What To Know About Pool Water Chemical Balancing

Ensuring that your pool’s chemicals are correctly balanced is perhaps one of the most important things a pool owner can do when it comes to the sanitation of their pool. Here are some important things to know about chemical balancing:

1. For chlorine or a chlorine alternative to work its absolute best, it is necessary that you have five important elements balanced, which will be discussed below.
2. You need to test your pool on a weekly basis. The chemical balance of your pool is in constant flux due to debris that gets into your pool, so it’s essential that you monitor it to maintain safe levels.
3. Here is a handy guide for the values you should aim for.
   • pH:

     This tells you how much acidity is in your water. A good pH level is essential to ensuring that you are comfortable while swimming and that your pool remains in peak condition. Look for a value between 7.2 and 7.8. Keep in mind that high levels of pH will make chlorine stop doing its job entirely.

   • Alkalinity:

     This value tells you how well your water can neutralize the level of corrosiveness in your pool. Look for a value between 80 to 120 ppm.

   • Calcium Hardness:

     This stops any murkiness and staining in your pool. A value between 200 and 400 ppm is what you should be looking for.

   • Stabilizer:

     This stops any UV rays from minimizing the level of chlorine in your pool and therefore prolongs the length of time that chlorine stays around. Look for a value between 40 and 100 ppm.

   • Total Dissolved Solids:

     This tells you how many minerals are remaining after water evaporation has taken place. A value that is less than 3000 ppm is what you should be looking for. In the event that it is higher than 3000 ppm, drain some of your pool water and add new water.

4. To actually test your pool water, you must purchase a water test kit, which will measure pH, alkalinity and calcium hardness. Next, you will take these numbers and make calculations based on the Langelier Saturation Index. The temperature in your pool will also be factored in. At the end of your calculations, you will be looking for a value that is as close to zero as possible: this means that your pool is balanced.
• Keep in mind that you do not have to make these calculations yourself. You can take some your pool water to a professional who will test it for you. This is advised when you are first opening up your pool during the spring, even for seasoned pool owners.

For more information on pool water chemical balancing, our team of professionals at Ferrari Pool would be happy to help you. Contact us today for more.