
Chemistry Tips
Weekly Residential or Commercial Services
One of our highly trained pool technicians will service your pool. There are three main parts to servicing a swimming pool.
1. The Equipment
Our service technician will ensure the main pump is clean, and verify the impeller is clear. The main filter must be cleaned for proper flow and effective filtering. The salt system (if you have one) must be checked for proper settings and ensure the cell is clean. If you have automation, the programing will be verified.
2. The Chemistry
The Chemistry will be checked every week. We test for all the major values for pool chemistry. We test for Hardness, Total Chlorine, Free Chlorine, Ph, Alkalinity, Cyanuric Acid, & Phosphates. We leave a dated record on your property of the readings we find and leave it at the equipment. This record verifies the date and the chemistry found upon our service visit. We take great pride in keeping the water safe and enjoyable.
3. The Cleaning
The Cleaning of the pool. Most customers notice the cleaning first, they don’t know the care we put into the equipment servicing or the chemistry adjustments. We take great pride in all three phases of our service. We know you want quality and we deliver. We want you to be happy, If you are ever unhappy with any of our services, we will return and do it right at no charge. Please do not hesitate to call for any reason.
BASIC POOL CHEMISTRY
HARDNESS : Is the measurement of how much minerals are in the water range 250 to 400 ppm is the O.K range. Harness come from anything dissolved in the water, i.e. chlorine products, dust in the wind, calcium & magnesium from tap water, it is also called “TDS” TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS”. I call it “TOTAL DISSOLVED STUFF” because it is an accumulation of many minerals. The test kits usually test for calcium only.
Total Chlorine : Is the total chlorine in the water. The total is just like it sounds, the total amount per ppm (parts per million) normal pool range is 1 to 3 ppm, 3 ppm is better, spa range 3 to 5 ppm. When a pool chlorine reading is as low as 1 ppm, I panic knowing this pool is about to go green. You must do something to correct this before you leave the pool.
Free Chlorine : Is the chlorine that is available (or awake) to kill algae. This free chlorine is the only part that really matters. If it is free and available to kill bacteria or algae
PH : Is the measurement of how acidic the water is, i.e. high or low. range is 7.2 to 7.8. low ph = acidic (corrosive) high ph = base or not corrosive. PH is the most important thing to manage, if the PH is too high, chlorine will not work, low PH is bad for the pool equipment and surface of the pool. PH must stay in the OK range
ALKALINITY : How much baking soda or sodium bicarb is in the water. Range is 80 to 120 ppm, 120 is better because alkalinity goes down by itself. Sodium bicarb is the bicarbonate the pool industry has chosen to keep pool water’s hunger satisfied. If you don’t give the water the minerals that it wants, the water is considered aggressive or hungry for minerals. Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) satisfies the water’s hunger and makes the water relax and comfortable to swim. If the alkalinity is left low, the aggressive water makes your hair fall out, it makes plastics brittle. You must shoot for 120 ppm on the alkalinity.
CYANURIC ACID : Conditioner or called stabilizer. (this is not hydrochloric acid, not pool acid) stabilizer or conditioner acts like a sun screen for chlorine. Cyanuric prevents chlorine from evaporation too quickly. Range is 50 to 80 ppm, 80 is better. High cyanuric (Cyanide poison) is bad for you. Pools over 100 ppm should be drained. Do not add cyanuric to a chlorine tablet pool. Why?, There is already cyanuric in all chlorine products. In salt pools, we need to add cyanuric because the chlorine generated from the salt system will otherwise evaporate, the best cyanuric range is 70 t0 80
NON CHLORINE SHOCK : Non chlorine product that will free up sleeping or locked up chlorine molecules that are known as chloramines.
PHOSPHATE REMOVER : Removes phosphates. phosphates come from dust, soap, plants, and fertilizers. Phosphates also come in the drinking water or tap. All pools will get phosphates. You must get rid of all phosphates using phosphate remover. Phosphates block chlorine & feed algae. Phosphates are the main problem when you have a green pool







