POOL & PATIO - POOL WATER CHEMISTRY TIPS

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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

WHAT ARE THE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO ALGAE GROWTH?

• High pH level
• Low free chlorine level
• Poor filtration
• Short filter cycles
• High bather load
• High total dissolved solids (TDS) level

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	*METAL*
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

Send for a FREE Booklet (a $2.95 value):
Pool Water Chemistry Made Easy!
Written by Annette M. Stockley
Co-Owner Pool & Patio Center, Inc.


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