Balance and harmony is the key to living. The same goes for your pool water. If everything is balanced, you will avoid a lot of potential issues such as cloudiness and algae.
Maintaining the pH balance in your pool water will ensure you get the most out of your sanitising chemicals.Florence Kalitera from Zodiac Pool Care says water balance is important for a number of reasons.
She says not only does it help sanitise chemicals (i.e. chlorine and bromine) to work effectively but it also decreases the chance for water problems like cloudiness and algae growth.
She says it also prolongs the life of your pool equipment.
Florence shares tips on how to properly balance pool water…
Keep your pool chemicals working
Maintaining the pH balance in your pool water will ensure you get the most out of your sanitising chemicals.
For instance, in pools with a low pH, your water is more acidic and will eat up the sanitiser faster. This doesn’t give your sanitiser enough time to do its job properly.
Swimming pool water needs to be balanced, as such, it’ll start taking what it needs from PVC, vinyl, concrete and other parts of the pool, which will corrode and deteriorate your pool and equipment.Fight against cloudy water and algae growth
If the pool water is acidic, and your sanitising chemical (chlorine) isn’t’ working as well as it should, then you are opening yourself up to water issues.
Your sanitiser’s job is to keep these issues at bay by constantly killing off the bacteria and debris that cause them.
Protect your equipment
Low pH causes acidic pool water. If this is the case, the swimming pool water will do whatever it takes to increase its pH level.
Swimming pool water needs to be balanced, as such, it’ll start taking what it needs from PVC, vinyl, concrete and other parts of the pool, which will corrode and deteriorate your pool and equipment.
In fact, most manufacturers’ equipment warranties do not cover damage due to low pH.
If your pool is properly balanced, you won't need goggles to swim under water because the water will be as balanced as your tears.On the other side, if your pH is high, this can cause scaling. Swimming pool water will try to get rid of everything that’s making it alkaline, so it leaves a film around PVC pipes, heater elements, concrete and liners.
Extra scaling in your pool’s heater will cause it to use more energy to heat itself. It’s like clogging your pool’s arteries from ingesting too much unhealthy food.
How to balance pool water
The first step to achieving perfect water balance is testing. If it’s the start of the pool season, take a sample of your water to your nearest pool store to have it professionally analysed. You should do this at least once a month and you should test your water at home with a test kit or test strips at least once a week.
Pool water pH
This is a figure expressing the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. Your pool water should be between 7.4 and 7.6 on the pH scale, which would properly balance the water out.
If your pool is properly balanced, when you open your eyes underwater, they will not burn. The water will be as balanced as your tears.
Pool water alkalinity
This is a pH stabiliser. It helps to keep the pH from moving up and down the scale rapidly. The problem with pH is that everything can affect it including animals, humans, plants and the weather.
By keeping your alkalinity levels between 100 and 150 ppm (parts per million), you will help to maintain your pool’s pH balance.
But remember, these numbers can change quickly, especially after rain. So, make sure you keep an eye on your water balance.
By maintaining balance and harmony in your pool water, you will increase its life and avoid major water issues.
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