Chemicals for Swimming Pools

Posted on May 23, 2014 | Comments (0)

In addition to fighting microorganisms, pool chemicals can regulate water hardness. Untreated water can corrode and damage your pool equipment and affect your skin.

To fully address any problems with your pool's water you should seek the help of a specialist which can select the precise treatment your pool needs from a wide array of chemicals.

Regulating pH

pH is an indication of how acidic is your water. Ideal pH is between 7.4 and 7.6, but acceptable range is 7.2 to 7.8. If the pH level is far above the acceptable range, the water is considered alkaline. Alkaline water reduces the effectiveness of chemicals that are used in the pool. If the pH is below the lower bound of acceptable range, the water is considered acidic and acidic water can irritate your skin and eyes. Children are especially vulnerable to this.

Chlorine Disinfection

Chlorine is used to eliminate any biological pollutants in your pool, which includes not only bacteria and algae, but also human sweat and skin cells that we constantly shed. See one of our previous posts for more info on water chlorination.

Non-Chlorine Disinfection

Water can be oxygenated to remove most biological pollutants, which is a helpful alternative for people with sensitive skin or allergies to chlorine. However, bacteria will gradually evolve an immunity to oxygenation and the procedure will stop being effective. To combat this, the pool still needs to be "shocked" with chlorine 2 to 3 times a year.

Dealing with Murky Water

Filters can't filter out everything and the tiniest particles can pass through your filtration system and keep circulating in the pool. Special coagulant can be added to your pool if you have a sand filter and this will coagulate the particles into flakes of dirt that are big enough to be picked up by your filter. This is completely harmless and once your filter is backwashed after collecting all the flakes it will continue working as normal.

Dealing with Algae

Just like a pond or a lake, swimming pools gradually begin to grow algae. You may notice green spots on the walls and the bottom of your pool and the water will become greenish in color. Chemicals can also take care of this and restore your pool to its crystal clear state, provided you use the correct one. There are many different kinds of chemical treatment for green water and if you're not sure which one is right for your pool, consult a specialist at any pool service company!