Pool maintenance Nueva Andalucía: pump, filter and overflow pool in practice
You arrive at your villa in June and the water has a green haze. Or the overflow gutter is dry while the pump hums away. With large villa pools, the cause is usually the equipment, not the water. This guide to pool maintenance Nueva Andalucía covers what to watch: pump time, filter, balance tank, heat pump and green water.
In short:
- Put the full pool volume through the filter at least once a day, and preferably twice in summer.
- Backwash when filter pressure is roughly 0.3 to 0.5 bar above the clean pressure.
- An overflow pool has a balance tank with a sensor and float that need checking too.
- Don't run the pump only at night: a salt chlorinator only makes chlorine while the pump runs.
- Green water? Fix the cause and the pH first, then shock.
Pool maintenance Nueva Andalucía starts with pump time
The filter traps dirt and the disinfectant deals with bacteria. Both only work if the water is moving. Still water in corners and by the steps is where algae start.
The rule of thumb: the whole pool volume passes through the filter at least once a day, and preferably twice in July and August. An example with a smaller pool:
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | 9 × 4.5 m × 1.5 m average | approx. 61 m³ |
| Real flow | measured, not from the rating plate | 12 m³/hour |
| One turnover | 61 ÷ 12 | approx. 5 hours |
| High summer | two turnovers | approx. 10 hours a day |
Use the real flow rate: pipes and filter mean a pump often delivers less than stated. And one turnover is a theoretical figure: filtered water keeps mixing with unfiltered water.
Filter and backwash: watch the pressure gauge
- Sand filter. Backwash when the pressure rises. The sand lasts roughly three to five years.
- Glass filter. Works like a sand filter, filters finer, and the glass lasts longer.
- Cartridge filter. Not backwashed but hosed clean. Replace once the cartridge is worn.
Write down the pressure straight after a clean backwash. A rise of roughly 0.3 to 0.5 bar is the usual signal. Treat that as a guideline: your filter manufacturer's instructions take precedence. Backwashing too often wastes water; leaving it too late gives dull water and a pump that works harder.
Overflow pool, heat pump and cover
In the villa areas around Las Brisas, Los Naranjos and Aloha, many pools have an infinity edge. The water falls into a gutter and runs to a balance tank, the vaso de compensación, from which the pump draws it again. Three things to check:
- Level in the balance tank. If the float sticks or the level sensor fails, the pump can run dry or the tank can overflow.
- Water consumption. The cascade over the edge speeds up evaporation. Higher use in summer is normal, but a sudden jump needs checking.
- The gutter. Pine needles, leaves and jacaranda blossom block the grilles, and the water then goes the wrong way.
A heat pump stretches the swimming season to roughly April–November. Bear in mind that water at 30 °C needs more chlorine and grows algae faster, even in October. The unit needs the right water flow and unobstructed airflow. A cover or roller shutter keeps heat in at night and limits evaporation, but it does not replace water testing and is not automatically a safety cover.
Night tariff and green water
Spanish off-peak electricity (periodo valle) usually covers the night and the weekend, though your own contract sets the exact hours. Running the pump only at night looks clever, but the sun breaks down chlorine during the day, and that is when people swim. A salt chlorinator then produces nothing. Split the runtime: part on the off-peak rate and a block around midday. A variable-speed pump can run long and economically, as long as the filter, chlorinator and heat pump get enough flow.
Green anyway? Test first: metals such as copper are sometimes the cause. With algae, the order is: fix the fault, remove debris, bring the pH to around 7.2, shock in the evening, run the pump continuously, brush daily, vacuum sediment to waste (vaciado) and clean the filter. Never mix chemicals. Flocculant is only an option if your filter is suited to it. Stay out of the water until it is clear again.
What we do
Faro Costa works with regular maintenance rounds. On each visit we:
- Skim the surface and empty the skimmers and pump basket.
- Brush walls, steps and floor; vacuum where needed.
- Read the filter pressure and backwash or clean the cartridge when needed.
- Test the water and adjust.
- Set pump times for the season, split between day and night.
- For an overflow pool: check the balance tank, float, sensor and gutter.
- For a heat pump: check water flow and airflow.
- Send a WhatsApp photo update after every visit.
If we spot a fault in a pump, filter, skimmer, light or the grouting, you receive a proposal first. Where electrical work is involved, a qualified specialist partner handles it. See our page on pool maintenance in Nueva Andalucía.
Frequently asked questions
How long should my pool pump run in summer?
Divide the volume by the real flow rate and double it. For many villa pools that comes to about 10 to 12 hours in July and August.
Does a cartridge filter need backwashing?
No. You hose the cartridge clean and replace it once it is worn. Backwashing applies to sand and glass filters.
Why does my overflow pool lose so much water?
Falling water evaporates faster, especially in summer. If consumption suddenly rises, have the balance tank, sensor and top-up checked.
Can't the pump just run at night?
Better not. The load is highest during the day, and a salt chlorinator only makes chlorine while the pump runs. Split the runtime between day and night.
How quickly does a green pool clear?
Typically three days to a week. Afterwards, have the mosaic joints checked; damaged joints are where the next algae growth starts.
Contact
Want pool maintenance Nueva Andalucía taken off your hands, including while you are away from Spain? We speak Dutch, English, Spanish and Polish. Get in touch or email info@farocosta.com.