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PH
CHART
The ideal range is pinkish-orange
- 7.4 - 7.6.
Yellow
"means pH is low, Pinkish-purple
means it's high.
Either could mean trouble.
Ideal Water Balance Ranges;
Fibreglass pools pH 7.4 - 7.6
Total Alkalinity 125 - 150 ppm
Calcium Hardness 175 - 225 ppm
Total Dissolved Solids Under 2500 ppm
Iron 0 Copper
0
Water
Balance
It may surprise you, but the
water you drink may not be fit for your pool.
Tap water can have high or low pH and mineral
levels that can harm your pool. Improper levels
of pH and minerals can prevent pool treatments
from doing their job, not to mention damaging
your pool and its equipment with stains, scale
and corrosion. pH, Total Alkalinity, Calcium
Hardness, iron, copper and Total Dissolved
Solids make up overall water balance. Maintaining the ideal
ranges of these parameters will maximise swimmer
comfort, chemical effectiveness and protect the
surface and equipment of your pool. So even if
you fill your pool from the tap, it will need to
be chemically balanced. It's a good idea to have
your water balanced at the beginning of the pool
season, or when it is initially filled. Then
have it checked once a month during the summer.
The most important pool test is pH. A low pH
indicates too much acidity. This causes chlorine
to be used up quickly and leads to corrosion of
equipment and damaged pool surfaces. High pH
slows sanitiser effetiveness, causes cloudy
water and scale formation on equipment and
surfaces.
Regular Pool Care Programme
Your swimming pool represents a substantial
investment. Even the most simple pool is a
complex union of equipment that circulates,
filters, sanitizes and, in many cases, heats,
cascades or sprays the pool's water. A certain
amount of maintenance is necessary to keep these
systems running smoothly. It's easy to keep your
pool in top operating condition and the water
looking sparkling clear and inviting. Most
common pool pool care problems can be avoided if
you follow these five easy keys to pool care.
Key #1: Circulation
To ensure maximum effectiveness of the sanitizer
throughout the entire pool, the water must be
circulated. The more (or longer) your pool's
water is in motion, the harder it is for
bacteria and algae to take hold and grow.
Another advantage is the more water that is
passed through the filter, the more debris is
captured. The best time to circulate the water
in your pool is during the day, for 10 hours or
more.
Key #2: Filtration
The filter is one of the most important pieces
of equipment of your pool's system. Its function
is to physically remove both visible debris and
most microscopic matter. A filter usually should
be backwashed, which is the removal of material
trapped on or in the filter media, at least once
a week for 5 minutes and rinse for 1 minute, or
when the pressure guage indicates that the
pressure is too high. Because backwashing does
not remove oils and deeply imbedded debris,
every filter needs to be chemically cleaned
twice a year. Your Pool & Spa Care
Centre can help you set up a filter maintenance
program.
Key #3: Cleaning
The walls and floor of your pool needs to be
brushed regularly. All swimming pools have
certain areas that have little or no
circulation. This is where algae and bacteria
can begin to grow. At least once a week, the
walls and floors should be brushed and vacuumed
to remove debris that the filter misses. Some
pool owners use an automatic pool cleaner or
retain a weekly service - but brushing is a
must!
Key #4: Testing
Every pool has certain chemical characteristics
which must be regularly measured. The two most
important are the pH and the level of active
sanitizer. By testing these two factors at
regular intervals, you'll be able to understand
how bather load, weather and product application
affect the water. Test your pool's water about
once a week. Plan to bring a sample of pool
water to your Pool & Spa Care
Centre every 4 to 6 weeks for a more
comprehensive analysis. This will ensure that
proper water balance is maintained and greatly
reduce the potential risk for problems.
Key #5: Proper Water Maintenance
The final step in a total pool maintenance
programme is the proper application of product
to your pool water in a timely manner.
Your three objectives are:
1. Provide a sanitary swimming environment.
2. Chemically balance the water to protect the
equipment and the pool. Unbalanced pool water
can permanently damage both.
3. Provide clear, sparkling water free of algae
growth for all bathers."
A Final Word...
Each key is equally important. By neglecting one
key, problems will almost surely develop.
Consider each key as a preventative maintenance
step - relatively inexpensive and simple to
accomplish. If you keep up your maintenance, you
can avoid costly repairs, aggravation NB- Do not
heat your pool to over 30 degrees celsius
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