Swim University®

I’ve been helping people with their pools for over 30 years, and in all that time, I’ve always recommended a corded robotic pool cleaner. Not once...

High calcium hardness isn’t a problem until you start noticing white, chalky buildup on your pool walls, cloudy water that won’t clear up, or a clogged filter that’s working harder than it should be. That’s calcium scale, and it means your calcium hardness levels are too high.

Total calcium hardness measures the amount of dissolved calcium in your pool water. Too mu...

If your water doesn’t have enough calcium, it starts pulling calcium straight from your pool’s surfaces. And that leads to etching, pitting, and damaged equipment. The good news is that raising calcium hardness is one of the easier chemistry fixes you’ll deal with all season.

Check out the video or keep reading for a walkthrough on adding

If your pool is surrounded by trees or you’re constantly battling leaves in the water, a pool leaf vacuum is the most effective tool for cleanup. A standard vacuum head can handle dirt and fine debris just fine, but throw a pile of soggy leaves at it and it’ll clog in minutes.

A pool leaf vacuum is affordable and easy to use. But it’s not perfect, and there are bett...

If you’ve ever struggled with pollen, bugs, cottonwood fluff, or pet hair in your pool water, a pool skimmer sock might be your new favorite pool accessory. It’s a simple, cheap mesh liner that stretches over your skimmer basket and traps the fine debris that your plastic skimmer basket can’t catch.

So, are they worth it? Yes, but only if you’re willing to stay on t...