 Swimming Pool Chemicals
Safe Use of Swimming Pool Chemicals
Now that you own a swimming pool, there are certain things you will have to learn to keep it healthy for your swimmers and maintain the water to prevent damage to the pool and associated equipment. While swimming pool chemicals are necessary for your health they also serve a purpose to protect your investment.
Chlorine is the most common amongst swimming pool chemicals. It is used to kill bacteria and fungus which can cause disease. Balancers are used with sanitizers to prevent the growth of algae, which can cause your pool water to be cloudy and reduce the effectiveness of the chlorine.
A stabilizer is a swimming pool chemical that many people do not understand how to properly use. It's main function is to prevent the ultraviolet rays from the sun from neutralizing the effectiveness of your chlorine. Too much stabilizer, however can make your water cloudy. The level of stabilizer in the water should be checked often and since it stays in the water indefinitely, will probably only need to be added when you add water to the pool.
A good level of stabilizer helps conserve another of your swimming pool chemicals, the sanitizer, cutting its consumption by about half. Check your stabilizer when you open the pool for the season, adding it as necessary, and periodically throughout the season.
Keep A Close Eye On The Waters Acid Level
The level of pH in your pool water tells you if you have too much acid in the water, or not enough. With the pH scale going from zero to 14, a level of 7.0 is considered neutral. However, swimming pool chemicals can help maintain the pH level of your swimming pool at 7.2 to 7.6 to prevent irritation to the eyes and skin. A proper pH level can also prevent damage to pool equipment.
Certain minerals in the water control its alkalinity, serving as agents to help you easily control the pH level in the pool water. In most pools, the alkalinity level should be between 125 and 175 parts per million. There are certain swimming pool chemicals to adjust this density.
Hard water is not unusual in swimming pools just filled and an acceptable level of hardness of between 225 to 300 parts per million will feel good while swimming and help protect your equipment. Hardness is measured by the calcium and magnesium in the water and too low a level of calcium, or too high, can damage your equipment, and can also be controlled by swimming pool chemicals. |