| Key 4 - Water Testing | | | | you may have really clear water but, you'll burn |
| Test your pool water at least 2 times per week | | | | through chlorine like crazy, your blonde hair will turn |
| & bring a 1 quart water sample for a complete | | | | green, corrosion of pool surfaces & equipment |
| computerized test & analysis 3 times per season | | | | will take place. We've even seen skin abrasions due |
| to your local pool professional for best results. | | | | to low pH ("but the water is SO clear!") |
| Testing keeps you up to date on what's going on | | | | Water with a high pH, sanitizers become sluggish |
| with your pool water. | | | | & work slowly. The results: hazy or cloudy |
| Don't rely solely on how the water looks. In fact | | | | water, scaling of pool surfaces & equipment |
| most of the SERIOUS water problems that we see | | | | begins to occur. Physically, you'll also notice red eyes, |
| (skin rashes, colored hair, pool surface etching, etc.) | | | | itchy skin, dry hair. |
| occur when the water is "crystal clear" about the | | | | Remember that the pH scale is a logarithmic scale. In |
| middle part of the swimming season. Make pH, total | | | | other words if the pH is 7.5 (basically perfect for pool |
| alkalinity & calcium hardness adjustments | | | | use), a pH of 6.5 is 10 times more acid (corrosive) |
| promptly. You'll protect the filter system, the pool | | | | and a pH of 5.5 is 100 times as acidic! Conversely, if |
| surfaces, get better chlorine & sanitizer | | | | the pH is 8.5, the water is 10 times more alkaline |
| efficiency and virtually eliminate red eyes & dry | | | | (prone to scale formation). When the pH is off, it's |
| skin. | | | | OFF. |
| Here's what Pool testing involves: | | | | When you notice the pH going off, either low or high, |
| * Testing & maintaining the sanitizer level - | | | | don't ignore it. Correct it as soon as possible. Use pH |
| chlorine, bromine, salt level, biguanide (Soft Swim or | | | | increaser such as BioGuard® Balance Pak |
| Baquacil) | | | | 200® when the pH is low. Use about 1 lb. per |
| * Testing & maintaining the pH | | | | 10,000 gallons. Retest the following day. Use pH |
| * Other important water balance levels | | | | decreaser such as BioGuard® Lo 'n Slo® to |
| Testing & maintaining the sanitizer level - No | | | | lower the pH when it gets high. Use about 1 lb. per |
| matter what basic chemistry or pool care sanitizing | | | | 10,000 gallons. Retest the following day. Always |
| system you're using, chlorine, bromine, salt / chlorine, | | | | make incremental adjustments to prevent |
| biguanides (such as BioGuard Soft Swim or Arch | | | | see-sawing. |
| Chemical Baquacil), or other alternatives such as | | | | Other important water balance levels - Water testing |
| Pristine Blue, you have to keep an eye on that level. | | | | shouldn't end with sanitizer & pH. There are |
| Too low - bacteria & algae can get out of | | | | other components that need to be watched for |
| control & cause real problems. Too high - that's | | | | optimal sanitizer effectiveness, protection of pool |
| just being wasteful; it's unnecessary to maintain high | | | | surfaces & equipment, and swimmer's comfort |
| sanitizers levels in most swimming pool applications. | | | | & health. These other water chemistry indicators |
| But sometimes you do want that sanitizer level a bit | | | | are Total Alkalinity, Calcium Hardness, Cyanuric Acid |
| higher, like just before a big pool party or if your | | | | (stabilizer), Metals, TDS & Chlorine Demand. |
| area is expecting a lot of rain. That temporarily high | | | | Briefly, the Total Alkalinity (TA) is a buffer for the pH |
| sanitizer level will protect the pool water from getting | | | | - good range 80 - 150 ppm, depending on pool |
| "out of whack". How many times have you been to | | | | surface type & type of sanitizer used. If the TA |
| or been the host of pool party and you can actually | | | | is low, the pH will "bounce" around & you will |
| watch the water become hazy as the party goes on | | | | have difficulty maintaining it for more than a couple |
| (then realize that hardly anyone has used the | | | | of days. If the TA is high, the pH will tend to be high |
| bathroom all day! Yikes!). Starting a pool party with a | | | | which will contribute to scale build-up. Calcium |
| higher sanitizer level could have prevented that. | | | | Hardness (CH) is the measure of how much calcium |
| But, you also have to know what sanitizer level | | | | & other carbonates are in the water. Low CH |
| you're testing. Especially in the case of chlorine, which | | | | will lead to aggressive water (similar to low pH) as |
| chlorine are you testing? Free Available Chlorine (FAC) | | | | the water wants to balance itself & therefore |
| or Total Chlorine? What's the difference? FAC is the | | | | eats away at any & all pool surfaces. High CH |
| chlorine level that is actually active & working | | | | will be shown as cloudy water, with the water |
| killing bacteria & algae. Total Chlorine is exactly | | | | becoming cloudier as the water warms - especially |
| that - the total amount of chlorine present in the | | | | above 85 F. Rapid scaling will also occur damaging |
| pool, FAC plus combined chlorines. And you don't | | | | filters & heaters. High calcium is generally caused |
| want combined chlorines. Combined chlorine is chlorine | | | | by using calcium based chlorines or from very hard |
| plus waste; usually in the form of nitrogen | | | | source water. TA & CH should be tested 4 - 6 |
| (chloramines). It smells & causes red eyes. When | | | | times per season. Once adjusted, they do not |
| you have a strong chlorine odor, the cause is typically | | | | fluctuate wildly except in the case of heavy rains or |
| a very poor level of FAC and a High level of | | | | copious amounts of make up water. |
| chloramines. The only way to get rid of them is | | | | Cyanuric Acid (CYA) - chlorine stabilizer - should be |
| shock the pool. Click on this link for more information | | | | tested about 3 - 4 days after pool start up. If you |
| on chloramines & other chlorine issues. Here's | | | | are using a slow dissolving chlorine stick or tablet, odd |
| quick chart as to proper sanitizer levels: | | | | are that you WILL NOT need to add stabilizer every |
| Chlorine 1.0 - 2.0 ppm | | | | year. DO NOT TEST FOR STABILIZER UNTIL THE |
| Bromine 2.5 - 4.5 ppm | | | | FILTER HAS RUN FOR A MINIMUM OF 3 DAYS FOR |
| Biguanide 30 - 50 ppm | | | | ACCURATE RESULTS. Do not randomly add stabilizer |
| PristineBlue® 0.5 - 1.0 ppm | | | | every year or pool season without first testing, you'll |
| How often should you test the sanitizer level? Ideally, | | | | be wasting your money. Maintain a level of about 40 |
| every day. Realistically, 2 times per week is great. | | | | - 100 ppm. Myth - there is no such thing as "chlorine |
| You may want to keep a log in case you ever need | | | | lock" caused by higher levels of CYA. This is more of |
| to treat a problem. When you call us or your local | | | | a Chlorine Demand problem. If you are using Bromine, |
| pool professional, we'll be able to help you diagnose | | | | do not test or worry about CYA, bromine cannot be |
| that problem. | | | | stabilized. Ever. |
| Testing & maintaining the pH - Here's the | | | | Metals, TDS (total dissolved solids) & chlorine |
| question that we're regularly asked: "Why do I have | | | | demand should be tested from time. Tests should be |
| to test the pH? The water looks great and besides, | | | | performed by a qualified pool water professional. If |
| the chlorine level is more important to watch." | | | | you suspect or are having staining problems, |
| Where's that buzzer? Wrong! Testing & | | | | problems maintaining a sanitizer level, incurable cloudy |
| maintaining pH is almost more important than testing | | | | water or algae, please bring in a one quart water |
| for sanitizer. Why? | | | | sample for a free complete computerized water |
| With an improper pH level, nothing works the way it | | | | analysis. |
| should! All pool sanitizers work best in a very narrow | | | | Remember to follow the other 5 Keys to Pool Care. |
| range of 7.2 to 7.8. If the pH is low (less than 7.2), | | | | They're just as important. |