How the site started
Since I got my pool, I’ve kept notes: what works, what doesn’t, which products are worth it and which mistakes I made. I found plenty of information online, but it was scattered, sometimes contradictory and often written to sell something. So I turned my notes into this website.
In its first seven months, Zwembadwijzer had almost 20,000 visitors. There’s now also an e-book (in Dutch): the complete pool handbook .
My own pool
I’m not an installer or a pool technician, just an owner doing my own maintenance. My pool runs on salt electrolysis with an Astral Pool Elite Connect. It steers chlorine production on the redox value (ORP) and doesn’t measure free chlorine itself, so I test that by hand. In summer I check the water daily.
I’ve made mistakes too. I got algae while the system seemed to be working, because chlorine production was too low. And I added too much salt, because a broken sensor made the controller show too little.
Why understanding your water helps
Everything you add to the water affects the pH and the redox value. Once you know how pH, alkalinity and chlorine relate, maintenance gets a lot simpler. You also notice sooner when a technician or salesperson recommends something you don’t need.
On this site you’ll find practical answers: what to do, how much, in which order and which products are worth it. For above-ground pools, spas and in-ground pools.
Contact
Have a question or an addition, or spotted a mistake? Send me a message via the contact page .