SwimKing's professional staff of highly-trained technicians will, by appointment, arrange to provide the labor to open or close your residential pool. Due to the seasonal nature of our business and the high demands of our service, it is strongly recommended that you schedule this work as early as possible. For more information, please call us at 845-339-7946 or send us an email.

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For the do-it-yourselfer, we offer these tips on opening or starting your pool. If you just got a new pool, or if you are opening your pool for a new season, here's how to start it up and do it right. Follow these simple steps or download printable instructions:

  1. Pump water from cover.  Clean and dry cover.  Patch if necessary, sprinkle talc over cover, fold and store in a dry place.
  2. If you have not already done so, your DIATOMACEOUS EARTH FILTER should be cleaned and inspected.  The filter should be disassembled and the flex tubes bathed in a solution of MURIATIC ACID and water.  If you have a sand filter, you should clean the sand with a generous application of FILTER CLEANER.  If your sand has not recently been changed, we suggest you do so now. (NOTE:  SwimKing will clean your DIATOMACEOUS EARTH FILTER for a nominal fee.)
  3. Check the shaft of your motor; make sure it moves freely by hand.  Do not turn motor on until you are sure the shaft is moving.  Remember, if your pool filter is not working properly, your chemicals will be less effective.
  4. Remove winterizing plate and plugs from your pool.  Re-install your through-the-wall skimmer and return fitting.  Attach the filter and hoses to pool, and raise the water level to the middle of the skimmer.  NOTE: Be sure the skimmer and return gaskets are in good condition.
  5. At this point you are ready to begin filtration.  Add the DIATOMACEOUS EARTH POWDER to your filter (usually six (6) one-pound coffee cans) and begin filtration.
  6. VACUUM AND CLEAN POOL.  Use PHOENIX TILE & VINYL CLEANER to remove oils and dirt from the water line.  Remove any leaves or debris with your leaf net to prevent staining. Vacuum pool if necessary.  You may also use your TILE & VINYL CLEANER to clean your pool's coping, decks and fences.
  7. Clean and check all hoses along with your automatic chlorinator (if applicable).  Also check and tighten all fittings and connections, including all nuts and bolts on the pool and ladder.  NOTE:  With the expansion and contraction of the pool water freezing, nuts and bolts may loosen during the winter.
  8. CHECK YOUR TEST KIT.  Make sure it's in proper working order.  Each season you'll need new reagents (O.T.O. & PHENOL RED) to obtain accurate readings.  Bad or old test reagents can mean false readings and costly misuse of chemicals. For those that use test strips, check expiration date on the bottom of the bottle to insure accuracy.
  9. If you prefer, SwimKing will be happy to test your pool water free of charge, on our COMPUTERIZED DIAGNOSTIC TEST EQUIPMENT.  Our test will reveal precisely what chemicals your pool will need to get your water balanced.  We suggest you make use of our free testing frequently during the season; this often stops chemistry problems before they start.
  10. TEST AND ADJUST THE TOTAL HARDNESS.  The recommended level is 150 - 300 ppm.  If necessary, add SWIMKING CALCIUM HARDNESS INCREASER.
  11. TEST AND ADJUST TOTAL ALKALINITY.  Total alkalinity is the measurement of the alkaline in the water.  The ideal alkalinity reading is 100 to 150 ppm.  Total alkalinity should be adjusted prior to adjusting pH.  Use SWIMKING ALKALINITY PLUS to raise a low total alkalinity and MURIATIC ACID or SWIMKING pH MINUS to lower a high total alkalinity.  NOTE:  It could take several doses to lower high alkalinity.
  12. TEST AND ADJUST pH.  The most important pool test is pH.  A low pH indicates over-acidity, causing chlorine to dissipate quickly.  The high pH reduces the chlorine's sanitizing strength.  Test your pH:  the ideal reading is 7.2 to 7.6.  Adjust the pH by adding SWIMKING pH PLUS or MINUS.
  13. Wait approximately eight (8) hours after pH adjustment, then, in a bucket filed with water, mix a treatment of SWIMKING SHOCKING.  When all granules are dissolved, slowly pour liquid solution around entire surface of pool.  This will adjust the amount of free (usable) chlorine in your pool water in order to kill any bacteria.  The ideal free chlorine reading is 1.0 to 1.5 ppm.  A reading below this means you will not have enough chlorine to fight bacteria.
  14. Now that the chlorine level in your pool has been elevated, you should measure the amount of stabilizer OR cyanuric acid in your pool.  Ideally, it should be about 40 ppm; this prevents sunlight from dissipating chlorine.  A pool that is not properly stabilized wastes chlorine.  If your test reveals insufficient stabilizer, add CHLORINE STABILIZER.  Do this by making sure your filter is clean, then adding the stabilizer slowly into your skimmer with the pump running.  Since stabilizer dissolves slowly, do not backwash or clean filter for 2 - 3 days.
  15. NOW ADD OXY-CLEAN.  OXY-CLEAN oxidizes water-soluble, non-filterable swimmer wastes and organic matter.  It contains no chlorine and is designed to destroy any microbes that might be resistant to normal chlorine treatments.  OXY-CLEAN is a very important part of maintaining a healthy swimming pool, and should be added to your pool every 2 - 3 weeks.
  16. If your pool is very cloudy when you open it, one reason for this could be suspended microscopic particles in your pool.  If you have this problem you should add SUPER POOL PRUF WATER CLARIFIER.  This concentrated clarifier is formulated to clean cloudy pools.
  17. Now that you have completed all of the opening steps, you are well on your way to a fun-filled summer of swimming and enjoyment.  Your pool will, however, require WEEKLY DOSES OF CHLORINE to kill bacteria and prevent infection to swimmers.  For this we recommend 3' SWIMKING STABILIZED KING TABS.  This offers you 89% AVAILABLE CHLORINE 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  This chemical is STABILIZED CHLORINE so the sunlight or ultra-violet rays won't dissipate it.  You simply place the appropriate amount of tablets in a decorative floating dispenser and rest easy, knowing that your pool is safe and germ free.

We at SWIMKING are committed to offering you the FINEST QUALITY POOL CHEMICALS at the most REASONABLE PRICES. If you have any questions, please feel free to call 845-336-7946 or email us at service@swimkingpools.com.

PLEASE NOTE: SwimKing Pools & Spas strongly urges each of our customers to use only SwimKing brand or SwimKing recommended chemicals in your swimming pool. These chemicals have been specially formulated to ensure the life-long quality of our products without the risk of fading or wrinkling often caused by inferior grade chemicals or chemical imbalance. Such disorders are not covered under product warranty. Do not endanger your pool, warranty or liner by using inferior chemicals. They may save you a little, but end up costing you a lot!