Pool Maintenance in Cairns

Pool Physicians NQ services all areas in and around Cairns, Edmonton, and Palm Cove, as we are based in Manoora, QLD.

Regular monthly pool servicing in Cairns is recommended every 4 weeks for Domestic Pools and more frequently for commercial pools.

During the Tropical Summer, storms, and Wet Season we experience in Cairns, more frequent services may be needed to every 2-3 weeks, depending on the surrounding trees and environmental factors specific to your pool’s needs.

Our pool service includes vacuuming, cleaning, chemical testing, water balancing and equipment checks, to properly maintain your pool for year-round enjoyment.

We also offer a Test and Balance Service, which includes everything except the vacuum for the service. Suitable for people that have a robot and don’t require a vacuum.

Yes, we use high-quality, pool-safe chemicals to maintain water balance and clarity. Our team ensures all chemicals are properly tested and applied to keep your pool safe for swimming.

Scoop out leaves

You can keep your pool healthy and maintained in between our services,  scoop out leaves and debris from pool as soon as possible. Leaves and debris soak up the chlorine in the pool and then produce phosphates. Depleted chlorine levels, increased phosphate levels, can quickly cause algae and Blackspot turn the pool green in our Tropical Cairns Environment.  Removing leaves and debris in between services will greatly reduce the amount of chemicals needed to be added each service. We get our kids to remove the leaves each time, and it becomes a fun game for them!!

Empty the Skimmer Basket

A clogged skimmer basket reduces waterflow to the Chlorinator, Filter, and pump. Your chlorinator produces the chlorine required. Your filter filters out impurities and removes algae and fine dirt. Your pump controls the water turnover, and if the waterflow is restrained, the pump can run dry and burnout the motor.

Maintain Pool Water Level

Keep water halfway up the skimmer opening or just below the overflow tube . Low water can damage equipment as it prevents flow to the pump and can cause motor burnout, also if your chlorinator has limited flow throughput, it is unable to perform correctly, and more chemicals will need to be added to maintain water balance. You would be surprised, up in Cairns it is quite common to experience evaporation of 5-10mm per day due to our tropical weather! Please note: As we use the equipment to Vacuum the Pool if the water level is below the skimmer basket, the system will suck air instead of water and we are unable to perform a vacuum on your pool without first topping it up first. We recommend adding a simple tap timer to your tap so you can add water and set it for a certain time frame (IE 15min – up to 2 hours) This will ensure your pool won’t overfill, you can just set the timer and then continue on with your day, no babysitting needed.

1. Check the pools water level

If it’s below halfway up the skimmer box, the pump is sucking air not water. Top up your pool with water.

2. Empty the skimmer basket

A full basket restricts water flow and makes the pump strain loudly.

3. Check for leaks or excessive water leaking from the equipment, take a photo and video and email it through to us – info@poolphysicians.com.au

4.Once these initial checks are done and it’s still noisy - Turn off the equipment and notify us IMMEDIATELY and the Real Estate (if applicable) and send through a video if possible. We will endeavour to rectify as soon as possible.

These require repair or replacement — not DIY fixes.

Toys are fine and fun to use, they just need to be removed at the end each swimming session!

Our kids love it and have a great time and have to put them away “safe” at the end 😊

What happens to the toys?

• Sun damage — UV breaks down plastics and vinyl, making toys brittle or faded.
• Waterlogging — Foam toys absorb water and become heavy, soggy, and prone to mould.
• Mould growth — Warm chlorinated water, toys with seams or holes trap moisture.
• Shorter lifespan — Constant exposure to chemicals and sun accelerates wear.

 What happens to your pool water?

• Chemical imbalance — Toys leach dyes, plastics, and oils into the water, increasing chlorine depletion and demand, extra chlorine may need to be added to the pool.
• Cloudiness — Foam toys and inflatables shed microscopic particles that your filter must remove.
• Algae risk — Toys create shaded “dead spots” where circulation is weak, giving algae a place to start.

What happens to your equipment?

• Clogged skimmer — Small toys or broken pieces can get sucked toward the skimmer and restrict flow and block and break pipes.
• Pump strain — Reduced flow forces your pump to work harder, shortening its lifespan and may cause motor overheating or burnout.
• Filter load — More debris = more frequent cleaning.

We all love seeing our furry friends happy and healthy and cooling down in the Hot Humid Cairns Weather.

I love allowing and watching my Border Collie swim in the pool – however it creates a big stress on the pool water balance and equipment, so there is a fair bit of extra maintenance involved if you want to let your pup enjoy the pool!

When your dog swims in the pool, a few things happen to your water, your equipment, and your dog — some harmless, some worth paying attention to. Dogs can absolutely enjoy the pool, but it’s good to understand the impact so you can manage it.

What happens to your pool water

• Higher chlorine demand — Dogs introduce far more organic material than humans: hair, dander, saliva, body oils, and sometimes dirt. Chlorine has to work a lot harder, so Chlorine levels drop a lot faster, and more chemicals will need to be added.
• Cloudy water — Dog hair and microscopic debris overwhelm the filter temporarily, particularly if you have a Cartridge Filter rather than a Sandfilter. It is likely you will need to hose the cartridge after each use and get a professional acid wash more frequently, shortening the filter elements life span  significantly.
• pH drift — Organic load can nudge pH upward, making water less comfortable and less effective at sanitising, causing more Buffer to be required.
• Algae risk — More contaminants + disrupted circulation = easier algae growth if chlorine dips too low. Algae treatment can be time consuming and expensive if not treated straight away and it can penetrate the pool’s concrete shell.

What happens to your equipment?

•  Filter clogging — Dog hair is dense and fibrous; it collects quickly in skimmer baskets and cartridges.
• Pump strain — Reduced flow from hair buildup forces the pump to work harder and may cause damage it flow is several affected.
• Skimmer blockages — Hair mats together and can partially block the skimmer basket and the equipment.

If your dog swims often, you’ll notice you need to clean the filter more frequently.

You can add a skimmer sock to your skimmer basket to help trap the hair before it flows through to your pool equipment and clean it each time.

What happens to your dog?

• Dry skin — Chlorine strips natural oils, especially in breeds with sensitive skin.
• Ear irritation — Water trapped in ears can lead to infections.
• Upset stomach — Drinking pool water can cause mild stomach issues due to chlorine and stabiliser.

Large dogs can damage liners — Their claws can scratch vinyl surfaces.

In tropical weather, berries and seeds break down very quickly in your pool. They increase chlorine demand, throw off your water balance, feed algae, and can leave permanent stains on the surface. Removing them promptly protects your filtration system and prevents costly chemical treatments.

Berries and seeds are one of the quietest but most destructive contaminants for pools in tropical climates. In Queensland’s heat and humidity, they don’t just throw off your water balance — they can stain, feed algae, clog and damage equipment, and cause chemical swings faster than most people expect.

Why berries make algae worse in the tropics

• Warm water + organic debris = perfect algae conditions.
• Berries add phosphates
• Seeds add nitrates
• Both add carbon (algae food)
• Tropical UV destroys chlorine faster. This is why pools often go green in Cairns.

Why berries cause staining

• Berries and seeds can absolutely stain your pool — especially pebble crete, and marble sheen.
• Tannins — Natural dyes in berries (like purple, red, or brown pigments) leach into the surface.
• Metal content — Some seeds contain trace metals that leave yellow or brown marks.
• Organic stains — When berries sit on the floor or steps, they create dark spots that don’t brush off easily.

In tropical heat, staining can occur in hours, not days, because the fruit breaks down faster.

Please contact us and/or your Real Estate as soon as possible.

If your pool goes green and you leave it sitting in tropical weather, it doesn’t just stay green — it gets worse fast. Warm, humid, high‑UV conditions like Cairns turn a green pool into a full algae ecosystem within a day or two, and that creates a cascade of problems for your water, your equipment, and even your pool surface. Chemical costs to bring a pool back to a serviceable condition will increase the longer its left.

Here’s exactly what happens when you leave a green pool untreated in tropical conditions.

What happens to the water

• Algae explodes — In warm water, algae can double every few hours. A light green tint becomes thick, swampy water.
• Chlorine drops to zero — Algae consumes chlorine aggressively. The longer you leave it, the more chlorine we need to add later, this can become expensive.
• Water becomes unsafe — Bacteria thrive alongside algae. Ear infections, skin irritation, and gastrointestinal issues become more likely.
• pH skyrockets — Algae growth pushes pH upward, making the water harsh and reducing chlorine effectiveness.

We don’t recommend Kreepy Krawly–style suction cleaners for the tropical climate because they rely on the pool’s filtration system and can easily cause pump strain, blocked skimmer baskets, pipes and pumps, if it collects a lot of leaves or sucks up a kids toy. If this is the case it requires daily checking and basket emptying to ensure the filtration system is operational. IT can clog the system frequently causing the pool to quickly turn green and damage your pool equipment.

A robotic cleaner is a safer, more reliable option as it operates independently of the pool equipment . Becasuse It doesn’t use the pool’s pump, it cleans more effectively, and it significantly reduces maintenance costs and call‑outs for owners. This keeps the pool healthier and prevents avoidable pool equipment damage especially in an investment property.