Would you like to change the look of your existing pool? Well you can it’s easy to add a natural rock waterfall to a new or existing pool. A waterfall can be made of natural rock that is brought in from North Carolina.

There are many different colors and textures to choose from. Some of the rocks that are used in Southwest Florida are Cherry log boulder, Pastel boulder, Ozark Moss boulder are just a few. To add a waterfall is very easy, can you connect from your existing plumbing from your pool equipment.

A waterfall can be any size and shape. If you like to see the water gently bubbling over the rocks or a tall rock formation with water cascading in torrents. A waterfall gives you a peace of mind it’s not only beautiful its therapeutic.

A flagstone patio will make your pool as if your have a natural grotto in your back yard. Flagstone is taking the place of pavers. The flagstone is a solid rock and will never discolor or shift. The flagstone is set in sand and then mortar set, and is placed like mosaic with a thin line of grout for the expansion that natural rock needs to breathe. There are many different flagstone rock to choose from.

A natural rock waterline is also nice it give a feeling that you are in a lagoon on a resort island. There is never a reason to leave your own backyard once you have transformed you pool into your own oasis.

There are different liners available for either above-ground or in-ground pools.

Above-ground swimming pool liners are made of vinyl and installed in such a way that the lining becomes an integral part of the pool structure from floor to wall. There are 5 main types of above-ground swimming pool liners. These are the overlap, beaded, rectangular, variable depth and uni-beaded liners.

Overlap pool liners are those that wrap the entire pool wall extending beyond the top cover. Bead liners on the other hand are hooked at the top of the pool wall while rectangular liners are used specifically for rectangular pools with typical dimensions such as 16 feet by 24 feet and 12 feet by 20 feet. Variable depth liners are supposed to be used in above-ground swimming pools that have varying depths across the floor. Uni-beaded liners have similarities with beaded liners. The only difference is that a J-hook track is used to catch the liner lip.

For in-ground pools made of fiberglass, the fiberglass layer serves as the pool liner. Other in-ground pools also use vinyl for liners. This type is not as widely used due to greater maintenance requirements.

When selecting pool liners, there are many considerations and a wide variety of choices available in the market. For one, there is a variety of patterns and designs to choose from. Aside from the patterns and designs, choosing the right thickness can also vary depending on your pool usage. For short term usage, a thinner pool liner will suit the need for economical reasons. The thicker liners are meant for long term use as these can last many seasons. Thicker liners will naturally last longer as compared to thinner models that are likely to tear rather easily.

Your liner can last for several swimming seasons provided you follow proper maintenance instructions and care tips. While its deterioration is inevitable, as with natural wear and tear, what you can do is to try to slow down the process by doing some preventive measures. For example, maintain balance of chemicals in your pool water to keep toxins and pollutants within controllable levels. Consulting with pool professionals can help determine the right balance of chemicals in your pool. Acidity or alkalinity, calcium and chlorine content of the pool water should be maintained at sufficient levels. You also have to check your pool area for debris or materials that could possibly damage your liner.

Contrary to popular belief, your pool should not be fully drained of water as it exposes your liner to undue stress, shrinkage and extreme heat. Use only mild cleanser on your liner and cleaning should be done on a regular basis. Your pool filtration device should also be properly maintained to clean pool water and avoid chemical buildup and imbalance in your pool.

1 – Circulation – we’ve all heard the term Location, Location, Location with regard to owning real estate. Well, with a swimming pool it’s Circulation, Circulation, Circulation! Without adequate circulation it will be difficult to ever have a pool that stays nice, let alone one that people want to swim in. And when the summer heat comes, the green monster will quickly make its appearance. So the first step to an easy pool is making sure the main pool pump is in good working order.

2 – Filtration – just as important as circulation is filtration. It’s a real simple concept, since the pool filter removes the dirt from the pool, without sufficient filtration the pool will remain dirty. Whether the main pool filter is sand, cartridge, or diatomaceous earth, it needs to be maintained on a routine schedule and never neglected in order for the pool water to stay clean.

3 – Filter Run Time – one issue that often gets neglected is the length of time required for sufficient filtration. Of course it can be different for every pool depending on the climate and the surrounding environment of the pool. But there is one sure thing, without the proper amount of filtration, the pool will not look good. As a general concept, when the hot summer months approach, it is important to increase filtration time. So if the pool doesn’t look good, check to make sure the run time for the main pool filter is adequate for that season and climate. If you are not sure how long to run your filter for your specific climate, call the local pool store and they should be able to help out.

4 – Balanced Water – okay so you now have good circulation, a well maintained filter, and adequate run time for the filter. The fourth key is balanced pool water chemistry. For many people, it’s a little scary to dive into the arena of being a chemist, but it really isn’t as difficult as one might think. Like anything else, once you have it figured out it’s real easy. But it is a crucial factor to a healthy swimming pool and in the long run, having properly balanced pool water can save hundreds to thousands of dollars in the form of otherwise avoidable pool problems and chemical expenses. Once this skill is mastered, it really shouldn’t take more than 5 – 10 minutes a week. So invest in a good test kit, and with a lot of practice you will quickly become an expert in balancing pool water. If balancing the pool water is something you just aren’t willing to jump into or you just don’t care to worry about it, hire a professional pool service to manage the chemicals for you.

5 – Cleaning the Pool – probably disliked the most is the seemingly tedious task of keeping the swimming pool free of debris. But for a majority of cases, this task shouldn’t take more than 10 – 15 minutes a week. Most swimming pools now have automatic pool cleaners that do half the work. Simply follow a quick routine every day or every other day of emptying the skimmer basket, pump basket, and pool cleaner bag in order to avoid any clogs that will stop water circulation. Then, once a week, perform a quick test to make sure all the equipment is in good working order, the water is balanced, check the water level, skim any large debris from the top or bottom of the pool, and brush the steps and walls of the pool.

There you have it, 5 tips on keeping your swimming pool looking great all year long. Probably just as important as all of these tips is simply getting to know your pool. Keep written records of the pool water testing results, any adjustments made, when the filter was clean, and when any equipment repairs were made. As time goes on, you will gain a good understanding of your pool’s unique personality, how it will act throughout the different seasons, and what it requires to be happy. And remember, if the pool is happy, you are happy!

When it comes to technology, the pool industry is moving right along. There is wide variety of automatic equipment available to control almost every aspect of pool maintenance. Some automatic pool controls even incorporate a salt water chlorination system. While some may find it quite relaxing to know that their pool equipment is relieving them of many routine maintenance chores, the cost involved in some of these setups may seem a little steep to the average pool owner.

While fully automatic systems may be nice, you may not have the need for such extravagances. One on a smaller budget can find some very good alternatives that are lees expensive. there are several brands of timer controls that can handle the job of running your pool pump and automatic pool cleaner

One popular unit Intermatic controls markets houses a circuit breaker panel as well as dual timers. With this setup the filter pump and cleaner booster pump can be controlled independently, allowing you to run your cleaner pump for for a shorter cycle than your filter pump.

Use care when configuring a control setup like this to always ensure that you have the cleaner pump interval running inside the filter pump interval. Damage to the booster pump could occur if it is not supplied with a constant flow of water from the pool pump

It’s a good practice to operate your pool cleaner a few times when you will be present to attend it. This way you can ensure that it performs as expected and does not get hung up on objects in the pool. After you are sure that everything is running properly, set it up on the timers and let it take care of the cleaning at night or any other time that the pool will not be in use.

This robotic cleaner does the job better than a human cleaner. Think about it, when was the last time you saw your human pool cleaner getting inside the pool to remove debris? Call us to show you an in-home demonstration that will convince you of the power, precision and cost effective solution to your pool cleaning needs. This robotic pool cleaner will give you piece of mind and not burn a hole in your pockets. Impress your family and friends, be the envy of all your neighbors with your crystal clear, sparkling swimming pool by using our robotic cleaner today. Call for an appointment and see for yourself what cleaning a pool really means.

A few years ago I finally purchased my first home and guess what? I paid someone to mow my yard. But I did notice something, my neighbors who took care of their own grass, seemed to have a prettier lawn than me. So I decided to try doing it myself and found a new appreciation for yard work. It’s spiritual and relaxing and is a great way to get a nice tan also.

We own a pool also so there’s nothing like jumping in the pool after working up a sweat from mowing. One thing I wanted to try two years ago was different ways to get a greener lawn. I found something amazing; it’s called Miracle-Gro plant food. Many of you may have heard of it, actually if you’re reading this article you probably have. Although, many only thought it was plant or flower food and never considered using it on their lawn.

I purchased one of those lawn feeders that connect to a hose and slowly dissolve the Miracle-Gro as I spray it over the lawn. Two years ago I only used it about 6 times on my front lawn and noticed a little bit of difference. Last year I used it once a week and noticed a huge difference, especially the grass around our pool. My grass has never been greener.

You can use the plant food however they do make Miracle Gro specifically for the lawn now. Be warned though, you’ll have to mow sometimes even twice a week because you’re grass is going to grow fast! So be prepared. Sort of funny considering I swore I’d never mow my own lawn huh? Funny how things change isn’t it?

In general, fully integrated robotic pool cleaners (those that work independently of a pool’s filtration system) will set you back the most. It’s advertisements for these products that has people misled into believing this is a product from which only the wealthy can benefit. But if you’re willing to have your automatic cleaner work with your pool’s filtration system and are also willing to accept longer cleaning times, you can get what you need on a budget.

Pool cleaners at the lower end of the price range, running anywhere from $250 USD and up, rely on random mathematics to get the job done. They simply go and go, traversing all parts of your pool over time until all areas have been covered. That includes the sides and bottom of pretty much any shape pool. That random path travel means a bit of repetitiveness, of course, which translates into longer cleaning times (3-4 hours compared with more expensive models running at 1-2 hours to do the job.)

Still, using even an inexpensive automatic pool cleaner frees up your time and that’s where your savings are truly realized. Rather than maintaining your pool manually, you’re free to spend time with the family or relaxing, and isn’t that what pool ownership should be about anyway?