The basics

Fill your pool with crystal clear, refreshing water? Not so fast! The leaves will accompany the freshness - while bugs plan their last hurrah. And overhead birds seem to think 'what better place than here?' Add in all the body oils, hair, and dead skin cells that we shed daily when someone takes a plunge- now you've got yourself a soup mix. That’s why you should balance your pool water.

‍

Chemicals levels, functions & how to balance them:

Alkalinity

Keep your pool's alkalinity levels between 80 and 150 parts per million, with 100-120 ppm as the sweet spot

Its function is to keep Ph stable, think of alkalinity as a superhero sidekick! Swooping in to save the day before any pH-related drama occurs. It acts as an absorbing buffer, neutering major shifts and keeping your water's balance stable!

•Increase Alkalinity: An easy way to raise the Alkalinity level is by sprinkling some Alkalinity increaser or Baking soda. You can add it when it falls below 80 parts per million

•Decrease Alkalinity: You can use an Alkalinity decreaser or muriatic acid to lower the alkalinity, this will also lower your Ph. You can add it when rises above 150 ppm

This can be a delicate process, so take each adjustment slowly and carefully. pH and alkalinity are correlated, each influencing the other. It's critical to set your alkalinity first – it could bring pH into perfect balance all on its own!

Here there’s more information about Alkalinity

‍

PH

The goal? Aim for that ideal range between 7.4-7.6 – super scientific but totally necessary!

PH levels are one of the most important aspects to keep up with. If your pool's pH gets too low, it can become acidic and unsafe for swimming; if it’s too high, chlorine won't work as effectively at killing off bacteria.

Stay on top of things with both pH increaser (Could be Soda ash) and Decreaser (Could be Muriatic acid) so you're ready for any situation - even rain or dirt entering the water unexpectedly!

Here there’s more information about Ph & how to balance it

‍

Calcium Hardness

An ideal pool should have water with calcium hardness levels between 200-350 ppm and 150-250 ppm in spas

Water hardness varies greatly depending on location and the source of your pool water - well water tends to possess much higher levels of calcium than regular tap water.

Too little calcium can result in scaling, corrosion, or other damage to your pool walls & equipment, for this you can add Calcium hardness increaser

Too much leads directly to cloudy waters that require shocking or clarification before they'll clear up again. To handle this you can lower the pH and the alkalinity

Here there’s more information about Calcium Hardness

‍

Sanitizers:

No, not with soap and water - Pool Sanitizer, Not only eliminates potential sickness-causing pathogens, but it also helps keep pesky algae away! Chlorine is the go-to sanitation method of choice here, however, there are plenty of other options available depending on your preferences.

‍

Chlorine:

You need just the right amount of 1 - 3 ppm. Too few or too many parts per million can cause you problems, so aim for that sweet spot in between!

Chlorine is the most used sanitizer for swimming pools worldwide, offering unbeatable benefits at a wallet-friendly price. This powerful sanitizer can obliterate viruses, bacteria, and algae.

‍

Pool Chlorine comes in different forms:

•Liquid chlorine: The perfect solution if you want fast-acting sanitization and can use it quickly. All you have to do is add it directly to the water. Unfortunately, its shorter shelf life means that this product doesn't have staying power. Other forms like granulated (Powder) and tablets last a longer shelf life

•Chlorine Tablets: Available in two convenient sizes (3” and 1”), these powerful tabs dissolve in the water, allowing you to easily release chlorine into your oasis. Place them into a dispenser or an automatic dispenser.

•Chlorine Powder (Granular): This is the perfect addition to your pool water if you're looking for quick results. It's easy to apply, all you have to do is add it to the water. This method works faster than tablets.

‍

Pool Chlorine also comes in two types:

•Stabilized Chlorine:

Stabilized chlorine has cyanuric acid added which prevents the sun from burning off its effectiveness over time! If you have an outdoor pool it’s important that your chlorine is stabilized. You should also know that an excess of cyanuric acid reduces chlorine’s effectiveness, if you find yourself in this situation, try diluting your pool with some fresh water.

•Unstabilized Chlorine: UV radiation can burn away at this sanitizing agent, it’s vulnerable to the sun. Unstabilized types of chlorine are available specially created for just these scenarios – for those with indoor pools or those who shock their water in the evening. No Sunlight.

Here there’s more information about Chlorine in pools

‍

Cyanuric Acid

Keep your CYA (Cyanuric Acid or Stabilizer) levels around 20 to 100 ppm

Cyanuric Acid (stabilizer) works like sunscreen for your chlorine, protecting against loss from sunlight.

To have full control over the amount of cyanuric acid in your pool you can use unstabilized chlorine and add manually the cyanuric acid needed, this way you don’t have the risk of having too much in your pool, which affects the chlorine effect.

‍

Saltwater Chlorinator

The sweet spot lies between 2700 and 3400 parts per million - with 3200 ppm as the optimal

With a saltwater chlorinator generator, it's as easy as pouring the required amount of salt straight into your pool. But be careful - if you have an inground vinyl liner or concrete pool with a plaster finish, these systems can cause major problems in time

Here there’s more information about Salt water systems

‍

Bromine

Keep your pool bromine levels between 3-5 ppm for a clean, healthy swim.

Bromine has become the go-to sanitizer for hot tub and spa owners due to its superior ability in higher temperatures. Unlike chlorine, this chemical comes pre-diluted as a liquid or tablet form since it can be harmful to the skin and eyes when not handled correctly.

Despite their similarities in killing bacteria, bromine works differently than chlorine during the breakdown process.

Bromine stays active longer than chlorine - however, prolonged use can reduce its effectiveness as harmful bromamines accumulate, and regular shocking treatments are necessary.

‍

Biguanide

Aim to have 30-50 ppm of biguanide concentration in the water at all times

Using Biguanide in your pool can help keep it clean and it’s chlorine-free, but don't forget to check up on the filters as well! Contaminants bind together more easily with this chemical agent, so you'll need to be vigilant when looking over and cleaning out any gunk that gets stuck in your filter system.

Many pool owners turn to bromine as an alternative sanitizer, offering benefits like being kind on skin and hair while avoiding the bleaching side-effect that some other products can cause. However, it's important to be aware of its limitations too - such as higher costs relative to others and reduced effectiveness over time which could lead to cloudy water.

‍

Other Sanitizers

While Chlorine and Saltwater systems are the most commonly used methods for sanitizing pools, there are other options available, such as UV Pool systems, Ozone pool systems, or Ionizer systems. Each alternative has its own unique advantages and disadvantages to consider!

‍

You may also be interested in knowing the proper ways to maintain your pool: Complete Guide on Pool Maintenance