Pool Equipment

Best Pool Supplies To Have On Hand

This is the essential pool supply checklist pool owners need

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Before heading out to your local pool supply store, it’s a smart idea to make a checklist of important pool supplies you’re sure to need this swim season. It could mean the difference between paying more for the same supplies later on. As the season progresses, prices are expected to increase dramatically on many of the chemicals and supplies that homeowners use to maintain their pool. This list of essential pool supplies to keep on hand will make your task of stocking what you need to run your pool for the season that much easier.

It’s hard to practice good pool maintenance if you don’t have the right tools to accomplish the job. Stock up on these few essentials. There’s no point making 10 trips to Leslie’s Pool Supply if you don’t have to. Having the right supplies stocked up will make your life a lot easier, and probably wind up saving you some money this swim season.

Pool Water Testing

The importance of having a good water testing kit for day-to-day pool maintenance cannot be overstated. At the very least, most experts would advise that you test your water at least once a week. Regularly testing the pool chemistry will alert you when it’s time to add chemicals to your pool. Balancing the water to the right levels is a sure fire way to keep bacteria and algae at bay.

Taylor Complete Pool / Spa Test Kit

Taylor Technologies

  • Keep your swimming pool, hot tub, or spa safe with this convenient testing kit
  • Allows the pool manager to maintain the highest levels of water quality
  • Allows you to test for free and total chlorine, pH, bromine, acid/base demand, total alkalinity, and cyanuric acid (stabilizer)
  • Waterproof edition pool & spa water chemistry guide
  • Color-coded instructions and treatment guide is provided so you know how to treat your pool or spa

$92.99 on Amazon

High Range K-2005C 2 oz Reagents


AquaChek Select 7-IN-1 Pool and Spa Test Strips Complete Kit

AquaCheck Pool & Spa Test Strips

It’s always a good idea to stock up on test strips for the pool and AquaCheck is a leading brand with both consumers and professionals. Test strips are typically not as accurate as liquid test kits, but one benefit consumers enjoy is that they are quick and simple to use. Typically, you can get a reading within just 30 seconds. AquaCheck test strips help you keep track of free chlorine, total chlorine, bromine, total hardness, total alkalinity, pH and cyanuric acid

  • (50) New **AquaChek 54604** Select 7 in 1 test strips
  • Includes color chart and comparator
  • “The Complete Guide to Pool and Spa Care” booklet included
  • Easy to use and maintain your swimming pool or spa
  • Takes about 15-30 seconds to show results

Balancing Your Pool Water Chemistry

One of the cornerstones of maintaining a swimming pool is keeping the right pH, alkalinity, and calcium hardness levels properly balanced. To assist with balancing the water chemistry, it’s a smart idea to keep a few different chemicals on hand.

Pool Mate – 25 Pound Bucket – Swimming Pool Alkalinity Increaser

Robelle Industries, Inc.

  • Raises Total Alkalinity
  • Prevents eye irritation
  • Prevents equipment corrosion, plaster damage
  • Ideal Total Alkalinity range 80 – 120ppm

Puri Tech Pool Chemicals 20 lb Total Alkalinity Increaser

  • Comes in resealable bags for easy storage
  • Active Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate
  • Raises total alkalinity in swimming pool water. Total alkalinity balance is a crucial component of water balance. Low alkalinity level can cause pH levels to fluctuate. High alkalinity levels can cause the water to cloud or scale.
  • Directions: Spread over the deepest part of the pool and circulate pump a minimum of 4 hours.
  • Dosage: 1.5lbs per 10,000 gallons to raise total alkalinity level 10ppm.

Baking Soda

Baking Soda is honestly just one of those staples that you kind of need whenever you own a swimming pool. It’s ideal for raising the alkalinity and pH in your pool and also does a fantastic job of cleaning pool tile.

BrandArm & Hammer
Package InformationBag
VarietyBaking Soda

pH Decreaser – RX Clear Swimming Pool pH Minus

Qualco

One of the most important aspects of proper swimming pool care involves the maintenance of balanced water chemistry. When swimming pool chemicals are not at their ideal levels, swimmers can be at risk of contracting illnesses and suffering from skin irritation, the water can turn dull and cloudy, and pool equipment and surfaces can become damaged. Increase leisure time with pH Minus from Rx Clear.

Swimming pool pH reducer is made of granular sodium bisulfate and will act quickly to correct your pool’s pH level to re-establish an ideal swimming environment. pH reducer can be used to lower swimming pool pH levels whenever they rise above 7.6 ppm.

$54.98 on Amazon

RX Clear is a pH Decreaser and Alkalinity Reducer. 25 pound bucket of granular Sodium Bisulfate.


Soda Ash

Whether you’re looking for a natural and non-toxic way of increasing pH levels of your swimming pool water, you want to get rid of those nasty greasy stains on your favorite t-shirt, or you work in the fabric dyeing industry, the Cesco Solutions Soda Ash is a must.

  • Made with finest quality, non-toxic and 100% biodegradable ingredients, naturally stabilizing alkaline levels and increasing pool pH levels.
  • Can be used as a water softener, for increasing your detergents’ cleaning and stain removal power, increasing the pH in swimming pools or spas, and adds alkalinity.

pH Increaser – pH Plus Pool Mate 10 Pound Bag

Robelle Industries, Inc.

There may be times when you are looking to increase the pH in your swimming pool. Use pH Plus for quick results.

  • Raises pH levels
  • Prevents eye irritation
  • Ideal PH range 7.2 to 7.8 ppm
  • Raises pH levels
  • Prevents eye irritation
  • Prevents equipment corrosion, plaster damage
  • Ideal PH range 7.2 to 7.8 ppm

Calcium Hardness Increaser – Calcium Hardness Increaser for Pools

Robelle Industries, Inc.

You typically need to adjust the calcium hardness in your pool around once or twice a year. Pool Mate’s Calcium Hardness Increaser is ideal for this very purpose.

  • Increases Water Hardness
  • Low calcium hardness level can cause corrosive water
  • Prevents the staining or etching of your pool’s surface
  • Ideal Calcium Hardness range 200 – 400ppm

Pool Sanitizer

It’s common knowledge the chlorine is one of the best sanitizers for swimming pools. Consequently you can use a wide variety of products such as dry chlorine and liquid chlorine products. Unless you have a saltwater pool which generates it’s own chlorine through the salt cell, you’ll want to stock up on 3″ chlorine tablets.

HTH Super 3-inch Chlorinating Tablets for Swimming Pools, 15 lb bucket

  • BENEFITS: Sanitizes and protects your pool water so you can enjoy swimming in clean and clear water all season long
  • USE: Place a tab in pool skimmer, floater, or feeder for simple, DIY pool care; 1 tablet treats 10,000 gallons of water for up to a week
  • COMPATIBILITY: Vinyl-lined pools and saltwater systems
  • FEATURES: Kills bacteria and algae; Chlorinates for up to 1 week; Clarifies water; Sun protected for longer chlorine life
  • INCLUDES: One 15-lb container of Super Chlorinating Tablets for swimming pools

Reduce Chlorine Usage with PoolRx

PoolRX Worldwide, Inc.

A simple gadget that you attach to your skimmer basket to add sanitizing minerals to your pool water, reducing the amount of chlorine you use. This allows you to use only 1ppm of chlorine.

  • Simply place in pump basket or skimmer basket
  • Eliminates all types of Algae
  • Reduces Chemicals
  • Effective for up to 6 months
  • Simplifies Pool and Spa Care

Pool Shock

When your pool starts to develop a swimming pool smell, it’s time to shock your pool. Truth be told your swimming pool shouldn’t have any odors at all. If you can really smell your pool, that’s a fair indication that your sanitizer level is too low and is no longer effective.

Giving your pool a shock will raise sanitizer levels to the proper levels, eliminate bacteria, and assure clean water. It can also aid in the treatment of mild cases of algae.

Choose a calcium hypochlorite or cal hypo shock to achieve all of those goals most effectively. Most pool maintenance experts would advise shocking your water once a week, or at least every other week.

DryTec Calcium Hypochlorite Chlorine Shock Treatment for Swimming Pools – 1 Pound / 24 Pack

  • 24 bags (1-pound each)
  • Fast-Acting Quick-Dissolving Swimming Pool Sanitizer
  • Kills bacteria, controls algae, and destroys organic contaminants in pools
  • 68% calcium hypochlorite
  • Recommended Dosage: 1 pound per 10,000 gallons of water

Best Pool Chemicals Rated By Consumers

Pool Gear

This is the essential list of pool gear every swimming pool owner needs to have for cleaning and maintaining their pool. We researched and picked the very best supplies and pool gear available in 2021.

Telescopic Pole

U.S. Pool Supply 16 Foot Telescopic Pool Pole

  • telescopic swimming pool pole. It’s made with high quality ribbed aluminum for extra strength and longevity.
  • Pole Expands Up To 16 Feet – Long 2 piece telescopic pole that expands in length from 8 feet up to 16 feet, which provides you the extra reach needed when cleaning a wide and deep swimming pool.
  • Universal Pool Accessory Attachment Size – The poles universal fit size allows you to easily attach most pool maintenance accessories like nets, skimmers, rakes, brushes and vacuum heads. Pole is designed with an 1-1/4″ diameter connection end, which is the universal size needed to fit standard size pool accessories.
  • Slip Resistant Locking Cam – 2 Piece pole with a heavy duty slip resistant external locking cam that makes it easy to lock the pole length in place and keep the length in place without it slipping while in use.
  • Buy with confidence, if you’re not satisfied with this item at anytime within one year of purchase, we’ll provide a refund or replacement.

Pool Net

PoolWhale Heavy Duty Pool Net

  • The weight on the end of the net makes the rake easy turn upside down in use
  • Large capacity: 18″ aluminum frame,17″ deep net
  • Aluminum frame is durable and not easy to deform, which increases stability
  • Two-layer net for longer service life. Deep fine-mesh bag handles both big clean-ups and small debris with just a few passes. Structural molded leaf rake suitable for above ground and inground pond cleaning.
  • EZ clip handle for quick and safe connection to poles. (Telescopic poles not included)

Pool Brush

Poolmaster 18-Inch Heavy Duty Aluminum-Back Swimming Pool Wall Brush

  • For cleaning all pool and spa surfaces
  • 18-inch die-cast aluminum back and handle
  • Curved-body design helps reach corners
  • 5 rows of long lasting, durable nylon bristles
  • For use with standard pool poles, sold separately
ColorSilver
BrandPoolmaster
Product Dimensions2.25 x 18.25 x 6.5 inches; 14.4 Ounces
Handle MaterialAluminum

Vacuum Head & Hose

Aquatix Pro Pool Vacuum Head with Wheels, 14″ Heavy Duty Model

  • PICTURE PERFECT: Aquatix Pro Vacuum Head for Swimming Pool Cleans All Types of Pools Effortlessly. Keeping YOUR Pool Cleaning is Now Simple, Fast and Convenient.
  • PREMIUM DESIGN & BUILD: Weighted Flexible Pool Vacuum Head Sticks to the Ground and Covers MORE Surface Including Corners. Professional grade & premium design.
  • COMPATIBLE: Works with Most Standard Telescopic Poles and Pool Vacuum Hoses / Pipes. Pole not included.
  • FAST & EFFICIENT: Heavy Duty Head, 8 Weighted Plates, Strong & Long Lasting Wheels , Aluminium Handle, Flexible Handle with EZ Clips for a Fast and Efficient Finish.
  • OUR GUARANTEE: If You Are Not Happy For Any Reason, Simply Contact Us For a Complete Refund – No Questions Asked. Full 1 Year Guarantee on ALL our Products.

Poolmaster Heavy Duty In-Ground Pool Vacuum Hose With Swivel Cuff

  • Not made to work on automatic suction type cleaners, (or robotic) pool cleaners; for use with standard swimming pool vacuum head and telescopic pole for manual vacuuming
  • Swivel cuff for kink-free maneuverability; UV and chemical resistant; extruded flexible EVA and poly-welded EVA cuffs
  • Spiral wound construction for strength, flexibility, and maximum flow rate; superior tensile strength for crush-resistant operation
  • Swivel cuff end connects directly onto the vacuum head and the non-swivel end connects to the skimmer
  • High quality and made to last in the USA; measures 1-1/2-inch diameter by 30-feet for most in ground pools
  • For proper suction and maximum performance, it is essential to prime the hose by filling entirely with water before use

Pool Supplies: In Conclusion

There are plenty of pool supply stores that will have a slew of products they claim you can’t live without. It’s helpful to have a few trusted sources where you can find reliable information about what you need. This pool supply checklist is meant to simplify your life and make your shopping list easy. We hope that you find this resource useful and that it helps save you some time when considering which products you neeed to buy in order to maintain your pool.

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