Get Your Pool Clean, Clear & Ready for Summer

Follow these simple steps to start your pool correctly and enjoy crystal-clear water all season.

Need a manual for your pool equipment? Follow this Link to our Manual Page.

💧 Step 1: Fill the Pool

Fill your pool until the water level reaches approximately two-thirds of the way up the skimmer opening. This provides proper water flow without allowing the skimmer to draw in air.

💦 Step 2: Start Your Filtration System

A properly operating circulation system is essential before adding chemicals.

Turn on the circuit breaker.

• Prime the pump if necessary.

• For Cartridge Filters. Open the air relief valve on top of the filter housing. 

• Verify strong water flow from the return jets.

• Inspect all plumbing and equipment for leaks.

• Record your filter's clean starting pressure for future reference.

• Run the filtration system continuously for the first 24–48 hours while the water is being balanced.

Need more help with your filter? We have complete filter guides on YouTube

• Sand Filters

• Cartridge Filters

🧪 Step 3: Test and Balance the Water

Before adding sanitizer, balance your water chemistry.

pH up and pH down are included in your startup Kit.

Recommended Water Balance

• pH: 7.2–7.6

• Total Alkalinity: 80–120 ppm

• Calcium Hardness: 200–400 ppm

• Phosphates: Ideally below 300 ppb

Adjust in This Order

• Total Alkalinity

• pH

• Calcium Hardness

Properly balanced water helps chlorine work more effectively while protecting your pool equipment and surfaces.

Need help? Bring a water sample to our store for FREE professional water testing and personalized treatment recommendations.

Learn More about water chemistry 

• YouTube Water Academy Series

• Pool Education Library

⚡ Step 4: Sanitize and Protect Your Pool

Once your water is balanced, it's time to sanitize.

Shock the Pool

Use one of the following:

• Granular Shock: Follow the manufacturer's dosage instructions (many products recommend approximately one 1-pound bag per 10,000 gallons, but always verify the label).

• Liquid Chlorine (10–12.5%): Approximately 1–1½ gallons per 10,000 gallons, depending on product strength and water conditions.

After shocking:

Add Stabilizer (Cyanuric Acid/Conditioner) if needed to protect chlorine from sunlight. Recommended CYA: Typically 30–50 ppm for most outdoor chlorine pools.

If phosphates are elevated, add a phosphate remover according to label directions.

AquaSmarte® users: Install a new Mineral Reservoir and Bac Pac® after the shock treatment has circulated and chlorine has returned to the manufacturer's recommended startup level.

• How to use your AquaSmarte system

Continue running the filtration system for at least 24 hours after shocking.

📅 Step 5: Monitor and Maintain

During the first week: 

• Test free chlorine and pH daily.

• Verify alkalinity after major adjustments.

• Empty skimmer and pump baskets as needed.

• Vacuum or brush the pool if debris is present. (How to vacuum your pool)

• Clean or backwash the filter when pressure rises 8–10 PSI above the clean starting pressure.

• Run the pump 8–12 hours per day (or longer if needed for heavy use, hot weather, or cloudy water).

Click Here:  Read our Maintenance Guide and keep your pool in Swim Condition all Season long. 

🥳 You're Ready for a Great Pool Season!

A proper opening gives you cleaner water, fewer problems, and easier maintenance throughout the season.

Everything You Need in One Place

We carry a complete selection of pool care products, including:

✔ Liquid, tablet, and granular chlorine

✔ Water balancing chemicals

✔ Pool shock treatments

✔ Algaecides

✔ Clarifiers and water clarity treatments

✔ Phosphate removers

✔ AquaSmarte® Bac Pacs®, Mineral Reservoirs, and opening kits

✔ Test strips, liquid test kits, and replacement reagents

✔ Filter cleaners and maintenance supplies

💦 Need Water Testing?

Bring us a fresh water sample for FREE professional computerized water testing, and we'll help you keep your pool clean, clear, and swim-ready all season long.

Let us help you make your first year easy and worry-free.