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Light and water are best friends. Think sunrise over the ocean, sunset over a lake, moonlight on a river…. The right light can turn an ordinary body of water into something truly magical. If you have a fountain or water feature in your garden, you’ll be amazed at how the addition of even just one light can completely transform it after dark. Submersible lights (ones that can go underwater) are the most popular choices for fountains, as they shine up through the water flow and onto the fountain itself, creating a soft, shimmery and almost hypnotic effect. Some fountain lights have coloured filters, which can be changed according to the effect you want to create. Others have multi-coloured lenses, giving you a spectacular rainbow effect. You could also try a lily pad light which floats on the surface of the water. If your fountain is wall mounted, you might want to try an easel-style light. These usually clip on the side of the fountain, highlighting the water flow from the top, rather than from underneath.

Choosing The Right Light

Whichever kind of light you choose for your fountain, it’s important to make sure it’s the right size in relation to the overall size of the basin. Most fountain lights are between five and 10 watts, although you will sometimes find up to 50 watt lights in large ponds. Obviously, lights use electricity, and electricity and water don’t get along! This is why it’s important to ensure that any light you buy runs on 12 volts, making it safe to use in or near water. In the unlikely event of an accident, the voltage is low enough not to seriously injure people or fish. Most submersible lights are available as LED or halogen, and either will work nicely in your fountain. Halogen lights are usually less expensive than LED versions, but they don’t last as long and typically use more electricity. They also run hotter than LED lights. For a great choice of submersible lighting for your water feature, pond or fountain, visit Pool Spa and Filtration’s website or call us on 011 793 1381 and chat to one of our friendly team.

If you have a swimming pool, algae is the last thing you ever want to see. That dreaded film of green coating the sides of your pool is enough to strike fear into the heart of even the bravest pool owner. If you have a pond on the other hand, algae can actually be your friend – as long as you manage it properly.

What Is Algae?

Algae are related to fungi and bacteria. They are primitive plants which, although predominantly green in colour, don’t have any actual leaves. Nor do they have stems or root systems. Yet, despite these apparent limitations, algae have managed to survive over millions of years, adapting to changing and diverse habitats until the point where today, there are over 17 000 identified species. In a pond, algae are usually the first plants to arrive after you’ve filled it up. They form the very foundation of the food chain and are critical to maintaining balance and productivity. Algae – which can be airborne, or arrive in your pond courtesy of birds that come to drink – will turn your pond green after only a few days, depending on the temperature. But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Fish are happy in green ponds as they can’t easily be seen by predators. Algae oxygenate the water, and some serious koi enthusiasts actually make a point of keeping their fish in a green pond prior to showing them in a competition, as they find it makes the colours more vibrant. So then why does algae have such a bad reputation? One word – bloom. An algal bloom is a sudden and rapid increase in the population of algae within a particular water system, such as your pond. Although the exact causes of blooms aren’t really understood, some can be the result of too many nutrients (especially nitrogen and phosphorus) in the water. Warmer weather and increased sunlight hare also thought to accelerate an algal bloom, which is why they are more common in the summer. The problem with a bloom is that as more algae grows, other plants die. These dead plants then become food for bacteria. More food means more bacteria, bacteria use up the dissolved oxygen in the water, and without enough dissolved oxygen, many aquatic insects and fish in the pond can die. At Pool, Spa and Filtration Supplies, we stock a range of products to help restore the natural ecological balance to your pond. Contact us today or visit www.poolspa.co.za.

Those of us who have been negotiating the treacherous waters of swimming pool maintenance understand the delicate balance needed to keep our pool sparkling. For those who are new at this dance, we’d like to offer a few tips to help to identify the most common problems with swimming pools. Cloudy water If you’ve been using your pool in the warm summer months, there is a good chance that you have a build-up of swimmer’s pollution. Skin oils, sun creams, and everything else that comes with pool fun tends to leave its mark. A quick backwash followed by a super chlorinate should do the trick in this case. While you’re there – check your filter. This is another common cause of milky water. It is also possible that the chlorine in your pool isn’t as effective as it could be, as the stabiliser levels are too high. This means the chemicals are taking too long to kill the bugs in the water. In this instance, drain some of the pool water and top up with fresh mains water which will lower the stabiliser. Green water From a delicate tinge to a full-blown pea soup, green means algae. Your chlorine levels may be too low which has allowed the algae to take root. Depending on how green the swimming pool is, you may need a superchlorinate, or a shock dose of up to 25ppm. Dead algae will need to be removed, so once you have killed the offending plants, you will need to brush off the hard to reach places and let the filter do its job. A backwash 24 hours later will get rid of the algae from the filter. Ongoing pool maintenance such as brushing, cleaning filters, and testing your chemical levels are the best way to ward off major problems. If you want the pool without the problems, then let us handle it for you. Pool Spa has a busy maintenance division to keep you sparkling all summer long. Call us on 011 793 1381 or visit poolspa.co.za.

Maintenance is essential to keep your swimming pool in tip top shape. But proper pool maintenance doesn’t stop with scooping leaves and adding a few chemicals. Your pool pump is one of the most overlooked parts of your swimming pool, and one that is essential to keep a close eye on.

What are some signs that your pool pump needs attention?

Let’s take a look. Grinding or screeching noises. These noises are never good in a component with moving parts, and this may be an indication that your bearings are aging or rusting. It may also be a sign of a leak in your shaft seal. Grinding, followed by silence means that your motor shaft has seized and you will need to replace it. Water dripping from motor vents This symptom, along with loud bearings or a rusty motor casing, point to a leaking shaft seal. Your shaft seal protects the electric motor and when it fails, it starts to allow water into the motor casing. The bearings will start to corrode, as will other copper windings and electrical parts. As we well know, water and electricity don’t go well together, and this needs to be seen to urgently to prevent a complete motor replacement. Low water pressure While your motor is a key component, your impeller does the heavy lifting. The impeller moves the water much like a propeller on a boat, and forces the water through the system. If your impeller is broken you will hear the motor running, but the water flow will be poor. You may even hear some rattling if the broken impeller pieces are still in the housing. Clogged impeller Your strainer basket is the first line of defence in your pool system, and if it is allowing debris through to the inside of the pump then it needs urgent attention. Leaves, sticks and other debris can break of clog the moving parts and strain your motor, resulting in early failure. Pool maintenance is an essential part of owning a pool, but let’s face it - we don’t all have the time or the technical skills to see to it. Which is why Pool Spa have such a busy maintenance division, and we’d love to help you. Give us a call on 011 793 1381.

If you have a pond for Koi or goldfish in your garden, you’ll know firsthand how expensive it can be - both in terms of building the pond, and then stocking it with fish. We understand why it’s then so important to you that the water quality and clarity is kept at its best at all times – there’s no point having fish if you can’t see them! Your fish will also live much happier, stress-free lives if the water they live in is clean and toxin-free. Stressed fish are much more susceptible to disease, so happy fish are healthy fish! To help keep your pond in fish-friendly condition, it’s very important not to let toxins – from fertilizers or pesticides, for example – get into the water. Don’t spray the plants that live close to the pond, and try to divert any rain run-off away from the water. It’s also important to regularly test the pH, nitrate and ammonia levels. A healthy pH is between 7.0 and 7.8, but anywhere between 6.6 and 8.4 is safe. If you find you need to regulate the pH, do it gradually, as a sudden change can be very dangerous for the fish. If your ammonia or nitrate levels are high, this is a sign of one of two things – either you have too many fish for the size of your pond, or your filter is not working properly. Strictly speaking, it is possible to keep Koi and goldfish in a pond that doesn’t have a filter, but it places huge restrictions on how many fish you can successfully have. In the wild, fish don’t need filters because they swim in large areas of water, but fish that live in a pond will be much happier if their waste is filtered out and their water kept clean. Biological filters break down ammonia into nitrate using naturally occurring bacteria, and are the most effective method of removing toxins from garden ponds. At Pool Spa and Filtration Supplies, we offer a range of filters and other pond products to ensure a 100% natural, biological system that can be used for plants, fish or both. Chat to us today on 011 983 1381 or visit www.poolspa.co.za to see our full product and service range.

Let’s be honest – investing in a new swimming pool isn’t a small thing. The costs involved, choosing the right design, and the upheaval of having the pool contractor in your space are just some of the challenges that you will face. We all agree that doing your homework before committing to a pool contractor is vital. But, what should you be looking for?

What questions should you ask before hiring a pool contractor?

Well actually, there is just one. It all comes down to references. Sounds simple, right? Well actually it’s not a case of just asking for pictures and maybe a telephone number of a person that you can chat to about the quality of their work. Why not try this approach: Ask them how many pools they have installed so far this year. Most pool contractors will be thrilled to give you some numbers which make him and his company look great. Your next question should be: Can I see your reference list from these installations? At this point you can do some simple sums. If your pool contractor installed 10 swimming pools, but can only give you a reference for 5, then you can assume a 50% satisfaction rate. Is that good enough for you? Some say that this sounds too simplistic, and that some people don’t want to give references or be contacted about a job. But ask yourself, when you have received great service, and you are thrilled with the result – especially with a big purchase – don’t you generally tell people about it? Most people are happy to sing the praises of a company who have given great customer service, and who have done a good job. What if the pool contractor refuses to give references? Well, we say, “Walk away.” An honest contractor is a transparent one, and you may have just dodged a bullet by going with someone who is happy to prove their worth. PoolSpa has been around for decades, and we have a solid track record in installing quality swimming pools, ponds, fountains and water features. We’d love to give you our references. Visit our website at www.poolspa.co.za today.