You may not have realized it when you first decided on installing an above ground pool, but you’ve volunteered yourself to become a regular water tester. Keeping your swimming pool water balanced will ensure your water remains clean, safe and fresh. You’ll need to take regular measurements and add chemicals to the water depending on the results. When it comes to the additives, can you add pool chemicals at the same time? As this article will show, it’s important to add swimming pool chemicals in the correct order to ensure they work properly. Read more to learn what to concentrate on first.
pH Levels
Getting your pH levels correct is the first step to getting your water properly balanced. As you’ll find out, this is intertwined with total alkalinity levels as the two are closely related. The ideal pH level for your swimming pool is between 7.2 and 7.6. This creates a comfortable swimming environment and allows the chlorine to function properly. If you allow the pH level to get too low you can find yourself with corroded pool components, damage to your liner or grout and plaster and irritation of the eyes and skin. If the pH is too high you may experience algae growth, scaling and calcium deposits, cloudy water and sensitivity of the eyes and skin.
Total Alkalinity
Total alkalinity will affect how easy it is to adjust the pH levels, so it’s important to get these both balanced together. If the total alkalinity gets too high it’ll be impossible to adjust the pH. Algae will start to grow; the water will become cloudy and your eyes and skin will be irritated. If total alkalinity is allowed to drop too far the pH levels will fluctuate erratically and be hard to control. You may also find your metal components rusting, etching of plaster and grout and the water may take on a greenish color.
pH and Total Alkalinity Followed by Calcium Hardness and Chlorine
Getting your pH and total alkalinity levels in order will be your first task. If your tests show that both the pH and total alkalinity are too low, you’ll need to add pH increaser. You may also need to add total alkalinity increaser to stabilize those levels. If the total alkalinity and pH levels are too high, you’ll need to add pH reducer. Once you have your pH levels between 7.2 and 7.6 and your total alkalinity between 60 and 120 ppm, you can balance the calcium levels in the water to prevent calcium deposits and scaling. Finally, you’ll be able to add chlorine to ensure the water is free of bacteria and kept fresh and clear.
Now that you know the steps for adding pool water chemicals, download our pool brochure to learn more about our models.