Pool Water Filtration System

I. Pool Water Purification and Disinfection

Cleaning pool water is of paramount importance in order to stop a pool's main problem: turning green and cloudy from algae growth.

It is a strange fact that many families take the health of the water that they are swimming in for granted.

This is partly because we are attracted by the water in a sparkling blue pool and jump to the conclusion that it must be healthy because it looks good and partly because we have been conditioned by many previous experiences of swimming in a pool without any illness.

But beware danger lurks in every pool if the water is not looked after properly!

Dangers of Inadequate Water Filtration

Top tip - to get the full lowdown on pool filtration technology please look for "pool water technology and filtration" in the Design section of this website.

Many of the swimming pool systems on the market in France use inadequate filtration systems that will just about keep the water clean and healthy if they are looked after with meticulous care. They often rely on cartridge filters that can quickly become clogged, thus stopping the whole water purification process - and you don't even know that it has happened.

There is an infamous public pool in Scotland where the staff did not know that the filters had to be changed and lots of people became very ill from using this pool.

It always amazes us that there are so many parents that look after their children with consummate skill and attention and then let them play continuously in a pool of dirty water for hours at a time - and then wonder why they are ill!

It is a fact of life that young children pee in a pool and you must make sure that the pool water is filtered properly. It is also important that the children shower before they get into the pool, and afterwards when they leave it.

Such elementary precautions can eliminate lots of minor illness and substantially reduce the risk of more serious conditions like Hepatitis and Typhoid.

II. Pool Water Filtration

How can you ensure that people using your pool do not become ill?

Your pool filtration system should allow you to:

1. Set the pump timer to pump through the filter for 2 periods per day in two sessions seperated by about 12 hours i.e from 5.00am until 8.00am and 5.00pm until 10.00pm.
   Mistake No 1 is not to have a timer.
2. Vary the flow so that about 70% goes through the skimmer(s) and 30% through the main drain.
   Mistake No 2 is to have a pool where the water is circulated through the legs of a ladder that does not "skim" the pollutants from where they are concentrated near the water surface.
3. Circulate the whole of the pool water volume through the filtration system without any dead spots where the water never moves.
   Mistake No 3 is to have less than 1 skimmer for each 35 square metres of pool area.
4. Circulate the whole volume of pool water within 24 hours when pumping for 8 hours per day.
   Mistake No 4 is to have a small capacity pump, filter and pipework that takes about 20 hours to circulate the pool volume so the water only goes through the filter about once every 3 days!

You should ensure that:

1. The pool filtration system is turned on when the pool is being used.
   Mistake No 5 is to use the pool and not turn the pump on because it makes a noise (you cannot hear a high performance pool filtration system).
2. Cartridge filters are regularly checked and replaced. Sand filters need to be backwashed whenever operational. Pressure shown on the pressure gauge shows if the filter is becoming blocked.
   Mistake No 6 is to have a cartridge filter system that does not have an indicator that shows that it needs to be replaced.
3. The water that is used to fill the pool is of known quality.
   Mistake No 7 is to fill the pool from a well or any water source where the water has not been tested.
4. The pH value of the water and the Chlorine content is checked on a daily basis and chemicals added to maintain the correct levels. Mistake No 8 is to fail to ensure that the water quality is maintained by regular checking and chemical replenishment.

III. How does a Bluepools Installation help meet these requirements?

The Bluepools filtration system

The skimmers, the inlets and all the pipework in a Bluepools installation are all designed to treat the whole volume of the pool in 6 to 7 hours. Hence if the pool filtration equipment is run for 8 hours per day then the water turnover rate is guaranteed.

The water flow through the skimmers and main drain is easily adjusted using PVC ball valves that never corrode and become inoperable.

The filtration in a Bluepools installation is undertaken by a large capacity sand filter. As soon as the pressure gauge on the filter shows an increase in pressure of 0.25 bar, the filter should be backwashed. Every pool comes with instructions on how to do this and Bluepools will show you how to do it when the pool is complete.

Bluepools normally uses RTM sand filters. Please click here for more information.

Bluepools of 9 x 4 metres and smaller all have one large throated skimmer and pools with an area up to 72 square metres (12 x 6) are provided with two large throated skimmers.

Solar heated shower

The solar heated shower is normally placed on the pool paving near the Roman End. It should be used frequently by everyone using the pool as it reduces the load on the pool filtration equipment and saves chlorine because of the reduction in pollutants, such as sun-cream being taken into the water by bathers.

Automatic Water Top-up and Solar Shower Package

The automatic water top-up and pool side solar heated shower require a permanent water supply to the swimming pool and so we install them both as a package.

The water supply costs 40 Euros per metre HT including the fittings at both ends. The Solar Heated Shower and Automatic Water Top-up combined package costs 1295 Euros HT.

So if your pool plant room is about 15 metres from your kitchen or nearest water supply point the total cost of this package would be 1895 Euros HT.