If you are a swimming pool owner then you probably can't wait for the warmer weather to get here so you can open your pool again. You hopefully will have used pool covers to help protect your swimming pool over the winter but removing this can be a scary thought. You never quite know what you are going to find but it is a good idea to make sure you are prepared. Getting your swimming pool back up and running can take a lot of work and is no easy task. There are a number of different chemicals and other products that will help you get your pool clean but the best tools you have are patience and elbow grease. Here are some handy peices of advice for getting rid of algae and getting your pool up and running again.

When you take off the swimming pool cover you will be able to see what condition the water is in straight away. If you are lucky the cover will have stopped anything getting in the water. Algae can be transferred into your pool by things like rain and leaves falling into the pool and it can be very difficult to stop it getting in. A good way to make a start is to set the vacuum running to help clear up any algae that is on the floor of the pool. The next thing you should do is add some pool chemicals to the water to kill off any algae. You will find a wide range of different types of chemicals available and they tend to do different things to algae.

Phosphate Removers - Algae needs phosphates in order to survive. Using a phosphate remover will remove the phosphates that naturally occur in the water. It does this by causing a reaction between the phosphates in the water and compounds of Lanthanum. The reaction causes the phosphates to percipitate and get collected up by the filter. Once the phosphates have been removed the algae starves and dies.

Algaecide - Liquid algaecides can be a long term solution to stopping algae forming in your water. Algaecides contain long chains of quaternary ammonium compounds that stop algae's metabolism. This prevents algae from spreading in your pool.

Chlorine - If you want a swimming pool chemical that actually kills algae then chlorine does just that. Chlorine kills algae by oxidising it, which is the equivilent to burning it. Shocking your pool with chlorine will get rid of algae altogether.

It is a good idea to go through your pump and filter system to make sure that it hasn't been damaged during the winter months. If you have been unlucky enough to have some water left in your system then the chances are that it has frozen and expanded causing cracks in the pipes. You want to make sure that any broken parts are replaced before you start using your pool regularly. You will also want to back wash your swimming pool pump and make sure that your filer is clear and in good working order.