How to Remove Sediment From the Bottom of Your Pool
Published November 17, 2023
Tired of the unsightly sediment in your pool? Automatic filtration systems, such as skimmers and main drains, can keep your pool clean. However, they may have difficulty removing small particles like dirt, dust, and sand. Even chlorine tablets can’t eliminate these particles. If you’re annoyed by dirt in your pool, it’s possible to make it clear again.
A pool has two automatic filtration systems: (1) the skimmer and (2) the main drain. The skimmer deals with debris like plastics and leaves, while the main drain circulates water to ensure it’s clean.
Though they do a great job cleaning a pool, one thing they cannot remove is sediment. Sediment, in this context, is any fine material that settles at the bottom of your pool, such as dirt, dust, and sand.
Sediments are often too tiny to be caught by skimmers, but not too tiny to be caught by the main drain. As such, you cannot rely on these automatic systems. Even chlorine can’t eliminate them. The undissolved parts of a chlorine tablet may often end up as sediment. If you’re having trouble dealing with them, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to remove sediment from bottom of pool.
Step #1: Brush The Pool
After a while of not dealing with the sediments, they may pile up at the bottom of the pool to form chunks of dirt or dust. Given time, these chunks of deposits may stick firmly to the pool’s surfaces.
Unfortunately, a vacuum’s suction power is often not enough to suck sediments when they’re stuck at the bottom of your pool. Therefore, you need to know how to clean bottom of pool by taking them out of their firm attachment first.
To do so, you need to brush the pool. For this, you need a brush appropriate for your pool’s construction material. There are brushes for concrete, vinyl, gunite, and fiberglass. Since you’ll use it often, you might as well invest in a good-quality brush.
Once you have one, use it on both the sides and steps of your pool first. You do this so you don’t have to deal with them later once you get to the bottom since they would eventually drop otherwise.
After that, go ahead and brush the bottom of the pool. This is your best option on how to get dirt out of pool. But as you might imagine, it won’t be the end of the process, as there are a few more steps.
Keep in mind that this step will take the most amount of time in this cleanup operation. It’s also the most arduous step as it requires you to use force. You must do this once or twice a week.
Step #2: Net The Suspended Sediments
After brushing, the sediments will go in one of two places: (1) the surface or (2) the bottom.
While we understand you want to learn how to remove sediment from bottom of pool, deal first with the deposits floating on the water’s surface. These are known as suspended sediments.
You do this because they would fall to the bottom of the pool, leaving you with more work if you were to leave them be. To do this, you need a skimmer net. Though you can rely on the automatic or floating skimmer to do the work for you, it’s best to eliminate them as soon as possible.
If you ignore the sediments, the algae you didn’t see will have food and time to grow. That’ll give you another problem, and you don’t want that.
You don’t have to net the sediments manually every day. You only have to do it every time you brush the pool for a cleanup. You can leave the regular skimming to the automatic skimmer.
Step #3: Vacuum The Bottom Part Of The Pool
With the second step done, dispose of the sediments at the bottom of your pool. For this, you’ll need a pool vacuum. You need a vac head, a hose, and a telescopic pole.
Many stores sell these as a set, so there should be no issue finding all parts.
This part is a bit more complex than the previous ones, so here’s a step-by-step guide:
- The first thing you need to do for this step is to assemble the vacuum. To do so, attach the telescopic pole and vacuum hose to the vacuum head.
- Once you have the complete vacuum ready, attach the other end of the hose to the return jet. Every pool has one. Then, use the return jet to fill the hose with water. That would then go to the vacuum head to replace the air. Your goal is to get rid of the air in the head completely. Note: A sign that the head no longer contains air is when air bubbles stop rising.
- Detach the hose from the jet and into the skimmer. Place your hand at the end of the hose to prevent the water from coming out. The skimmer has an inlet, so it should fit perfectly.
- Start vacuuming. It’s common practice to start from the shallowest part of the pool and move deeper until you reach the bottom. If you do it the other way around, the sediments at the higher points of the pool may drop to the bottom, and then you’ll have to vacuum it again.
- Disconnect and disassemble the vacuum once you’re done.
Ensure the filter and pump are running so the skimmer can work while you vacuum. Like the second step, you can rely on the main drain to eliminate the remaining sediments. However, remember that it can only suck in fine dirt and dust, and there are bound to be larger chunks of residues lying around. You need to vacuum the pool manually to get rid of them.
In case you don’t have a vacuum available, you need to know how to remove sediment from bottom of pool without vacuum. Luckily, there’s a trick worth learning. One technique is using a dustpan. You must dive underwater to push the dirt to the dustpan and slowly rise out of the water.
If you lack the time in keeping your pool clean and free of sediments at the bottom, consider a reputable Boca Raton cleaning service. Doing so ensures your pool is clean and healthy at all times.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sediment Removal From Pools
1. Why is the bottom of my pool always dirty?
Fine dirt or sediment is likely to build up at the bottom of your pool. It doesn’t get circulated through your pool system. It’s why the sediment piles up at the bottom of your pool.
2. How to remove dirt from bottom of pool without vacuum?
If you find large pieces of dirt and debris at the bottom of your pool, use a plastic leaf rake. A plastic version prevents scratches on the pool’s liner while allowing you to pick up the debris.
3. Can I vacuum my pool every day?
Vacuuming your pool daily is ideal. However, not everyone has the time to handle the task, so following a weekly schedule would be enough. Make it a priority to engage in a comprehensive cleaning assignment at least twice a week and perform spot cleaning as needed.
4. How to remove algae from pool without a vacuum?
Using algaecide or chlorine can help eliminate algae from your pool if you don’t have a vacuum. An algaecide works by killing algae and stopping growth. Choose a product for the type and amount of algae in your pool. When adding chlorine to the pool, use the right treatment for your pool size and follow the instructions. The shock treatment helps bleach the pool and remove any algae present.
Closing Thoughts
You now know how to remove sediment from bottom of pool. The main challenge now would be whether you’ll have the patience to keep at this routine. Compared to simpler tasks like putting chlorine tablets or turning on the skimmer, this task is arduous and time-consuming. However, by consistently following this cleaning routine, you can transform your pool into a sparkling oasis. So, dive in, take action, and enjoy a pristine swimming experience!
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About The Author
Lenard Arceo is an experienced writer and digital marketing expert. He loves to code and spending time outdoors. He has helped many reputable websites grow over the years.
