MaintenanceGuide
Pool Care While You're Away
What actually goes wrong while you're gone, how to set the chlorine and the pump before you leave, and when a pool genuinely needs someone to visit.
5 minUpdated Sep 17, 2026
Topic
Pool Algae Guides
Algae is a symptom. Killing it is the easy half; keeping it gone means fixing what let it in.
11 guides on this topic
Water ChemistryExplainer
Borates in Pool Water: What They Do and What They Don't
Borates slow pH creep and the labels claim algae suppression. What the EPA labels really say, how much to add, the pH catch, and why only draining removes them.
9 minUpdated Sep 13, 2026
Water ChemistryHow-to
Black Algae in a Pool: How to Kill It
It is not algae, it has roots, and it builds a shell over itself. Why chlorine alone never touches it, and the brushing protocol that actually clears it.
5 minUpdated Sep 8, 2026
Water ChemistryExplainer
Phosphates in Pool Water: When They Actually Matter
Phosphates feed algae, but a high reading is not why your pool went green. What the number means and when removing it is money well spent.
5 minUpdated Sep 6, 2026
Seasonal CareHow-to
Pool Opened Green? The Clear-Up, Start to Finish
Green at opening is a shock-and-hold job on a clock, not an algaecide problem. The sequence, realistic timings, and when refilling beats treating.
5 minUpdated Sep 6, 2026
RepairsTroubleshooting
Pool Won't Hold Chlorine? Work Out Which Demand You Have
Chlorine gone by morning means something is consuming it. The overnight test that tells you what, and why ammonia is the one that needs a shocking dose.
5 minUpdated Sep 6, 2026
ReviewsReview
PoolRx Review: What the Mineral Cartridge Actually Does
A chelated copper cartridge that genuinely suppresses algae for months. Here's what it does, what it doesn't, and the chlorine advice to ignore.
7 minUpdated Sep 13, 2026
Water ChemistryTroubleshooting
Cloudy Pool Water: Causes and How to Clear It Fast
Six things turn pool water cloudy and only one of them needs clarifier. Work through them in this order and you'll fix it in a day instead of two weeks.
5 minUpdated Sep 12, 2026
Water ChemistryHow-to
How to Shock a Pool (And Why Most People Do It Wrong)
Shock isn't a product, it's a level. Here's how to work out the right target for your pool, how much to add, and why the bag instructions fail so often.
7 minUpdated Jul 11, 2026
Water ChemistryTroubleshooting
How to Get Rid of Pool Algae (Green, Yellow, Black and Pink)
Four types of pool algae, four different fights. How to identify what you've got, kill it properly, and stop it coming back in three weeks.
6 minUpdated Jul 28, 2026
Seasonal CareHow-to
How to Open a Pool in Spring (And Come Up Clear, Not Green)
Opening early beats every chemical you can buy in April. The full sequence, in order, including what to do if it's already green.
5 minUpdated Apr 22, 2026