Leaves and Debris Bad for My Pool?
We recently got asked, “Will leaving bugs, leaves, grass clippings and other types of yard debris harm my pool?”
Answer… Yes, but when harm will occur depends on water conditions and the exact nature of the pool water contaminants.
Starting with bugs…
As a general rule most bugs have a pretty good resistance to water for a while and can hang out in pool water for at least a day or three before becoming overly gross and mushy… but do you REALLY want dead things in your pool for that long?
Eventually the bugs will start to break down due to the presence of chlorine/bromine and as they do, their dissolved parts add to the total number of dissolved solids in the water. In theory, over time the TDS level could rise high enough one day that the pool water becomes cloudy.
Our advice? Scoop out the dead things!
Leaves and other contaminants…
Leaves will break down in the same manner as bugs, but when they do they can affect the pH level of pool through the release of organic acids AND may stain pool surfaces — especially vinyl liners.
If you have ever had the misfortune of getting stains in your pool from leaves (or other contaminants) you have also probably had the pleasure of using a product from the Jack’s Magic line of pool cleaning chemicals.
- Jack’s Magic Blue Stuff — “Specifically formulated to prevent stains and scale in your vinyl liner pool. Also works great on fiberglass pools!”
- Jack’s Magic Sapphire Stuff — “Combines a clarifier, metal sequestering agent, chelater and flocculant for powerful 4 in 1 action. Removes oils, soaps, metals, cosmetics and other particulate matter from swimming pool water.”
- Jack’s Magic Purple Stuff — “Powerful stain preventing formula, perfect for pools with a high TDS (total dissolved solids) level. Helps prevent scaling of chlorine generator electrodes.”
Does skimming the pool surface HAVE to hurt my back?
Until recently, yes it did. Using fixed position leaf skimmers and leaf nets required people to twist and strain their backs as they moved their nets back and forth over the water’s surface.
New products such as SwivelSkim Pro and SwivelSkim Elite makes skimming a pool’s surface a much less painful process. Their unique designs allow pool owners to effortlessly skim a pool surface with a simple down and back motion instead of a potentially back-breaking side to side sweeping motion.
Tags: blue stuff, Jack's Magic, leaves, pool stains, purple stuff, sapphire stuff
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