Testing Your Pool
Chlorine
Chlorine levels should be kept between 2-5 ppm for proper sanitation, We use liquid chlorine to achieve this for its stability and purity when compared to granular.
Salt
Salt levels should be kept between 2800-3400 ppm for proper sanitation. Chlorinating Salt Cells work best when water temperature is above 68F. When water temperature drops below 60F Salt Cells can not register accurate salt levels in the pool and are unable to sanitize the water. For this reason we use chlorine during winter months.
Alkalinity
Alkalinity levels should be kept between 80-120 ppm is a stabilizer for pH and helps to reduce fluctuation in pH levels, prevent corrosion and scaling. Properly maintained Alkalinity levels will extend the life of your pool plaster and equipment.
pH
pH levels should be kept between 7.4-7.8. pH means Properties and or Powers of Hydrogen. This balance keeps your pool from becoming too acidic or too basic, either can permanently damage your pool and equipment as well as be harmful to you. Human eyes and skin pH is about 7.5 so we strive to keep our pools at this level for your enjoyment and pool protection.
Calcium- Hardness
Calcium Hardness levels should be kept between 200-400ppm. Like alkalinity calcium hardness prevents corrosion and scaling. Calcium levels below 200ppm will lead to water seeking to increase calcium and will obtain this by leaching calcium from pool plaster (corrosion). Levels above 400ppm will lead to scaling where water will want to lose calcium and will achieve this by depositing it on tiles and pipes. If your calcium levels are too high the only way to remove is by draining water from pool until proper level is achieved.
Temperature
Temperature levels vary depending on size of the pool, equipment used, and seasons. There is no ideal temperature to keep pools at but each temperature has an affect on the saturation index which will need to be balanced to prevent corrosion or scaling.
Saturation Index
The saturation index is a combination of all the above mentioned chemicals. Based on your pools Alkalinity + pH + Calcium + Temperature = a sat index level. This level should be kept between -0.3 and +0.3. As long as pools are kept within this range scaling or corrosion should not occur (exception calcium hardness levels way off). A tip for older pools; keep sat index between 0 and +1 to prevent metals leaching from pipes
Cyanuric Acid
Cyanuric acid levels should be kept between 30-50ppm. This acts as a stabilizer for chlorine. Without it chlorine will evaporate from water within hours. Too much of it will block the chlorine from sanitizing the water. Cyanuric acid levels are a figure of 10 when using chlorine, example CYA= 30ppm the CL2 should be kept at 3ppm to achieve optimal sanitation. Like calcium hardness the only way to remove it from a pool is drain until proper level is achieved.
Phosphate
Phosphate levels should be kept below 200ppm. Phosphorous is a natural element and is everywhere in our world, trees, fertilizer, laundry detergent etc. When it enters a pool it reacts and becomes phosphates, and phosphates are food for algae. Keep levels below 200ppm to prevent algae blooms and use phosphate remover solutions to drop these before or during or after algae blooms.
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