Robotic pool cleaners do the most work with the least effort, suction cleaners are affordable but tax your filter, and manual vacuums give you the most control for the lowest upfront cost. The right choice depends on your pool size, debris load, and how much time you want to spend cleaning. Here's how each one actually performs.
Not all pool algae is the same, and treating the wrong type the wrong way wastes time and money. Green algae is the most common and easiest to kill, yellow algae is stubborn and often returns, and black algae is the hardest to beat. Here's how to identify what you have and fix it the right way.
Cloudy pool water almost always comes down to one of three things: low free chlorine, a filtration problem, or unbalanced water chemistry. Identifying which one is causing your cloudiness tells you exactly how to fix it. This guide walks through each cause and the fastest path to clear water.
Sand, cartridge, and DE filters are not interchangeable - each has real trade-offs in cleaning ability, maintenance time, and cost. This guide breaks down exactly how each type works and which one fits your pool and lifestyle best.
Most pool owners clean their cartridge filter when they should be replacing it. This guide covers the exact signs that a cartridge is done, how long they realistically last, and the mistakes that shorten their lifespan. Specific, practical, no guesswork.
Cyanuric acid (CYA) acts as sunscreen for your pool chlorine, slowing how fast UV rays burn it off. Without it, outdoor pools can lose most of their chlorine within a few hours of direct sun. But too much CYA is just as much of a problem — it weakens chlorine's ability to sanitize, and the only fix is a partial drain.
Backwashing a sand filter takes about 2-3 minutes and should happen when your pressure gauge reads 8-10 PSI above its clean baseline. This guide walks through the exact steps, explains the rinse cycle most people skip, and covers the mistakes that turn a simple task into an expensive one.
The wait time after adding pool chemicals depends on which chemical you added. Shock requires the longest wait, while pH and alkalinity adjusters need just 30 to 60 minutes. This post breaks down the exact wait times for every common pool chemical so you can swim safely.
