Water coming out of most taps is almost perfect. It usually has a ph of 7.4 and trace amounts of chlorine, meaning it might have some chlorine but it’s usually undetectable. So after you fill your pool it’s almost perfect for the next 24 hours, providing the water isn’t being heated. Now after that 24 hours is when the work begins.
Fresh pool and spa water needs an established chlorine adjustment. What I normally will do for an average pool is add one gallon of liquid chlorine and adjust the ph level to 7.2-7.6 usually a half gallon of muiratic swimming pool acid will get me there if the ph started at 7.8-8.0
I usually also add 3-5 pounds of conditioner. This works as a sunscreen for the pool water. The ideal level is 40-50 ppm. After that my customers are ready to swim.
The next biggest issue is filtration. Starting off with a clean filter is a must. The average set of pool cartridge filters such as Pentair or for Hayward 400 sq foot filters are good for two years max. If money isn’t an issue then every spring get a new set. Fair market value to have the filters properly installed by a pool professional is $350 – $400.
If you need help with education on how to clean your filter you can call us or go to YouTube. There are a lot of good how-to videos. I don’t recommend you do it yourself due to accidents that can happen.
With a pool filter you’re dealing with an enormous amount of pressure. I have seen pool filters blow up and it not a pretty sight. People get injured and killed working with pool filters. Your best bet is to spend the money on a trained professional and you go do what you do in your professional life to make money. In my field of work ignorance can cost you a lot of pain.