The weekly routine and chemical ranges I've taught pool owners since 1996, as a printable PDF. Tape it to the pump shed door and stop guessing.
That's the whole job. Get those three right and your water stays clear all season. Each sheet covers one of them, with the exact schedules and ranges to follow.
How long to run the filter, when to empty the skimmer, how to aim the return jets, and what the filter pressure gauge is telling you.
Skim daily, vacuum weekly, brush twice a week. The routine, in order, and how to do each one without turning it into a chore.
The ideal range for every reading, like chlorine at 1 to 3 ppm and alkalinity at 100 to 150 ppm, the order to balance them in, and a shock schedule.
There's no catch. I've been helping pool owners since 1996 and running Swim University since 2006. We sell a handbook, video courses, and the Pool Care app for people who want the full system, but the cheat sheets are where everyone starts. They're what I wish every new pool owner had taped inside the pump shed door.
When you download them, you'll also get my weekly pool care email. It's short and seasonal, you can unsubscribe in one click, and I'll never sell your address.
Matt Giovanisci, Founder of Swim University
Yes. Enter your email and I'll send the printable PDF. No credit card, no trial, nothing to cancel.
You'll get an email with the download link, usually within 60 seconds. If it isn't there, check your spam folder. Print the PDF and put it somewhere you'll see it during pool season.
Yes. Saltwater pools need the same chemistry balance as chlorine pools, since the salt cell just makes chlorine for you. Above-ground pools follow the same routine. Only the dosing changes with pool volume, and the welcome email links to a free volume calculator.
Hot tubs run hotter, so the ranges, run times, and chemicals are different. Grab the free Hot Tub Cheat Sheet instead.
Stop worrying about your pool. You're 30 seconds away from never having to Google "what should my pH be" again.
Free. Printable. Works for any backyard pool.
