Here at Simplex Swimming Pools, we want to create helpful tutorials to assist all of our customers!
If you didn’t know, now you do!
View the video below to see our How To Test Strip!
Thank you for watching, we hope this helps!
How to: Insta Test Strips
Here at Simplex Swimming Pools, we want to create helpful tutorials to assist all of our customers!
We have put together a how to video below. Comment, like or share if you want to see more videos like this!
Thanks for watching! We hope it helps.
How to: Change the brushes on your M400 Pro.
Here at Simplex Swimming Pools we know it can be a daunting experience when changing the brushes on a pool cleaner, especially if your a new user!
We have put together a how to video below. Comment, like or share if you want to see more videos like this!
Thanks for watching! We hope it helps.
We Value You
Customer Loyalty Points
Here at Simplex Pools we wanted to give something back to our loyal customers. Follow the steps below to start collecting points today!
1. At checkout of your first order with us, create an account.
2. £1 earns 1 point, your points will be added to your account from your first order.
3. 100 points = £1 to spend.
4. Save them up or spend them on your next order.
5. Continue collecting with each order.
Please see the step by step guide below;
If you would like any further information on our loyalty points scheme please click here.
- Add your required product to your cart, select the delivery method & go to check out.
- After you have completed the required fields, on the confirmation page you will see how many Loyalty Points you have collected.
- After you have successfully completed your order, you will be prompted to create an account. After you have an account you can start collecting your points!
Pool Cleaners
The biggest problem for first time buyers is that they have no idea what pool cleaner to go for. Whether or not they need a suction, pressure or robotic pool cleaner. I have provided some information below;
Suction Cleaners;
- Lower price compared to robotic
- A suction cleaner will commonly be attached to your pool skimmer, so if you only have one, all of the attention will be used by the cleaner whilst in use. (Some have a specific vacuum line)
- The suction cleaner will work like a vacuum on your pools filtration system, requires little intervention from users.
- They only work when the pump is running so can be costly on energy bills
- The filter pump basket can get blocked if the cleaner doesn’t have an in-line strainer basket.
- Popular brands: Hayward, Pentair, Zodiac
- Easy maintenance
Pressure-Side Cleaners;
- Popular cleaner, most common is Polaris
- Fueled by the water pressure from the jets
- Has its own filter bag
- Sometimes requires a booster pump to run work
- Medium – large debris collection
- Relieves pressure on filter
- They only work when the pump is running so can be costly on energy bills
- Easy maintenance
- Lower price compared to robotic
- Has a tail to bring up any stubborn debris at the bottom of the pool
Robotic Cleaners;
- Plug and play operation
- Own power source, no pool connections
- Mostly premium prices
- Brilliant cleaning
- Most popular cleaners
- Energy efficient
- The filter does need to be emptied
- Can pick up small – large debris
- Brushes to clean and scrub the pool service
- Reduced pool maintenance
If a list of pros and cons doesn’t help, get in touch with one of our swimming pool engineers for free expert advice. We are happy to help.
info@simplexpools.co.uk
03455 761084
What Swimming Stroke Burns The Most Fat?
From our most recent post we found out the impact of swimming on the mind, but what about our bodies? What stroke provides the best work out and fat burn?
According to Woman’s Health Magazine an easy swim burns around 500 calories an hour, while a vigorous effort can torch almost 700. And because water is nearly 800 times denser than air, each kick, push, and pull is like a mini resistance workout for your entire body – especially your core, hips, arms, shoulders, and glutes. So in addition to blasting calories as you swim, you build lean muscle, which ignites your metabolism so that you burn more calories once you’ve showered and dried off.
Like my theory Just Swim have found that the breaststroke is a bit of a slow burner in terms of calories. In fact, it is the least beneficial stroke for burning calories. So they have rated it 4th place.
4th place: Breaststroke
- Average calorie burn: around 200 calories for 30 minutes swimming.
- Breaststroke is a much better cardiovascular workout than the other strokes.
- It helps strengthen heart and lungs while toning thighs, upper back, triceps, hamstrings and lower legs.
- It helps to work and tone the chest muscles.
3rd place: Backstroke
Backstroke is the second lowest calorie burner next to breaststroke. However, it’s one of the best for improving posture and toning the all important areas for showing off the summer swimsuit.
- Average calorie burn: around 250 calories for 30 minutes swimming.
- Practising keeping yourself straight in the water can help you to lengthen your spine, helping you look taller and less hunched.
- Backstroke works to tone the stomach, legs, arms, shoulders and buttocks.
- It’s great for improving the flexibility of your hips. Great for office bound workers.
2nd place: Freestyle
Freestyle is the fastest of all the strokes, so as you might expect it is up in second place for calorie burning potential.
- Average calorie burn: around 300 calories for 30 minutes swimming
- Swimming freestyle tones your stomach, buttocks and shoulders.
- Out of all the four strokes freestyle is said to have the greatest impact on toning back muscles.
1st place: Butterfly
It’s the hardest to learn, and definitely not for beginners, but Butterfly is at the top of the calorie burn list.
- Average calorie burn: around 450 calories for 30 minutes swimming
- It’s most effective all round stroke for toning and building muscles.
- It helps with upper body strength, toning your chest, stomach, arms (particularly your triceps) and your back muscles.
- It helps to increase your flexibility, suppleness and stretches out the body to improve posture.
So what are the most popular?
Freestyle is a fan favorite because it’s easy to learn and it burns major calories. But it pays to mix things up. “Using various strokes balances your muscles and helps beat boredom,” says Shinofield. Two to try are backstroke improves your posture by working your back and shoulder muscles) and breaststroke (it uses the hip and inner-thigh muscles, which are often missed in other workouts). Get the most from each stroke by following this advice from Shinofield:
Backstroke Eyes up. Look straight up at the sky or ceiling—not at your toes, which causes your hips to sink—so your head is in line with your spine. Make a Y. Reach back with each arm at a 45-degree angle to your body; it places less stress on your shoulders and makes your stroke stronger.
Breaststroke Sweep through. Reach your arms overhead, palms together. Rotating your palms outward, pull down until your hands are nearly level with your chin. Bring your hands inward by your chest, then reach again. Whip it. Bend your knees and bring your heels toward your butt. Turn your toes outward and kick your legs back and together (like a frog) as you extend your arms forward.
By Katie Ray
Sources:
How Swimming Helps You Mentally.
Why start swimming?
I have never been a strong swimmer, but I always feel better after. Even if it is just a few slow paced laps.
Therese J. Borchard, who is a mental health writer and activist believes that “swimming stimulates brain chemicals; exercise also produces ANP, a stress-reducing hormone, which helps control the brain’s response to stress and anxiety.”
Yes, It is well known that any exercise makes you feel better mentally and physically. But why is swimming so recommended?
I believe swimming is the best exercise for keeping a happy and healthy mind, I’m sure others would agree that my reasoning for this is that swimming is fun, relaxing and somewhat therapeutic. When self motivating to exercise, how much easier would it be if you knew you would finish feeling happier?
Fun decreases stress and so does exercise. Furthermore, Moby Coquillard, a psychotherapist and swimmer from California mentioned; “Swimming, because of its repetitive nature, is incredibly meditative,” and it is a scientifically proven that meditation works wonders on mental health. He goes on to say he tells his clients to swim instead of taking anti depressants. After reading this section of Moby’s article, I came upon another article on meditation. The British Journal of General Practise 2013 found that “72% of GPs in the UK now believe that patients can derive health benefits by practising meditation.”
After my research on swimming and mental health, I decided to try a few meditating steps from Lexie Williamson, a British Yoga Sport Science instructor. You can follow the steps I did below;
After I tried Williamsons technique, this will now be my forever routine! You don’t have to be great swimmer, just start swimming and live a happy healthy life.
By Katie Ray.
“He Used What?”
Swimming pool poles are obviously a useful tool to have at your disposal as a pool owner, however our recent customers have realised they can be used for another of their hobbies!
Keen caravaners Sam and Kerry, unfortunately snapped one of the poles of their caravan awning. Being geniuses they realised that a Telescopic Handle would be a perfect replacement for their awning.
Amazing what can be done with an imagination and a Telescopic Handle!
By Katie Ray.
No Apparent Chlorine Reading?
It is not uncommon to find a lack of colour when carrying out the test for free chlorine usinga DPD No.1 tablet or test strip, when fully expecting to obtain a reading.
Probable causes
• Too much chlorine
If there are no other indicators such as the presence of algae or cloudy water it is highly likely that there is too much chlorine present.
A high level of chlorine will bleach out the colour reagent in the test tablet or test strip and give a false indication, leading you to believe that there is no chlorine present.
When ‘shock’ dosing a pool, care should be taken in calculating the quantity of chlorine required to achieve the desired residual so as to avoid overchlorinating.
Greater control of ‘shock’ dosing can be achieved by the use of Superchlorinator which is supplied in the form of a 450g pot and will add approximately 7mg/l (ppm) to 50m3 (11,000 gallons).
What you may need:
Chlorine/Bromine Reducer 4kg – To reduce chlorine level
—————————————————-
All chemical handling should be carried out within the guidelines laid out on the product label.
*Before adding any chemicals to your pool, ensure nobody is swimming & keep the circulation running to ensure adequate dispersion of the chemicals.*
We have put together a series of troubleshooting guides to help you identify any potential problems with the quality of your pool or spa water, and how to overcome them should they occur.
Whether you buy your Chemicals from us or not, please feel free to use these guides as you please & print copies off to keep in your plant room for future reference.
Click here to find our Troubleshooting Guides.
pH BOUNCE
Unstable pH can give rise to corrosion or scaling.
Probable causes:
• Low total alkalinity
Low total alkalinity can arise from a number of causes:
• The make up (fresh mains) water may have a low total alkalinity,
usually associated with a ‘soft’ water source.
In areas where mains water with a low pH and low total alkalinity has been found to be ‘aggressive‘ towards old (lead) pipe work systems.
It is unusual to find mains water with an excessively low total alkalinity (& low pH).
• pH reducing chemicals – dry acid or hydrochloric acid may have been dosed incorrectly.
If these materials are dosed in one spot and not
distributed evenly around the pool, an area of high local acidity will be
created. The bicarbonates cannot survive in these areas of high acidity (low pH) and some total alkalinity will be destroyed.
• High local acidity can be caused by turning the circulation off when slow dissolving chlorine tablets are being used in the skimmer, pump basket or in a circulatory feeder device.
A solution of low pH and relatively high chlorine content will be formed in these stagnant conditions which will have the ability to destroy total alkalinity.
—————————————————-