEST FOR CONTROL PURPOSES
- Fill the pool level with water (if missing) and start the circulating pump.
- If there are no leaks, possibly frozen pipes (burst pipes), we can move on to checking the water.
3. CHECK THE WATER
If the pool water is dirty or aged, it should be replaced in the spring (after 3 years it should always be replaced!) Use the following factors to determine if the water is suitable for another season. All of these factors must be met in order to have a problem-free pool:
- if the water is not older than two years,
- if fresh water has been added regularly,
- the pool has been properly covered all winter,
- if the cover has been removed in such a way that the dirt does not end up in the pool water.
If the water has been in the pool for more than two years but has been regularly refreshed, the water may not have “aged”. Ageing can be confirmed by knowing the specific electrical conductivity, if you have such a measuring device. If no such meter is available, a sample of the pool water imported to Dinax Ltd. will be tested. It is important to know that chemicals in aged water no longer work properly, so a lot of inconvenience can be saved by changing the water at the right time.
If you have decided to change your water, read on here.
If you’ve decided to save your water for another season, skip to the section on INSTALLATION WITHOUT WATER CHANGE.
3/A: WATER REPLACEMENT INSTALLATION
Water change:
Before a complete water change, shock the current water in the pool: add 0.5 kg of ALGA-SHOCK P per 10 m3 of water, then start the circulating pump for a few hours. The next day, drain the pool water.
Shocking is necessary to clean out any impurities stuck in the system (sand filter, pipes, etc.) and also helps to clean the surface of the pool. The next step is to clean the surfaces.
Surface cleaning:
- vertical surfaces: remove scale from the pool walls by scrubbing thoroughly with DINAX ANTISCALE G and a brush (use only a liquid, non-scratching scouring agent that will not damage the surface).
- horizontal surfaces: use DINAX ANTISCALE F to remove the dirt from the bottom of the pool as well.
- If salt electrolysis is used, the cell must also be cleaned annually, for which DINAX ANTISCALE P is recommended
- cleaning of sensitive surfaces, pool cover shutters: for the removal of iron, manganese, copper deposits, scale and other dirt on the shutters, we recommend DINAX COVER CLEANER F.
For plastic pools, take particular care when cleaning the surfaces. The use of a high pressure washer for surface cleaning is not practical, as it will not remove deposits on the sides of the pool without damaging the surface.
Our surface cleaner products are available on the link below:
Cleaning products for spring cleaning
After cleaning, rinse the pool thoroughly and drain off any dirty water containing chemicals.
3/B INSTALLATION WITHOUT WATER CHANGE
If you have decided not to drain the water in the pool yet, you have to do the following:
Shock the water in the pool: add 0.5 kg of ALGA-SHOCK P per 10 m3 and start the circulation pump for a few hours. Shocking is necessary to clean out any impurities stuck in the system (sand filter, pipes, etc.) and also helps to clean the surface of the pool.
Measure the free-active chlorine content of the pool water the day after the shocking. If there is no or very little free-active chlorine in the water, this indicates that the system (presumably the sand filter) is very contaminated.
Action to take: sand replacement or repeated shocking. If the chlorine level is still above 3 mg/l after 2-3 shocks, it is recommended to change the sand and water!
SURFACE CLEANING
Above the waterline:
It is recommended to alternate the use of EDGE CLEANER F and ANTISCALE G:
- EDGE CLEANER F: To remove greasy dirt from vertical surfaces. It can be poured onto a sponge without dilution and applied in a thin layer on the surface to be cleaned. After a few minutes, rinse and sponge the surface. Repeat the procedure for more severe soiling.
- Remove any scale from the pool walls by scrubbing thoroughly with a brush and a ANITSCALE G descaler.
If salt removal electrolysis is used, annual cleaning of the cell is also necessary, for which ANTISCALE P is recommended
Cleaning of sensitive surfaces, pool cover shutters: DINAX COVER CLEANER F is recommended for the removal of iron, manganese, copper deposits, scale and other contaminants on the shutters. Caution: the product may run into the pool water! (Only use a liquid, scratch-free scouring agent that will not damage the surface!)
Our surface cleaner products are available on the link below:
Cleaning products for spring cleaning
Joints: dirt (algae or other discolouration) in the joints of mosaic or tiled pools can be removed under water with a high pressure washer.
Brownish discolouration: brownish discolouration indicates iron or manganese stains in the pool. In this case, the following procedure is recommended:
- Let the chlorine level drop.
- Pour 2.8 kg of DEWAN-18 per 10 m3 into the pool water and start the rotation.
- The product will remove iron and manganese deposits in about 2 days.
- In the case of repeated chlorination, iron and manganese deposits would reappear, which can be prevented by using DINAX METAL MAGIC F: after the deposits have disappeared, add 30-50 ml DINAX METAL MAGIC F to 1 m3 of pool water to prevent the reappearance of the deposits.
- During the treatment, the pool can be used, DEWAN-18 will have a disinfecting effect instead of chlorine. Any remaining DEWAN-18 can be used for further disinfection, but under no circumstances should chlorine be added to the pool while DEWAN is in use.
- When the DEWAN has disappeared from the pool (you can check this with a DEWAN-50 dipstick), you can restart chlorination or you can decide to continue with chlorine-free disinfection and continue using DEWAN-18).
Our chlorine-free Dewan products are available on the link below:
Chlorine free disinfection
4. FURTHER ACTIONS:
If you have an automatic metering regulator, we recommend to have it installed by technicians to reduce the risk of rendering fresh water unusable by improperly adjusted chemistry.