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When you’ve got this pool, you don’t need to go on holiday
by Martin Rupf
Sheets, nets, chemicals – watery fun in the garden is keeping this amateur pool boy on his toes
6.7.2022
Translation: Katherine Martin
If you’ve got a pool in your backyard, you’ve always got the option of going for a cool dip. As long as the water’s clean and inviting, that is. But this is only possible with a bit of elbow grease – and accessories.
Hey, fellow Martin, you sure made it easy on yourself in your story about putting up a pool in the backyard! Just palm the job off on your little brother. Smart.
As a backyard pool attendant in my third year of summer service, I can – and must – put my two-cents in. After all, when there’s a pool like this around, the work never stops. It takes equipment and effort.
Cover it up!
In its first season, the removable pool in our garden spent several weeks uncovered. A mistake. First of all, because the wind blew leaves, pollen and grass seeds into the water at every opportunity. Secondly, because a bunch of insects either with a desire for refreshment or a poor sense of direction met their deaths by drowning in it. And, as I’m now aware, organic material doesn’t contribute to the quality of the water. So, put a cover on it! There are various options. I have a pool liner which fits the diameter of the pool. It hangs slightly over the edge, and has a cord to fasten it so it can withstand light gusts of wind. If it’s especially windy, or even stormy, the liner has a habit of coming loose.
Alternatively, you can get so-called solar covers, which, in addition to guarding the water against leaves, are supposed to have a warming effect. They’re pretty much like the bubble wrap used to protect breakable items during shipping. They float on the surface of the water, keep dirt at bay and stop the water from getting too cold during the night.
The dirt has got to go!
Don’t kid yourself though – dirt will keep on getting into the water. Perhaps because of people like Martin, who run across the grass first, getting their feet dirty and then, flouting all the rules, jump into the pool with all the blades on their feet. And of course, people using the pool bring sunscreen, sweat or flakes of skin into the clear water with them. The result? The water’s not so much clear as it is cloudy.
A filter pump with a cartridge system, or a sand filter pump are sensible investments if one of them isn’t already included in the set. The pump should run a few hours a day, circulating and cleaning the water. There’s a timer with splash guard protection, which makes life easier for scatterbrains. Depending on how much you’ve used the pool, the volume of water and how dirty it is, you’ll need to change the filter every couple of days. Sand filter systems don’t require as much material. The sand will easily last a summer before you need to replace it.
However, that’s not to say that the filter pump alone keeps the pool water clean. No, you’ll have to take charge of that. You should fish larger leaves or insects out of the water with a net. And you’ll need to deal with some dirt on the bottom, which can be removed with a pool vacuum. You can get battery-powered ones or so-called Venturi vacuums, which run via a connection to the pump or a garden hose.
Pool accessories
–11%
146,40 EUR was 164,75 EUR
Intex Krystal Clear sand filter system
Sand filter system
The water stays clear!
Keeping the pool more or less clean in the way described above reduces the need for chemicals. Having said that, large removable pools, which don’t allow for a regular change of water, shouldn’t be used without some kind of chemical. Good water quality is the only way you prevent the formation and growth of viruses, bacteria, algae and fungi. Organic material in the pool bolsters this growth, as does warm water. But warmth is exactly what you want – it’s not like anyone enjoys getting into a 15-degree pool.
That’s why chemicals come into play: I most often use chlorine tablets, which take effect slowly and evenly via a floating dispenser. When the Little Miss has invited half the neighbourhood to a pool party, I grab the instant chlorine granules and do a shock chlorination in the evening. As a diligent pool boy, I also take water samples from time to time, figuring out the pH value and chlorine content so that the dosage is correct. If the pH value is too low or too high, chemicals can also be used to correct it. This is because chlorine is only effective at the right pH value, which is between 7.0 and 7.4.
If you don’t want to work with chlorine, you can set up a salt water system. I haven’t tried that myself yet, so I’ll refer you to this blog entry, which explains it very clearly (in German).
A third alternative for clean pool water is active oxygen tablets. They’re gentler on the skin, so they’re good for people with a sensitivity there. And you don’t get that typical, chlorinated swimming pool smell either. With active oxygen, however, you need to keep a closer eye on the pH to prevent algae formation.
Another weapon in the amateur pool boy’s armoury is a flocculant, which binds algae and lime deposits that’d otherwise be too small for the filtration system to larger particles. These can then get caught by the filter.
Verdict: the work after the set-up
Removable pools take maybe two hours to assemble, and then a further two hours to fill with fresh water from the tap. To keep it that way for a whole season, I don’t usually sit back in the pool straight away. Instead, I stand next to it, fishing leaves and insects out of the water, vacuuming the bottom, testing the water quality and adding chemicals.
This is sometimes annoying, though it’s also soothing to see the clear water in front of me. However, because it’s not that enjoyable either, this pool boy has a few rules for bathers. Anyone who’s too sweaty gets doused with the garden hose beforehand. Anyone with grassy feet need to wash them first. And most importantly, on weekends, the pool boy is allowed to have some peace and quiet in the pool, enjoying a drink.
Martin Jungfer
Head of Content
martin.jungfer@digitecgalaxus.chJournalist since 1997. Stopovers in Franconia (or the Franken region), Lake Constance, Obwalden, Nidwalden and Zurich. Father since 2014. Expert in editorial organisation and motivation. Focus on sustainability, home office tools, beautiful things for the home, creative toys and sports equipment.