|
Pool
Water Chemistry Tips
|
WHEN
IS THE BEST TIME TO TEST YOUR POOL WATER?
After pool is full |
|
After pool water has circulated for at
least 8 hours |
|
Before adding water chemistry products |
|
Before adding a shock treatment |
|
When chlorine or bromine level is 5 ppm
or lower |
After taking a sample from at least 18-inches below
the pool surface
 and
away from skimmer and filter returns |
As soon as it is removed from your pool—water
chemistry begins
to
 deteriorate
immediately! |
|
| |
Alkalinity
keeps your pH in range
and is the key to water balance |
|
BALANCED
WATER—Clear
pool or spa water is not necessarily sanitized or balanced.
After all, the water in your toilet bowl is clear, but
not sanitized or balanced! Balanced water prolongs the
life of your pool and spa equipment and ensures healthy
swimming. Your family's health depends on balanced water
chemistry.
|
|
| WHAT
IS CHLORINE'S EFFECTIVENESS AT DIFFERENT pH LEVELS?
at pH Level 7.2 — 66% of Chlorine is Effective
at pH Level 7.5 — 48% of Chlorine is Effective
at pH Level 7.8 — 33% of Chlorine is Effective
at pH Level 8.0 — 21% of Chlorine is Effective
IDEAL RANGE: 7.2
to 7.6
|
|
| |
| |
Wall
Brushes are the single most
important weapon in fighting algae! |
|
|
ARE
YOU HAVING A HARD TIME CLEARING YOUR POOL WATER?
The majority of water chemistry problems
are related to poor filtration, poor circulation or an
inadequate shock treatment schedule. Your problems will
not be corrected by adding more chemicals. Before you
correct any water chemistry problem, inspect the operation
of your filter, pump and/or cartridge. Check the following:
|
Is your filter sand older than 3-5 years? If so, replace
only with white silica (not brown) filter sand.
Have you chemically cleaned your DE fingers or grid recently?
Have you chemically cleaned your filter cartridge recently?
Are you backwashing your sand filter often? Only backwash
when the water
returning
to the pool is sluggish. A recently backwashed sand filter
only traps
the largest
particles that are suspended in your pool water; as the
sand gets
dirtier,
the sand will filter smaller and smaller particles.
Are your water return jets pointed downward at a 45-degree
angle away from
the skimmer
for the best circulation? Jets that are pointed towards
the pool surface
or pointed
straight result in poor water circulation. Disturb that
entire body of
water
by pointing the jets downward. |
|
| HOW
DO METAL STAINS OCCUR?
Low pH causes corrosive water
Corrosive water causes metals to come out of solution and
stain pool surfaces
(there
are metals in all water sources)
Corrosive water attacks metal items (ladders, copper heating
elements, etc.) and
introduces
more metals into the water
As pH or chlorine rises, stains are depositied on pool surfaces
Overdosing on metal algaecides introduces metals into water
MORAL OF STORY: keep pH in balance
and do not overdose on metal algaecides
|
|
| METAL
STAINS |
WATER
OR STAIN COLOR
|
|
Greenish-Blue,
Blue or Gray-Black |
Copper |
Yellow
or Reddish-Brown |
Iron |
Tan,
Purple or Black-Gray |
Manganese |
Gray |
Oxidized
Metals, Scale
or Moisture Trapped in Plaster |
|
|
| pH
VALUES OF DIFFERENT SANITIZERS |
SANITIZER
NAME |
TYPE |
FREQUENCY
OF ADDITION |
pH
VALUE |
Bromine |
Bromine |
1x
- 2x per week |
4.0 |
Sustain
HTH
|
Calcium-Based |
1x
per week
1x per day
|
11.0 |
Relax
Stabilized Granular |
Stabilizer-Based |
1x
per week
1x per day |
7.0 |
Liquid |
Water-Based |
1x
- 2x per day |
12.0 |
3"
Slow Dissolve Tabs
1" Slow Dissolve Tabs
1" Quick Tabs |
Stabilizer-Based |
Varies:
2x per week
Varies: 2x per week
1x per day |
3.0 |
|
|
| WATER
CHEMISTRY FACTOR |
IDEAL
RANGE |
Chlorine |
1
- 3 ppm |
pH |
7.2
- 7.6 |
Total
Alkalinity |
80
- 120 ppm |
Calcium
Hardness |
180
ppm - 400 ppm
|
Chlorine
Stablizer
(Cyanuric Acid) |
30
ppm - 80 ppm |
Metals
(Iron, Copper, etc.) |
0
ppm |
Total
Dissolved Solids (TDS) |
Less
that 1500 ppm |
|
