Guides
Actual numbers and straight answers. If something here stops being true we change it and date it.
Why a pool turns green after rain, after shocking, or when the test says the levels are fine, and how to tell which one you have.
Updated October 8, 2026
Step by step on clearing green, yellow or black algae from a Florida pool, how long each takes, and when treating it yourself stops being worth it.
What black algae is, why it keeps coming back, and how to kill it: brushing, direct chlorine, shock and daily follow up. From a Certified Pool Operator.
How to tell mustard algae from pollen, why it keeps coming back, and how to kill it: brushing, holding chlorine high, and cleaning everything it touched.
The usual reasons pool water turns cloudy or milky in Florida, from low chlorine and high pH to a tired filter, and how long each one takes to clear.
Why rain turns pool water cloudy, how to clear it in a day or two, and what to check when it stays cloudy. From a Certified Pool Operator.
What the pink slime and white tissue in your pool really are, why they keep coming back in the same spots, and how to get rid of them for good.
When and how to shock a pool in Florida: liquid chlorine or granular shock, how much to use, why after dark, and the safety rules for pool chemicals.
How long to wait after shocking a pool before swimming, how to check it is safe, and when to add algaecide or vacuum. From a Certified Pool Operator.
Brown, yellow, black, blue green or purple: what each pool stain color means, the two quick tests that tell you, and how to remove each kind of stain.
Updated October 5, 2026
What causes copper stains in a pool, how to confirm them with a vitamin C test, and how to lift them without draining. From a Certified Pool Operator.
Updated October 2, 2026
Iron stains are normal on well water in Loxahatchee and The Acreage. How to spot an iron or copper stain, remove it and stop it coming back.
How to tell whether stained pool plaster needs an acid wash or a full resurface. The same checks a Certified Pool Operator runs on site, explained simply.
What the white crust on pool tile is, how to remove light calcium buildup, when gray scale needs a pro, and how to keep the waterline clean in Florida.
When a pool actually needs draining, why draining is risky in Florida, and what to do about algae or rain instead. From a Certified Pool Operator.
Updated October 1, 2026
The pool chemical levels to aim for in Florida: chlorine, pH, alkalinity, stabilizer and calcium, why pH keeps rising, and how often to test in summer.
What pool stabilizer (cyanuric acid) does, the level to aim for, why too much makes chlorine slow and weak, and the only reliable way to bring it down.
Updated October 21, 2026
What total alkalinity does, the 80 to 120 ppm target, how to raise it with baking soda, and how to lower it with acid and aeration without losing your pH.
What phosphates are, how they get into Florida pools, whether they really cause algae, and when a phosphate remover is actually worth using.
How a salt water pool really works, the upkeep it needs in Florida heat, how it compares to a chlorine pool, and what salt does to decks.
How often to check a pool salt cell, how to clean scale off the plates, the four to one acid soak for heavy buildup, and why some cells keep scaling up.
How much liquid chlorine or bleach raises a pool by 1 ppm, how to work out your gallons, and how much to add for daily care, a shock or a green pool.
Why pool pH matters, the 7.2 to 7.8 target, how to lower it with acid, how to raise it with soda ash or aeration, and why it keeps climbing in Florida.
What to do when pool chlorine is too high: how long it takes to come down, how to lower it fast, when it is safe to swim, and why salt pools run high.
How to vacuum a pool by hand, how to vacuum to waste on a sand or DE filter, why the pump loses prime while you vacuum, and how often to do it.
The right water level for a pool skimmer, what happens when it is too low or too high, how to lower it after heavy rain, and when a drop means a leak.
What a chlorine, fishy, swampy, sewage or rotten egg smell from your pool usually means, and how to get rid of each one. Most are fixable in a day or two.
How many hours a pool pump should run in Florida in summer and winter, what turnover means, and how a variable speed pump saves power.
When to clean a cartridge filter or backwash a sand or DE filter, the 8 to 10 psi rule, how long cartridges last, and why filter pressure runs high.
How much water a Florida pool loses to evaporation, how a bucket test spots a leak, and what it means if it drops faster with the pump on.
What weekly pool service costs in Palm Beach County FL, what moves the number, and why chemicals included changes the math. Updated for this season.
Updated October 12, 2026
What a weekly pool service visit should include, how often a pool needs cleaning, vacuuming and filter care, and what is usually extra.
What to do with your pool before a vacation or a season away, how long a Florida pool lasts on its own, and what to check when you get home.
What to do with your pool before and after a storm in Palm Beach County, including the one thing you must never do. From a Certified Pool Operator.
Is it safe to swim in a pool during a thunderstorm? What the National Weather Service says, the 30 minute rule, and why a pool cage is not a shelter.
Water bugs that bite, water boatmen, frogs and toads in Florida pools: what they are, why they show up, and how to get rid of them and keep them out.
How often to pressure wash a driveway, pool deck, pavers and house in Florida, why they go black so fast, and how to avoid damaging them.
How to clean paver patios, pool decks and driveways in Florida: pressure, cleaners, mildew and white haze, and why the joint sand needs refilling after.
How to get fresh and old oil stains out of a concrete or paver driveway, what pressure washing can and cannot do, and how to keep new ones from setting.
Can you pressure wash stucco? How to power wash a Florida stucco house without damage, what the black and green streaks are, and how often to do it.
Why sprinklers leave orange rust stains on walls and driveways in Florida, why pressure washing and bleach will not remove them, and how to stop them.
How to wash a screen enclosure without tearing the mesh, what pressure is safe, and how often Florida cages need doing. From a Certified Pool Operator.
How long pool screen mesh and cages last in Florida sun, the signs it is time to rescreen, and whether to repair a panel or redo the whole cage.
How often gutters need cleaning in Florida, why to do it before hurricane season, what clogged gutters do to walls and driveways, and when to hire it out.
