Paul Miller Custom Pools provides the chemicals and equipment for the initial startup of your pool. To insure you are properly maintaining your pool you will need to have the following items on-hand:

Chemicals: Chlorine; Muriatic Acid; Diatomaceous Earth (DE) (Only required for DE filters); Stabilizer (Cyanuric Acid); Scale Inhibitor; Note: See the chemical frequency chart to determine when to test these chemicals.

Equipment: Test Kit; Telepole; Nylon Brush; Wire Brush; Leaf Rake; Cyanuric Acid Test Kit

To check your chemicals you will need to have a test kit. Paul Miller Custom Pools provides each customer with a kit that will test Chlorine, pH and Total Alkalinity. You will most often test the chlorine, pH, and Total Alkalinity. Unless you detect a problem, these are the basic tests you will conduct. To perform these tests refer to your instruction booklet provided with your test kit.

Chemical	Ideal Reading	Frequency	Importance	How to Adjust
Chlorine	1.0 to 3.0 PPM	Weekly	1	Chlorine
pH	7.2 to 7.6 PPM	Weekly	1	Muratic Acid
Total Alkalinity	80 to 120 PPM	Monthly	2	Muratic Acid or Baking Soda
Salt	2500 to 3200 PPM	Bi-Monthly	1	Salt
Calcium Hardness	100 to 600 PPM	Every 6 months	3	Sequestering Agent
Stabilizer	60 to 80 PPM	Bi-Monthly	2	Cynauric Acid/Conditioner
1=Extremely Important 2=Very Important 3=Important

Chemical Definitions

Chlorine: measured in parts per million (PPM), chlorine helps control algae and kills bacteria in the water. Chlorine residual needs to be adjusted more frequently when temperatures are warmer.
pH: pH is a way to assess the relative acidity of water and can be adjusted by using muriatic acid. If the water is very acidic or having too much acid, the water becomes corrosive dissolving any metal it comes into contact with. If the water is allowed to become too alkaline, calcium deposits (scale) can form in plumbing, equipment, pool walls and tile. pH needs to be adjusted more frequently when temperatures become warmer.
Total Alkalinity: Total Alkalinity often gets confused with pH. Total Alkalinity is a measurement of the alkaline nature of the water itself and, therefore the ability of the water to resist abrupt changes in the pH. Total alkalinity acts as a buffer against fast and extreme changes in pH.
Salt: Many pools have salt chlorinators and need salt to properly operate. The salt requirement will vary based on temperature, and some pools may require salt to be added more frequently than others. The amount of salt to be added should be determined by doing a salt test and then referring to page 3 of the Aqua-Rite booklet.
Stabilizer (Conditioner, Cyanuric Acid): A chemical that helps reduce the excessive loss of chlorine in water due to the ultraviolet rays of sun. You can test the stabilizer in your pool by purchasing a test kit at your local pool supply store.
Calcium Hardness: Calcium/Scale : Hardness is a component of Total Alkalinity. As water evaporates it leaves behind a mineral, calcium, that is the white deposits you often see on rocks and tile. The only way to adjust the Calcium Hardness in your water is to partially or totally drain your pool

Maintenance Schedule

Maintenance Frequency Chart

Performing the following activities on a scheduled basis will help you maintain your pool in 30 minutes or less each week.

Activity	Frequency
Check Water Level	Twice a week
Brush walls and floor	Twice a week
Empty skimmer baskets	Twice a week
Empty pump basket	Twice a week
Check chemicals	Check chemical frequency chart
Check filter	Monthly
Clean Filter	As needed based on pressure

Winterizing Tips

To ensure proper circulation, all pipes must have water running through them. If freezing weather occurs, your freeze protector will automatically turn on the equipment and stay on until the temperature rises. Setting the pool to run during the night will reduce the amount of time your equipment is running. When experiencing freezing weather, follow the check list provided below:

Set thermostat to 35 degrees on the freeze protector
Maintain proper water level in the pool
Clean all skimmer baskets and pump strainer baskets on a regular basis
Test for proper chemical availability and test chemicals as needed
Set your pool timer to run 6-8 hours in the winter
If your pool has an in-line chlorinator, open to 5 to prevent chlorinator from freezing

Filter Cleaning

Filter cleaning is critical in maintaining proper circulation in your pool. When cleaning/backwashing your filter please follow the steps below or refer to the service manual provided.

DE Filter Cleaning

Turn pump off
Clean pump basket & skimmers
Lock push/pull valve in up position
Unroll backwash hose (if applicable)
Tighten freeze plug
Turn on pump
Release air from by turning air release valve
Run for 5 minutes or until sight glass is clear
Turn off pump
Unlock push/pull valve and replace to normal position
Turn on pump
Bleed air from tank using air release valve
Add 8-10 scoops of DE to closest skimmer (48 sq. ft. DE filter requires 8 scoops, 60 sq. ft. DE filter requires 10 scoops)

NOTE: It is recommended that you manually clean your DE filter twice a year for maximum efficientcy. See Pentair service manual for breakdown instructions.

Modular Media Filter Cleaning

Turn off pump and other automatic controls
Fully open manual relief valve and wait until pressure is relieved
Remove pump pot lid and clean basket
Remove clamp(s) from filter and remove tank lid. For specific instructions refer to pg. 4 of your filter owners manual
Remove 1½" drain from of filter
Remove top manifold, elements, air relief tube and bottom manifold separately
Spray filter elements, manifolds, air relief tube and inside of tank with nozzle to remove debris
Replace 1½" filter drain
Replace bottom manifold, filter elements, air relief tube and top manifold
Replace O-ring to the lower tank half
Replace filter top and clamp (make sure the gasket to the filter top is evenly and firmly set in place)
Turn on pump

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