Welcome to Paradise Pools Mart. Today we begin talking about keeping your pool balanced.
Keeping your pool water properly balanced is one of your most important assignments as a pool owner.
Many things can throw the water out of balance’
How often you use the pool, rain, sun, wind, algae, dust, debris, circulation, even which sanitizers you use.
The source of fresh water (Such as well or municipal.) will also affect water balance in a number of ways.
Six factors need to be monitored for their effect on water balance:
Balancing Pool Water
p H Levels
Total alkalinity, or T A
Calcium hardness, especially for concrete or plaster pools.
total dissolved solids
Temperature
And cyanuric acid.
When all these factors are within acceptable ranges, it is unlikely that your water will cause corrosion or scale deposits.
Correctly balanced water also provides maximum bather comfort.
Use your test strips and take a water sample to your Authorized Dealer monthly for a complete laboratory analysis.
P H
Understanding p H is one of the most important aspects of pool care.
Low p H can lead to skin irritation and corrosion of equipment.
High p H can result in cloudy water and contribute to scale formation.
More importantly, the incorrect p H will reduce the effectiveness of the chlorine in your swimming pool.
Remember to check the p H at least twice a week.
The ideal range is between 7.2 and 7.6.
Adding a pool acid or p h plus product will raise your ph
Adding a pool Alkaline or p h plus will lower it
Recommended p H range is 7.2 to 7.6
Balancing Pool Water
TOTAL ALKALINITY (T A)
Total alkalinity (T A) is a measure of the ability of water to resist changes in p H and acts as a buffer in controlling p H change.
T A is an important factor that should be taken into account in optimizing water conditions.
Testing and correcting T A should be done before testing and adjusting p H.
The ideal range for T A in pools using calcium hypochlorite-based primary sanitizers, is 60-120 Parts Per Million.
For pools using tri chlor based primary sanitizers the recommended range is between 80–120 Parts Per Million.
If the T A is below 60 Parts Per Million, the p H will not stay in the proper range and the pool water may promote corrosion and cause damage to pool fixtures and equipment.
T A that is above 120 Parts Per Million can cause cloudy water or scale.
NOTE: Cyanuric acid (a stabilizer) will interfere with the test for total alkalinity.
Therefore, it is necessary to compensate for this interference.
For pools with properly maintained p H and a cyanuric acid level above 30 Parts Per Million, the correction formula is: Tested Total Alkalinity Result – one third Cyanuric Acid Reading = TRUE TOTAL ALKALINITY.
Balancing Pool Water Pt 1
CALCIUM HARDNESS (CALCIUM HARDNESS)
All water contains some natural hardness, which will vary by geographic region and by source within a region.
Calcium hardness refers to the dissolved calcium content of the pool water.
It is wise to test the CALCIUM HARDNESS levels regularly to prevent problems on the pool surface or in the circulation system.
Pool water with a calcium level above 1,000 Parts Per Million may become cloudy and if left long enough will form scale on pool surfaces and fittings.
CALCIUM HARDNESS below 200 parts per million can corrode pool equipment. In plaster pools it may result in pitting or etching problems.
Testing for hardness should be done by your Authorized Dealer, preferably at Spring opening (or new pool opening) and once a month during the swimming season.
You can also use the test strips.
The recommended range for calcium hardness is 200–500 Parts Per Million
Balancing Pool Water
