To Open Your Aboveground Pool!

If you have a Splash Super Pool, opening your pool each summer is a breeze! Here are the steps to follow to make sure your pool opens clean & clear each year!

-          Pull winter cover off, making sure to wrap the corners up so any water and debris that may be on cover does not end up in the pool. If there is an excess amount of water on the cover, use a pump or vacuum to clear most of it off before pulling the cover off.

-          Make sure water level is above the white band of the pool, if not add some water.

-          Hook up pump and filter system and re-install the skimmer inside the pool. Remove all plugs that were placed in the pool for the winter.

-          Do a quick backwash for 3 min after the pump is up and running to clean any dirt or debris out of the sand filter that might have stayed in there over the winter.

-          Add 1 QT. bottle of Sequa Sol for the metal & calcium control and let circulate for 24 hrs before you add any other chemical products such as your ph adjusters, chlorine, or shock.

-          After 24 hrs, add a chlorine tablet to your skimmer basket and adjust your PH if needed. Shock after 1 week.

If you have a Metal Wall Pool, here are the steps to open up your pool!

-Drain water off of winter cover via a cover pump or vacuum. Remove cover, folding all corners in towards the middle to prevent any of the water or debris to drop into the pool.

-Fill pool back up with water so the water level is half way up the skimmer.

-Turn on pump once water level is where it should be. Do a quick backwash for 3 min to make sure you get rid of any debris that might still be in there.

- Add 1 QT. bottle of Sequa Sol for the metal & calcium control and let circulate for 24 hrs before you add any other chemical products such as your ph adjusters, chlorine, or shock.

-After 24 hrs, add a chlorine table to your skimmer basket and adjust your PH if needed. Shock after 1 week.

Posted: April 22nd, 2009 under Chemicals, Swimming Pools.
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Aqua Palace will be holding a FREE VGB (Virginia Graeme Baker Bill) Seminar on April 15th, 2009 at their store from 8 am - 10 am. We will go over all of the guidelines of the law, what you will need to do for your specific pool to make it compliant, and show you all the hottest compliant drain covers and safety equipment that is on the market today. We will also answer any questions that you may have about the VGB Bill and help make sure that your pool is compliant for the 2009 Pool Season! Please call 712-329-4180 to register your owner, operator, or maintance personnel today!

REMINDER: All Commercial and Semi-Commerical Pools MUST BE compliant as of Dec. 19, 2008! If you are not currently compliant you could receive a huge fine and you will be mandated to shut down the pool until your pool becomes compliant! Don’t let this happen to you and your patrons! LET US HELP YOU TAKE CARE OF IT NOW!

Posted: April 7th, 2009 under Pool Equipment, Pool Safety, Swimming Pools, VGB Compliance.
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Spring is finally here and now comes the time when all the pool will once again be open! Whether your pool opens clear, green ,or cloudy: we recommend stopping in and having us check your Phosphate level in your water to insure that you will remain Algae free this season! This test is quick, easy, and free! If we find that you have high phosphate levels, we have the right products on hand to correct the problem! Phosphates are an important part of algae growth and if we can cut out the source of food for the algae (which is what Phosphates are) then we can maintain a clear and algae free pool all year long! Stop in soon after you get your winter cover off your pool and let us get you started on the right foot!

Posted: March 27th, 2009 under Chemicals, Pool Tips, Swimming Pools.
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We have a variety of chemical kits that we make ourselves to help you get through each pool season with ease! We have small pool kits, normally for 20 ft rounds and smaller and 13×21 rectangles and smaller. We also have large pool kits which will be for 21 ft. rounds and larger and 13×25 rectangles and larger.  These kits include all the sanitizers, shocks, clarifiers, metal sequestering agents, and test kits that you will need for the WHOLE season! You won’t have to worry about running out of something when you need it, it’s all right there! If you open your pool this spring and found that it was green we also have a Swamp Cleaning Kit that includes all the shock and algaecide that you will need to clean it up.  If your pool was cloudy or hazy when you opened it, we have a Cloudy Pool Kit that will get your water back to the crystal clear blue that it should be! Buy purchasing these clean up kits, you will not have to use up all your stock of chemicals that you bought with your Seasonal Chemical Kit to fix the problem! These kits are priced with amazing discounts compared to what you can buy each of the products individually off the shelf! Not only do you save money, but the headache of taking care of your pool will be gone as well! Stop in today and purchase the kit that you will need for the year and consider the hard work done for the year!

Posted: March 27th, 2009 under Chemicals, Pool Tips, Swimming Pools.
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Frequently Asked Questions About VGB Pool & Spa Act:

 1.       What does VGB stand for?:  It stands for Virginia Graeme Baker, a young girl who drowned from an incompliant backyard pool. The VGB pool & spa act was named after her.2.       Do all pool and spa drain covers need replaced? If you have not replaced your current drain covers since January 2009, most likely you do not have compliant drain covers and will need to change them out to become compliant. Although drain covers were being produced prior to January 2009 in regards to this VGB Pool & Spa Act, they later came out with more laws and guidelines regarding what the drain covers had to say on them, therefore they may not be compliant. 3.       Where can I find these compliant drain covers for my pool or spa?:  You can purchase them through Aqua Palace which is a very reputable company that we have found. They have many different sizes and styles of drain covers for pools and spas instock and our adding new ones as they become available. Check them out at http://www.aquapalace.com/shop/products.php?cat=65 . 4.       How far away do my drains need to be apart to be compliant?: This law has stated that there must be a minimum of 3 feet measuring from the middle of one drain cover to the middle of the next one to be compliant. If yours are not, there are several things you can do to become compliant such as adding an SRV system or capping one of your drains. Check with a reputable company such as Aqua Palace for their advice on your specific pool and what you will have to do to become compliant.5.       What can I expect to spend on new pool drain covers?: It will depend on the size of your drain covers, but the average cost per drain cover is going to be around $95 - $160 per drain cover.6.       What can I expect to spend on new spa drain covers?: Once again it depends on size, but they range from $15 - $95 per drain cover.7.       What can I expect to spend on an SVRS (Safety Vacuum Release System)?: They range anywhere from $699 - $900. Aqua Palace also has these available for $699!8.       What is considered an “unblockable drain cover”?:  CPSP (Consumer Product Safety Commission) has determined that a drain is unblockable if it is 18”x23” or larger. They came to this determination by deciding how big of an area a human could cover with any part of their body (stomach, butt, legs, etc.). After determining this, they decided that it would be next to impossible for a human being to cover an 18”x23” service, causing them to get stuck and entrapped around the drain. This is where the rule came from. 9.       How are you so knowledgeable in this area of the VGB Pool & Spa Act?:  We try our best to stay up to date with all of the new legislations, guidelines, rulings, and interpretations from CPSP, NSPF, among many other sources. We have also been in the pool and spa business for over 15 years and we deal with pools and spas on a daily basis. We also know about the engineering of pools and spas, commercial or residential, and know the importance of how all the mechanics need to work to make the safest, cleanest pool or spa possible. Pool & Spa Safety is one of the many things that we make sure teach people about because it is extremely important. 10.   When do I need to have my pool completely compliant?: The date to have your pool up and compliant was December 19, 2008. This is a year after the Virginia Graeme Baker Bill was signed. If you have a seasonal pool (outdoor pool), you will not be mandated to be compliant until you open the pool this spring. If you have an indoor pool, you should be compliant as of now.

Posted: March 19th, 2009 under Pool Equipment, Pool Safety, Swimming Pools, VGB Compliance.
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Do you still need a VGB Compliant Drain Cover for your pool or spa? The common sizes of drain covers are now being produced and are readily available for your to purchase right now. We have found a website that has a large variety of VGB compliant drain covers available if you still need some. Please visit http://www.aquapalace.com/shop/products.php?cat=65 to take a look at some of these compliant drain covers and find the one that will fit your pool or spa. More covers are being added as they become available on the market. Drain covers for pools range in size from 8 inch, 10 inch, 12 inch, 9×9, 12×12, 18×18 and 24×24 and they range in many different styles that are all compliant with the Virginia Graeme Baker Bill! There is also a collection of spa compliant drain covers that come in a variety of sizes as well.

Reminder: Although these covers are easy to get right now, come spring we have a feeling that the covers will be harder to find. This is because all of the outdoor commercial pools will be opening and will need covers as well and the manufactures can only produce so many. The demand will become very high over the next couple of months and to ensure that you are compliant in time for your pool to be opened this spring, I would advise getting your drain covers as soon as possible before the demand is hard to fill.

Posted: March 1st, 2009 under Hot Tubs/Spas, Pool Equipment, Pool Safety, Pool Tips, Swimming Pools, VGB Compliance.
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Have you asked yourself who will be the one to determine if your pool is considered VGB compliant or not? That is still a very good question and unfortunatly there has not been a decided answer yet. According to the President of APSP (Association of Pool & Spa Professionals) Bill Weber, there has not been one offical person who has been chosen for that position yet. It is still up in the air as to who will be the one to say which pools and spas may remain open and which pools and spas will have to close immediatly. They are still discussing if it sould be the city inspectors, a state government offical, somebody even higher than the government offical, or possibly even a newbie that they will train to check these pools and spas specifically for this VGB act to make sure they are compliant. Even though we are unsure who wlil be checking the pools for compliance at this time, we know for a FACT that the pools and spas will be checked and need ot be compliant as soon as possible. The VGB is not only a law but is a way to make sure that we protect the people who patronize our pools and spas and to make sure that we keep them safe.

Source: Bill Weber President APSP - Scott Rolenc owner of Aqua Palace in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Posted: March 1st, 2009 under Pool Equipment, Pool Safety, Pool Tips, Swimming Pools, VGB Compliance.
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The President of APSP (Association of Pool & Spa Professionals) has recently confirmed an important guideline regarding the Virginia Graeme Baker Bill. The correct way to measure your current drains to make sure they are in compliant is to measure from the middle of one drain cover to the middle of the next drain cover. There must be a minimum of 3 ft between each drain cover. If there is not 3 ft between each drain cover, more serious action will need to be taken to make your pool compliant. This is the offical word despite all of the other interpretations of this law.

Reminder: Even if your drain covers are 3 ft or more apart from each other, to be completely compliant with this law, you MUST change your drain covers and replace them with a compliant version. If you have not purchased new drain covers for your pool since January 2009 more than likely your drain covers are not compliant. Alot of drain covers were manufactored prior to Jan. 09, but unfortunatly with all the changes that they continue to make to this law, most of the drain covers made prior to that date are not compliant as of right now. They have added several markings that need to be on your drain cover including: life expectancy of 3, 5, or 7 years stamped clearly on the drain cover, the ASME / ANSI bill number, it must also say VGB 2008 somewhere on it, and it must be stamped with the GPM as well. If you have any questions regarding your current drain covers, please contact us.

Source: Bill Weber APSP President - Scott Rolenc owner of Aqua Palace in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Posted: March 1st, 2009 under Hot Tubs/Spas, Pool Equipment, Pool Safety, Pool Tips, Swimming Pools, VGB Compliance.
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Q: I have a field-fabricated, unblockable drain cover that I believe meets the current ASME/ANSI standard. Am I required to order a new cover?

A: No. A field-fabricated cover may continue to be used where a professional engineer (PE) certifies that it meets the requirements of ASME/ANSI A112.19.8-2007, including flow rates, UV exposure, and durability. The PE must document that the drain cover meets the new standard and provide a copy of the certificate to the pool owner/operator.

Q & A from the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website, www.cpsc.gov

Posted: February 19th, 2009 under Hot Tubs/Spas, Pool Equipment, Pool Safety, Pool Tips, Swimming Pools, VGB Compliance.
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Summer is just around the corner and it’s time to start thinking about your pool again! Something that you might want to have checked out this year is your phosphate level in your pool. Last year was an extremly bad year for phosphate and we would like to help you prevent high levels in your pool this year! Phosphate in your water is food for the algae to feed off of, which in turn can cause algae in your pool. There are products that will help to lower the phosphate level in your pool if it is high and it is best to start treating it when you first open your pool. So stop in with a sample of water when you get your pool opened up and we would be glad to check your phosphate level for you!

Posted: January 20th, 2009 under Chemicals, Pool Tips, Swimming Pools.
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