Pool chemistry for beginners

Making sure things are balanced is vital, and you don’t need to be a chemist to do it. We’re lending our expertise to any pool chemistry beginners, so you can understand exactly how to take charge of your DIY pool maintenance.

It’s important to note that pool chemistry is just one part of the bigger picture when it comes to your pool health. In fact, sanitisation, pool chemistry and filtration are all linked, each element working together and relying on one another to keep your pool clean and safe.

THE ROLE OF SANITISATION

Before we get into the nitty gritty of balancing your pool chemicals, let’s talk about why your pool water needs to be balanced. When your water attributes (pH, alkalinity, and calcium hardness) are out of alignment, no matter how many sanitisation products you add to your pool water, they simply won’t be effective.

Think about all the things that make their way into your pool – the wind blows in twigs and dirt, birds might stop for a dip (or a toilet stop), and after a swim people leave behind body oils, dead skin, sweat, and whatever else our bodies produce. Sanitiser is the best way to stop these contaminants turning your beautiful pool into a swamp, keeping away bacteria and algae that can make your pool water unhealthy.

There are a few different options you can use for your pool sanitiser, depending on the type of pool you have and your own personal preferences.

CHLORINE 

The most common type of sanitiser is, of course, pool chlorine, which is an effective and inexpensive way to sanitise your pool. It comes in three forms: liquid, granular, or tablets, and cleans your pool by entering contaminant molecules and destroying them from the inside out. The ideal chlorine level sits at 3-5 parts per million (ppm). 

BROMINE  

If you want an alternative to chlorine, and are keen to avoid the strong chlorine smell, bromine is the way to go. It ionizes pollutants, breaking down chemical bonds. It’s not as effective as chlorine, but it remains active for longer. Keep it at 3-5ppm.

POOL SALT

If you have a salt water pool, all you need is pool salt. The salt goes through a chlorinator which uses it to produce chlorine. So, for your salt water pools, instead of using a chlorine product, the sanitiser is actually continuously produced by the chlorinator. Learn more about salt water pools, what kind of salt to add and how to maintain them here.

MINERALS

Pools with a mineral system, as the name suggests, contain extra minerals, commonly including magnesium chloride, sodium chloride, and potassium chloride. These work together to not only help keep your pool clean, but also provide a range of health and skin benefits. It is worthwhile to use a little bit of chlorine to help the mineral system along. 0.5ppm is plenty.

HOW TO BALANCE POOL CHEMISTRY

Now that we’ve covered the importance of pool sanitising, let’s walk through how to make it work effectively.

If you want your pool to look beautiful AND be safe for swimming, balanced water that allows for your sanitising products to work their magic is important. This happens when your PH levels, alkalinity, and calcium hardness are all sitting where they should be.

To make this happen, it helps know a little bit about the role that these pool chemicals play in your pursuit of a healthy pool. Here’s what you need to know.

PH LEVELS

PH levels refer to the acidity of your pool water. A lower pH reading means that your pool is acidic, which can cause etchings on the sides of your pool and even erode your metal fixtures. A high pH reading is basic (more hydroxide ions than hydrogen ions), and can cause scaling on your pool surface and plumbing. Anything that enters your pool (rain, dirt, people) can have an effect on the levels, so you have to be on top things to ensure they stay in the ideal range.

The recommended pH is surprisingly the same as the human eye, which is pH 7.4, so, we would recommend keeping your pool levels between pH 7.2 and pH 7.6. We advise on using vitalyse pH Up and vitalyse pH Down to achieve this.

ALKALINITY

Alkalinity works as a buffer to help regulate the factors that can throw your pH levels off balance. Because of this, you should always play around with alkalinity levels first, and then adjust your PH.

The recommended levels are between 80 and 120 parts per million, and depending on if your alkalinity is low or high, you should be using vitalyse Alkalinity Up or pool acid.

Calcium hardness

We all know calcium’s important for our body, but what about calcium hardness in our pool?

Calcium in our pools works to keep your pool water clean and keeps the surface of your pool in good shape. The starting calcium hardness levels can depend on where you get your water from, for example water from a spigot will have less minerals (and calcium) than well water. Low calcium hardness can make your pool water feel slimy, and can even corrode the surface of your pool.

The recommended levels of calcium hardness are between 150 and 400 PPM, and if you’d like to raise your calcium hardness levels, give vitalyse Calcium Up a try.

POOL CHEMISTRY TESTING

The key to identifying your pool chemistry levels is in pool water testing. This will let you know the best pool chemicals to use.

While you can conduct your own water tests at home, if you have any concerns about the health of your pool water, or feel that your chemicals may be out of balance, it’s best to get your water professionally tested – especially if it’s cloudy or green.

You can get your pool water tested for free at your local Poolwerx. Following the test, our experts can advise you on the best products to help you get your pool chemistry perfectly balanced.

REMEMBER – POOL FILTRATION IS IMPORTANT

To keep your pool chemicals effective, including whatever you’re using to get things balanced, you need proper water circulation. A proper filtration system will keep things moving, spreading chemicals and your sanitisation products to every corner of your pool. Plus, it will filter our debris and bacteria, and stop algae from forming, which helps to keep your water attributes at the right levels.

TALK TO POOLWERX    

We’re always happy to help, so if you’re seeking advice about your pool health or your pool chemistry, don’t hesitate to pay us a visit or give us a call.