Pool questions, answered in plain language.
Short, direct answers to what Satellite Beach pool owners actually ask us — chemistry, cost, equipment, storms and the comparisons that matter in Florida's climate.
Care
How often should a pool be cleaned in Florida?
A Florida pool should be cleaned and chemically balanced once a week, every week of the year. Heat, intense UV, pollen and afternoon storms burn off sanitizer within days, so a two-week gap is usually long enough for algae to establish, especially between May and October.
What does weekly pool service include?
Full-service weekly pool service includes skimming, brushing the walls and waterline, vacuuming, emptying skimmer and pump baskets, checking filter pressure, and testing and balancing chlorine, pH, alkalinity, stabilizer and salt. Standard chemicals are included in the monthly rate on most residential plans.
How do I know if my pool is leaking?
Run a bucket test: float a filled bucket on a step so inside and outside water start level, leave the pump on its normal schedule for 24 hours, then compare. If the pool dropped noticeably more than the bucket, you have a leak rather than evaporation.
Should I drain my pool in Florida?
Rarely, and never casually. Florida's high water table can push an empty shell out of the ground. Most problems that seem to call for draining — high stabilizer, high calcium, stale water — are handled with a partial drain and refill instead of emptying the pool.
How do I keep my pool clean while I'm away for months?
Leave the pool running and serviced, not shut down. Set a full circulation schedule, balance the water before you go, and have someone visiting weekly. A Florida pool left unattended for a season nearly always needs recovery, which costs more than the service would have.
Comparison
Salt water pool vs chlorine pool — which is better in Florida?
Both are chlorine pools. A salt system generates chlorine on site from dissolved salt instead of you adding it. Salt pools feel softer, need less hands-on dosing and cost less in chemicals, but the cell is a wear part that needs cleaning and eventual replacement, and salt is harder on some metal and stone.
Weekly pool service vs a one-time cleaning — which do I need?
A one-time cleaning fits a specific event: a listing photo shoot, a party, a rental turnover, or a pool that has been neglected and needs a reset. Weekly service fits any pool you use regularly, because Florida water chemistry drifts out of range in days, not weeks.
Is above-ground pool maintenance different from in-ground?
Water chemistry targets are identical. The differences are practical: above-ground pools have smaller pumps and filters, a vinyl liner that will not tolerate acid washing or sharp tools, less water volume so chemistry swings faster, and no built-in deep end for vacuuming debris.
Chemistry
Why is my pool green and how do I fix it?
A pool turns green when free chlorine drops to zero long enough for algae to bloom, usually after a missed week, a storm, a failed pump or stabilizer so high that the chlorine present cannot work. Recovery means circulation, correct pH, sustained shock and repeated filter cleaning — typically three to seven days.
What should my pool chemical levels be?
For a Florida residential pool, aim for free chlorine 2–4 ppm, pH 7.4–7.6, total alkalinity 80–120 ppm, calcium hardness 200–400 ppm, and cyanuric acid 30–50 ppm (60–80 ppm on a salt pool). Salt pools also hold salt in the range printed on the generator.
How long does it take to clear a green pool?
Most green pools clear in three to seven days. Light green water with working equipment often turns around in a couple of days. Dark green or black-green water with a failed pump, high stabilizer, or a heavy debris load takes longer and sometimes needs a partial drain.
Equipment
How long should a pool pump run each day in Florida?
Run the pump long enough to turn the water over about once a day, then adjust for conditions. In Florida summer that usually means longer run times than winter, and a variable-speed pump running many hours at low speed costs far less than a single-speed pump running a few hours at full speed.
How often should a pool filter be cleaned?
Clean the filter when pressure rises meaningfully above its clean starting reading, not on a fixed date. On a Florida pool that usually means a deep clean a few times a year, more often during pollen season, after storms, and while recovering from algae.
Local
What should I do with my pool before a hurricane?
Do not drain the pool — the water weight holds the shell in place against saturated ground. Instead lower the level slightly if heavy rain is forecast, shock the water, secure or sink nothing that could damage the surface, cut power to the equipment, and cover the pad if flooding is possible.
Which areas near Satellite Beach do you service?
Pearlin Pools is based in Satellite Beach, Florida and serves every community within roughly a 15-mile radius in Brevard County — including Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach, Melbourne, West Melbourne, Melbourne Beach, Viera, Suntree, Rockledge, Merritt Island, Cocoa, Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral.
Question not covered here?
Call or text (321) 710-6555 and ask. We'd rather answer it now than have you guess at your water chemistry.