# Private swimming pool



## Chez34 (Jul 30, 2015)

Hello

I'm new to the forums and have just moved here for year to try it and see what I think, I came here with my mum we had been a few times before and decided to give it a go.

We are an English mother (61) and daughter (34) who are looking for work although we have financial security for a few months yet but come September when it's cooler and we start getting board we will want jobs. The only downside is we don't speak Greek.

My question is how much water and electricity bills are roughly if you have a private swimming pool. We pay for maintenance which is done once a week but how. Ugh water and electricity it uses was something we didn't actually think about.

Any help would be great,

Cheryl


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

Water usage is dependent on the physical location as breezes and direct sun will cause evaporation. Also an uncovered pool will lose more overnight. I don't have any figures to offer you but at the moment I top up my pool twice a week from our well. I do believe it is illegal to use the mains water supply.

As far as electricity goes I think most pumps are rated at about 1 Kilowatt so if you check your time switch to see how many hours a day it is on, that is the number of units of electricity burned per day.

Pete


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## southcoastlady (Apr 18, 2015)

Who maintains your pool? We were told when we came to Cyprus if you use a company they will/may tell you to have the pump on for much longer than necessary as it makes their job easier! 

We met one lady in our area and her pool company told her to put the pump on twice a day for four hours!

We have our pump on twice a day for one hour each time in the summer. In the winter we reduce that to 45 minutes each time - and we clean the pool twice a week.

It makes a lot of difference on the electricity used.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

southcoastlady said:


> We have our pump on twice a day for one hour each time in the summer. In the winter we reduce that to 45 minutes each time - and we clean the pool twice a week.
> 
> .


That is not nearly enough in this current heat.
You will end up with mustard algae which will very quickly turn your pool green if not dealt with quickly.
It starts off as yellow sandy looking stuff at the edges and the bottom which is easy to think is sand being blown in the pool but it will come back no matter how much you sweep the bottom and will take over and turn your pool green.
We have had this for the first time this year but caught it early with an algaecide and we have now increased our pump to 2 x 4 hours while the weather is so hot.
Normally we would have it on for 2 x2 hours.


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## southcoastlady (Apr 18, 2015)

Veronica said:


> That is not nearly enough in this current heat.
> You will end up with mustard algae which will very quickly turn your pool green if not dealt with quickly.
> It starts off as yellow sandy looking stuff at the edges and the bottom which is easy to think is sand being blown in the pool but it will come back no matter how much you sweep the bottom and will take over and turn your pool green.
> We have had this for the first time this year but caught it early with an algaecide and we have now increased our pump to 2 x 4 hours while the weather is so hot.
> Normally we would have it on for 2 x2 hours.


Thanks Veronica. We will increase the pump time today and get some algaecide from the pool shop. Sorry to put wrong info on posting but quite glad otherwise we would not have known!


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

southcoastlady said:


> Thanks Veronica. We will increase the pump time today and get some algaecide from the pool shop. Sorry to put wrong info on posting but quite glad otherwise we would not have known!


Keep an eye out for what appears to be yellow dust in your pool. That is the start of it. If you catch it early you can cure it before your pool turns green.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

If you get the problem the first step is to shock the pool with several scoops of chlorine granules. Put them in a bucket of water, stir it up then pour it in the pool. Then put your pump on for 8 hours.
Next day do the same with the algaecide. The people at the pool shop will tell you how much you need depending on size of pool. 
Our pool is looking good again after giving it this treatment for the last two days.


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

southcoastlady said:


> Thanks Veronica. We will increase the pump time today and get some algaecide from the pool shop. Sorry to put wrong info on posting but quite glad otherwise we would not have known!


You should have known if you had read previous pool threads including a very recent one on Expat Forum.

I would suggest not using algaecide unless you actually have a problem. The less chemicals you swim in the better.

Immediately increase your filtration. Use your test kit each day and ensure chlorine and pH levels are correct. If you experience algae then take further action.

Pete


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## Rema (Aug 12, 2012)

PeteandSylv said:


> You should have known if you had read previous pool threads including a very recent one on Expat Forum.
> 
> I would suggest not using algaecide unless you actually have a problem. The less chemicals you swim in the better.
> 
> ...


I agree that you should only use algaecide as a last resort.

My pool has recently gone a little cloudy and the water lost its sparkle. This is most likely due to the hot weather as it decays the chlorine. When I tested the chlorine level it was down to almost nothing although ph was OK so I dosed it with 500gm chlorine, (65,000 lt pool) This morning it was better but still not right so another 300gm of chlorine went in. I also vacuumed the pool, cleaned all the strainers and pumps (mains plus solar) and backwashed the filter.
This evening its back to its sparkly self although chlorine levels are a touch high so no swimming today!

The pool shops will try to sell you all sorts of anti this and anti that for your pool, unless you have let your pool get right out of hand you really don't need it, keep your chemicals to a minimum. Testing on a regular basis, especially with this very hot weather, will enable you to make adjustments to the levels. A good site for general self help information on pools can be found at Swimming pool maintenance, pool information and pool problems - POOL WIZARD it also has a useful calculator for determining how much chlorine etc. you need


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

I did say you only use it if you get algae. We definitely had the start of mustard algae
and the measures we took cleared it in 2 days.
Mustard algae appears like a fine yellow dust in the pool which comes back no matter how many times you hoover the pool. If left untreated it will quickly turn your water green and then it is much harder to get rid of.


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## southcoastlady (Apr 18, 2015)

PeteandSylv said:


> You should have known if you had read previous pool threads including a very recent one on Expat Forum.
> 
> I would suggest not using algaecide unless you actually have a problem. The less chemicals you swim in the better.
> 
> ...


Peter - 

apart from the first line of this post, which I found to be quite unnecessary, we have done the other stuff and are keeping fingers crossed.


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## MacManiac (Jan 25, 2012)

PeteandSylv said:


> The less chemicals you swim in the better.
> 
> Pete


I can remember you telling us that when we first met and I must admit that it is good advice. Over the last two years we have not had a moment's problem with our pool ("Touch wood") and it is only the recent very hot weather that has caused us to think about increasing filtration. Happy swimming to you all.


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## David_&_Letitia (Jul 8, 2012)

Our pool pump failed yesterday (it was working OK the day before). I checked the electrics, which seemed OK so had to call Doros, our Landlord out. He checked everything and suspected it was the capacitor which had gone and went into Polis to get a replacement. He came back - with an electrician, who went through everything I had done and Doros himself had done and for some reason it worked again without having to change the capacitor or anything else. Unfortunately, the pump was not working again this morning, and nothing I have tried (just going through the same routine the electrician went through yesterday has worked.

Another call to Doros established that it will now have to wait until Monday morning - two whole days without any filtration in this heat. I'm a little worried that I'll need shock treatment after it's been fixed. I can already see signs of green algae on the bottom side area of the deep end.


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

David_&_Letitia said:


> Our pool pump failed yesterday (it was working OK the day before). I checked the electrics, which seemed OK so had to call Doros, our Landlord out. He checked everything and suspected it was the capacitor which had gone and went into Polis to get a replacement. He came back - with an electrician, who went through everything I had done and Doros himself had done and for some reason it worked again without having to change the capacitor or anything else. Unfortunately, the pump was not working again this morning, and nothing I have tried (just going through the same routine the electrician went through yesterday has worked.
> 
> Another call to Doros established that it will now have to wait until Monday morning - two whole days without any filtration in this heat. I'm a little worried that I'll need shock treatment after it's been fixed. I can already see signs of green algae on the bottom side area of the deep end.


I wouldn't worry too much yet. You should be able to brush the algae off, keep the pump running for a lot longer than normal, even overnight, and ensure the chlorine/pH levels are correct.

I have often noticed a little algae appearing following rain such as we had a few days ago overnight. It may be this rather than just the heat that instigates sudden growth.

Pete


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