The Complete Pool Maintenance Guide for Adelaide Owners

Good pool maintenance isn’t complicated, but it’s easy to get wrong. Bad chemistry, bad filtration habits and seasonal neglect cause 90% of the problems we see in Adelaide pools. This complete pool maintenance guide walks through what a proper weekly, monthly and seasonal routine looks like, what the real warning signs of bigger problems are, and when it’s time to stop maintaining and start resurfacing.

Weekly pool maintenance tasks

Every pool in Adelaide needs weekly attention during the swimming season (October to April) and fortnightly attention through winter.

Test and balance water chemistry

Test free chlorine, pH and total alkalinity every week using drop-test kits or a photometer. Test strips are convenient but less accurate. Target ranges:

• Free chlorine: 2 to 4 ppm
• pH: 7.2 to 7.6
• Total alkalinity: 80 to 120 ppm
• Calcium hardness: 200 to 400 ppm (test monthly)
• Cyanuric acid (stabiliser): 30 to 50 ppm (test quarterly)

Brush and vacuum

Brush the walls and floor weekly to prevent algae from gaining a foothold and to keep debris in suspension for the filter to catch. Vacuum manually or with an automatic cleaner.

Empty skimmer and pump baskets

Clogged baskets reduce flow, strain the pump, and allow debris to decompose in the water.

Check water level

Water level should sit at the midpoint of the skimmer opening. Too low and the pump runs dry. Too high and the skimmer stops skimming.

Monthly pool maintenance tasks

• Check filter pressure and clean if needed (sand filter backwash, cartridge hose-clean)
• Inspect coping and waterline for new cracks, loose stones or scale build-up
• Test calcium hardness and adjust if out of range
• Visually inspect the pool surface for new stains, rough patches or wear
• Lubricate o-rings on pump lid and filter valves

Seasonal pool maintenance

Summer (October to March)

Run the filter 8 to 10 hours a day. Test chemistry weekly. Shock after heavy rain, pool parties or visible algae. Keep chlorine on the higher end of range as UV burns it off fast in Adelaide sun.

Autumn (April to May)

Clear leaves and debris daily as trees drop. Run the filter 6 hours a day. Begin dropping temperature chemistry adjustments. Consider a pool cover to reduce debris and evaporation.

Winter (June to August)

Reduce filter run time to 3 to 4 hours a day. Maintain chlorine at 1 to 2 ppm. Brush and vacuum every 2 weeks. Keep equipment running to prevent stagnation — never turn the pump off completely. Read our winterising guide for full winter detail.

Spring (September to October)

Return to summer schedule. Open the pool properly, rebalance chemistry, shock if needed, and run the filter longer. See our summer prep guide.

Pool chemistry: the 6 things that matter most

1. Free chlorine

The sanitiser that kills bacteria and algae. Below 1 ppm and the pool isn’t sanitary. Above 5 ppm and it damages surfaces, irritates skin and eats equipment.

2. pH

The scale of acidity/alkalinity. Too low (under 7.0) and the water is corrosive to metal fittings, heaters and plaster. Too high (above 7.8) and chlorine becomes much less effective, scale forms and water looks cloudy.

3. Total alkalinity

Buffers pH against rapid swings. Low alkalinity makes pH bounce around. High alkalinity makes pH stubborn and encourages scale.

4. Calcium hardness

The calcium content of the water. Low calcium dissolves plaster and etches surfaces. High calcium builds scale.

5. Cyanuric acid (stabiliser)

Protects chlorine from UV breakdown. Below 30 ppm and chlorine burns off fast. Above 80 ppm and chlorine becomes locked up and ineffective.

6. Salt (for saltwater pools)

Feeds the chlorinator cell. Usually 3,500 to 5,000 ppm depending on system.

Filtration: the other half of maintenance

Chemistry is only half the job. A pool filter has to actually remove the particles chemistry can’t dissolve. A well-sized filter running 8+ hours a day during summer is the difference between a clean pool and constant chemical battles.

Three main filter types — sand, cartridge and DE — each with their own pros and cons. Read our best pool filter buying guide for a full comparison.

Warning signs that maintenance isn’t enough anymore

Even perfect maintenance can’t fix a pool surface that’s reached end of life. These signs mean you’ve graduated from maintenance to resurfacing territory:

• Surface roughness you can feel with bare feet
• Persistent stains that won’t shift with proper treatment
• Peeling or delaminating surface
• Black spot algae that keeps returning despite treatment
• Visible cracks in plaster or exposed aggregate
• Chalking fibreglass that leaves residue on hands

If you’re seeing 3 or more of these, maintenance is no longer the answer. See our resurfacing checklist for the full list, or try our pool condition checker.

What good maintenance can’t fix

Clients often tell us “I kept the chemistry spot on and the pool still deteriorated.” They’re right — they did nothing wrong. Pool surfaces have a finite lifespan. Paint lasts 3 to 7 years. Flowcoat lasts 15 to 25. Plaster lasts 10 to 15. Pebblecrete lasts 15 to 25+. When a surface reaches end of life, maintenance can’t extend it. At that point, resurfacing is the reset button.

We’ve been in surface preparation for 30+ years through Paint Professionals. We’ve trained 16 apprentices. And we deliver near-zero defect rates on resurfacing because of the prep work we do. Our pool resurfacing service page covers what we do. The cost guide has pricing.

Keeping up with maintenance and noticed the surface degrading anyway? Contact us or call 1800 724 683 for an on-site assessment. We’ll tell you whether it’s time for a resurface or whether the pool can go another season.