In this day and age,it is important that a pool owner has a good working knowledge of their pool needs. All pools vary in their need for certain chemicals. In the same neighborhood, using the same tap water, each pool has its own special requirements. These variances can be caused by something as simple as what kind of plant life you have in your backyard or how much direct sunlight your pool receives. By proper water testing and a basic knowledge of your pools requirements you can be sure to keep your pool clean and safe.

Pools that are properly maintained require very little change in the amount of chemicals required to keep them clean and safe. When a pool is not maintained in a consistent manner many problems can arise. This can result in damage to your pool surface, whether its plaster, vinyl or fiberglass. Improper maintenance can also damage your pool filter pump and/or heater. A few minutes spent testing your pool water and adjusting the chemicals can save you hundreds of dollars in repair and give you many more hours of swimming pleasure.

Your test kit is the first step in determining the amounts and types of chemicals your pool needs. If you are maintaining your pool, you should be sure that you buy a testkit that tests for chlorine, pH, acid demand and total alkalinity. By properly maintaining these readings, you can be sure of a sparkling clean pool.

CHLORINE is the chemical that destroys bacteria and algae. But, by destroying these invaders the chlorine itself is used up. Other factors that contribute to lowering the chlorine level are sunlight, bathing load, pH imbalance and airborne contaminants.

Because chlorine is a chemical, it reacts with everything in your pool. Leaves, debris, lawn fertilizer and animals all cause the chlorine in your water to work harder to destroy the bacteria brought into the water. After the chlorine has worked to destroy these intruders, the level of chlorine that remains is called chlorine residual. This is the amount of chlorine that is still working to prevent the growth of bacteria and algae.

Never allow the chlorine level to fall below 1.0PPM. This is the minimum reading you need to keep the chlorine residual at a safe level. A reading 1.5 to 2.0PPM is not harmful. Many people keep their pools at this higher level as a protective measure. A few minutes of testing every other day should be adequate to insure your chlorine is at a safe level.

Even though you are careful to maintain a good chlorine residual, contaminants and chloramines can still build up in your water. Because of this, a pool should be shocked on a regular basis. Do this by causing a chlorine shock or an oxidizer to break up the contaminants. During the swimming season this should be every 7 to 10 days. It is also a good idea to shock the water after heavy usage, rain or yardwork such as planting or fertilizing.

TOTAL ALKALINITYis the number of carbonates, hydroxides and bicarbonates that have collected in your pool water. When you maintain a good alkalinity reading it will enable you to keep a proper pH level. A vinyl pool should be in the 120 to 150 PPM range. A good place to start testing your alkalinity is with your tapwater. Write down this reading. This lets you know what you are adding when filling or adding fresh water to your pool. By knowing whether your tapwater is acidic or alkaline, you will have a better understandinq of what type of reading you can expect from your pool water. If the total alkalinity falls below the recommended range, sodium bicarbonate is needed to bring it back to the proper level. A good clue to a low alkalinity reading is a low pH level that won't stabilize even after the addition of sodiumcarbonate(sodaash). So if your pH level won't stay up, check your total alkalinity. Sodiumbicarbonate maybe the answer to your problem. If your water is highly alkaline, adding muratic acid or dry acid to the pool will probably become part of your routine.

ALGAECIDESare used as a preventative measure or as a cure for an existing problem. The number and types of algaecides on the market today can be very confusing to a pool owner. Be sure to read the label of the product you choose to make sure it is the one you need. Never use a chlorine based algaecide in a vinyl, fiberglass or painted pool. It will bleach those surfaces.

SOFT WATERcan also be a problem for a pool owner. Water that has a hardness level of below 100PPM is highly corrosive. Water this soft can cause etching in the pool walls and floor. To counter act this problem add calcium chloride to the water, at the rate of 1pound per 10,000 gallons of water. This will raise the hardness level 10PPM per 10,000 gallons.

SHOCKINGis done by adding an extra dose of chlorine, such as calcium hypochlorite or sodium hypochlorite. The chlorine level goes up briefly to 5.0PPM, thus insuring that any bacteria or algae building up in the water will be destroyed. When using one of the above shocking agents, do so in the evening hours when no one will be using the pool and the sun has gone down. This will give you the maximum benefit from a chlorine shock.

OXIDIZER is another way to shock your pool water. An oxidizer does not raise the level of chlorine , but by an oxidizing process, breaks up the chloramine and contaminants in the water. Because it does not raise the chlorine level, it can be used any time a shock is needed . Oxidizer also remains in the water for a longer period of time than a chlorine shock. This means it helps your chlorine do its job for a longer span of time. If you use a solar cover, this is the best type of shocking agent to use. High levels of chlorine shorten the life of a solar cover.

STAIN PREVENTATIVE is a sequestering agent that works to pull the metals, particularly iron, out of the pool water. Stain preventative surrounds the metallic ions so they stay suspended in the water. This enables the filter to take them out. This chemical is a preventative· not a stain remover. It also helps to prevent scaling of the walls and floor. Be sure to adjust the pH and alkalinrty before adding this chemical . Do not add chlorine or oxidizer for at least 8 hours after using a stain preventative.

pH is the measurement of the acidity or alkalinity of the pool water. The proper pH level determines the effectiveness of your chemicals and the comfort of swimmers. The ideal pH level is 7.4 to 7.6 PPM. 0 to 7 PPM is acidic and 7.2 to 14 PPM is alkaline . By maintaining your pH at this level, you will be using your chemicals at their maximum efficiency and protecting swimmers from eye and nose irritations . A pH of 7.0 is considered neutral. If the pH falls below 7.0 the water becomes highly acidic and can damage your plaster and equipment. It can also cause staining and is very uncomfortable and unsafe for swimmers. To counteract an acidic pH level, sodium carbonate (soda ash) should be added to the water. Until the pH is brought back to a safe range the chemicals in your water, particularly chlorine , will disappear rapidly. At the other end of the scale, highly alkaline pool water, a pH of 7.8 PPM or higher is also dangerous. When the water is too alkaline the chemicals in your water stop working. Scale, which usually rears its ugly head by leaving a dirty white or gray crust on your pool plaster, ladder , heat exchanger, etc., starts to form. To alleviate this problem muratic or dry acid must be used to lower the pH.

REMEMBER! A pH ABOVE 7.8 PPM, ADD ACID (pH MINUS) A pH BELOW 7.2 PPM, ADD SODA ASH (pH PLUS)

Do not test your pH if the chlorine level is above 3.0 PPM. A high chlorine level can result in a false pH reading. Rainwater can be highly acidic. Test the pool water after the rain has stopped. Adjust the pH at this time. If the alkalinity is high, and you think it is going to rain, wait until after the rainfall before adding acid. Check your pH and alkalinity . Nature may have taken care of it for you.

HARDNESS is the total calcium and magnesium in the solution in the water. We are all familiar with the term "hard water'. Many of us around the country have been fighting this problem for years. We know the hard, white, crusty residue we clean off of our water taps. Calcium and magnesium are not soluble , so they constantly build up in your pool water. If you live in an area that has hard water check the pool regularly for hardness content. The reading should be in the 100 to 500 PPM range. If possible, the pool should be drained when the hardness level reaches over 500 PPM. If allowed to stay at this level the pool walls and floor will soon accumulate scale. This same scale can occur in the heater and cause the heater to malfunction. Because scale in the heat exchanger tubes acts as insulation, the heater will use more gas to heat the pool.

Remember, when you keep the chemistry of the.water at the proper levels you will save money, have a safe pool and a beautiful body of water.

DON'T FORGET ALL CHEMICALS WE HAVE DISCUSSED ARE VERY DANGEROUS,
ESPECIALLY TO CHILDREN. BE SURE TO STORE YOUR CHEMICALS AND EQUIPMENT OUT
OF THE WAY OF INQUIRING LITTLE HANDS AND MOUTHS.
LET'S DO ALL WE CAN TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN SAFE.

For your own safety, do not mix any chemicals together. Some of these chemicals are highly volatile and can cause dangerous  fumes or an explosion. Dispose of all containers as directed on the package. Always follow the directions on the package to insure your safety.

HERE ARE SOME SIMPLE FORMULAS FOR ADDING THE CHEMICALS NAMED ABOVE:
With filter operating add chemicals and run for a minimum of 2 hours . Test levels after 4 hours.
Low pH -- pH plus (soda ash) -. Mix soda ash in a bucket of warm water and pour around inside perimeter of the pool.
Use 2 pounds per 10,000 gallons of water. Adjust if necessary.
High pH •• add pH Minus (dry acid) at the rate of one pound per 10,000 gallons of water in a 24 hour period.
Low total alkalinity ·· Add sodium bicarbonate at the rate of 1 1\2 pounds per 10,000 gallons of water. This will raise
the total alkalinity 10 PPM per 10,000 gallons of water.
High total alkalinity -- Muratic acid should be added at the rate of 1 pint per 10,000 gallons of water in a 24 hour period
to lower the pH level.

In go SUSTAIN® pool products...
...out comes Shimmering, Crystal Clean Water

 

Use Sustain® Summer Shield chlorine extender once a season.

3-Part System Sustain® Summer Shield Chlorine Extender provides your pool with an extra level of protection against algae. It does this by creating a reserve, or back-up, of chlorine fighting power, that is released on-demand whenever routine sanitizing levels suddenly drop like after a rainstorm or pool party. Used according to label directions, one dose will last all summer (150 days)*.

Sustain® 3-Inch Blue Chlorinating Tablets, used according to label directions, will keep your pool looking great by providing routine sanitizing power all week long. These tablets contain a patented erosion modifier that allows them to deliver chlorine more consistently than conventional (white) tablets. The dispenser cup packed inside every bucket allows you to control just the right amount of chlorine for your pool with an easy-to-use adjustable lid.

Sustain® ¾-Inch Shield Energizer Tablets make the shocking process simple, quick and effective. Every time you useEnergizer tablets, you replenish your Summer Shield reserve bank of chlorine protection. Use the measuring cap that comes inside each package to fill your skimmer basket with the required amount of tablets for your pool size (see package label directions.)

* Sustain Summer Shield levels can be affected by splash-out and dilution (addition of water to the pool). To assure a proper Shield level have your authorized Sustain dealer test your Shield level every six weeks. For Summer Shield Chlorine Extender to be effective, it must measure 1.5 ppm to 5 ppm.