Crystal clear water is attainable by any pool owner, as long as your water is balanced. Water balance means:
- pH 7.4 to 7.6
- Total alkalinity 100 to 150 ppm (parts per million)
- Calcium hardness 150 to 350 ppm
- Proper chlorine levels 1 to 3 ppm
Pool water is balanced when pH, total alkalinity, and calcium hardness are within recommended ranges, and proper levels of chlorine are achieved. Before adding any chemicals to your pool water, first test the water with a test kit. Testing your water will determine what steps are needed to properly balance pool water. Every pool’s water will test differently, depending on whether city or well water is used. Using well water in your pool will require some additional steps to balance the water because of higher amounts of alkaline materials and minerals present in well water.
After testing, adjust your water following these guidelines.
pH
pH is an essential
part of your pool care. If pH and total alkalinity are controlled, most
problems with pool water care can be avoided.
pH is the
measure of how acidic or basic the water is. The pH is measured on a
scale of 0 to 14, 7.0 being neutral. Values below 7.0 are considered
acidic, values above 7.0 are said to be basic or alkaline. Ideal range
for pool water is 7.4 to 7.6. Even though 7.0 is neutral, it is not
recommended to keep the pH of your pool water at that level. The normal
pH level in a human body is slightly basic. Since the pH of our eyes is
about 7.4, water at a neutral reading (7.0) can cause irritation.
Keeping your pH as close to 7.4 will offer swimmers the most comfort.
Low pH Will Cause:
- Corroded metals
- Eye and skin irritation
- Lowered alkalinity level
| Solution:
- Use sodium carbonate also called pH Up & broadcast amount over the pool’s surface
|
High pH Will Cause:
- Scale formation
- Cloudy water
- Eye and skin irritation
- Poor chlorine efficiency
| Solution:
- Use sodium bisulfate, also called pH Down & broadcast amount over the pool’s surface
|
pH has an effect on
chlorine’s ability to sanitize your water. Sanitizing is the process of
destroying microorganisms and bacteria. Where you keep your pH level
will determine the effectiveness of chlorine in your pool. When your pH
deviates from the ideal range, chlorine is no longer as effective as
when it is in the ideal range.
At the most effective pH
level, chlorine will work to immediately sanitize the water, but some
chlorine will also remain in reserve for later problems that could
occur. You need to keep a chlorine residual in order for chlorine to be
most effective.
When pH is high, you have very little active
chlorine, which means very little chlorine is available to fight off
bacteria/virus and algae. With little chlorine in your water, this is a
great environment for bacteria and algae to grow in, which leads to
everyone’s number one problem with pool care—green water.
By
keeping your pH in the ideal range of 7.4 to 7.6, chlorine is being
used effectively. You will also soon discover that this gives you the
most comfortable water to swim in.
To keep the pH of your pool water within range, you must first understand total alkalinity.
Total Alkalinity
Water contains alkaline metals, which will differ in amounts depending on the source of the water. Total alkalinity (TA) refers to the amount of alkaline materials in the water. It is also a measure of resistance to change pH. Total alkalinity helps keep pH in its ideal range. Total alkalinity and pH are related. On average, when pH increases, your total alkalinity increases. When pH decreases, alkalinity decreases. Products like pH Up and pH Down adjust the pH level, while total alkalinity controls the speed of this change.
A good analogy would be to imagine a bucket of nails. A bucket full of nails is going to be heavier and harder to move than an empty bucket. In this example, the bucket is representing the pH, while the nails symbolize total alkalinity. When you have no or a small amount of nails, or low TA, the pH will vary constantly. When you have too many nails, or high TA, the bucket is heavier and harder to move, similar to pH being high and hard to lower.
As you can see, pH and total alkalinity go hand in hand. When balancing your pool water, you must first balance total alkalinity ... then pH. Ideal range for TA is 100 to 150 ppm.
Low TA Will Cause:
- pH readings to bounce from low to high
- Corrosion
- Irritation to skin and eyes
Solution:
Add sodium hydrogen carbonate, also called pH Up or pH Stabilizer. Broadcast across the pool water while pump is running. To raise total alkalinity 10 ppm, add 1 ½ pounds of pH Stabilizer per 10,000 gallons of water.
| High TA Will Cause:
- Difficulty adjusting pH
- Scale formation
- Cloudy water
Solution:
Slugging is an easy method of lowering total alkalinity by using pH Down...pre-dissolved solution can be used, but concentrate is more effective. Slugging is accomplished by pouring pH Down in one concentrated spot in the pool and turning the filter motor off. Keeping the water still will allow the pH Down to draw alkalinity out of the water. If you have extremely high TA, you can also use Muriatic acid. Muriatic acid comes in a liquid form. Be extremely careful with this product because like any acid, it can be very damaging to materials, including your pool! Do not pour Muriatic acid into or near your skimmer, filter, top rails of pool, or near the inside edge of the pool. |
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
Total Dissolved Solids is a build-up of all dissolved solids in your water. Every time you add chemicals, you are adding to the total. TDS can include anything from alkalinity to sodium. When evaporation occurs, the water evaporates into the atmosphere, leaving you with anything dissolved in that water. When water is high in TDS, the only solution is to drain your pool, and replenish with fresh new water. Unfortunately, you cannot prevent TDS. American Sale can test your water for TDS.