In a climate where the air temperatures reach triple digits for an extended period of time, taking care of a swimming pool can be more challenging. The main reason why this is is that algae love warm water and since our pools can reach 90 degrees or more during the summer time maintaining a swimming pool regularly is extremely important. This means not only keeping it clean of all debris but also managing the water chemistry too. So, we are going to ask you, are you familiar with the proper levels of the following:
- Chlorine
- pH
- Phosphates
- Cyanuric Acid (CYA)
- Calcium Hardness (CH)
All of the above play a vital role in keeping your swimming pool clean and safe to swim in and it is primarily what we want to discuss in this blog post. But first, before dealing with water chemistry making sure your pool is clean is vital. This means the following:
- Brushing the steps, tiles, interior finish, and benches
- Skimming the surface and removing debris from the swimming pool as soon as possible
- Emptying out the skimmer and pump baskets as soon as possible to minimize circulation issues
- Vacuuming the pool if necessary
- Checking for leaks in all filtration equipment and plumbing
After all of that is complete, managing water chemistry is next and as we stated above, are you familiar with pool industry standards when it comes to proper levels of water chemistry? According to industry standards, the following are recommended levels:
- Chlorine – 3ppm
- pH – 7.4 – 7.6
- Phosphates – Less than 100ppb
- Cyanuric Acid – 30-50ppm
- Calcium Hardness – 200-400ppm
Chlorine
Chlorine is an extremely effective bacteria and algae killer, and cost-effective. There are a few ways you can introduce chlorine into the pool water, that include shock, chlorine tablets, and salt chlorine generator.
pH
pH alone is extremely unstable. Rainwater, swimmers, salt, and just about anything that enters the water can affect the pH level. When pH is low, it means your water is acidic, and when it’s high, your water is basic.
Phosphates
Phosphates are a food for algae. They get introduced into the swimming pool from plants, soil, and other vegetation. If these levels increase algae will bloom even with chlorine.
Cyanuric Acid
Stabilizer is a base chemical so that the chlorine doesn’t get burned off by the sun’s UV rays so quickly. This chemical will protect your chlorine from the sun.
Calcium Hardness
Our water in Las Vegas is hard. Having high levels of calcium in your swimming can make it more challenging to take care of and cause scaling on your water tile line, interior finish, filtration equipment, and water features.
Finally, you must be filtering your swimming pool one hour for each degree in temperature. So, if it’s 90 degrees you will need to filter your swimming pool for 9 hours daily. Taking care of swimming pools is what we love to do and we do it to take a headache away from you so you can swim and enjoy your pool without any hassles. If we can help you in any way this swim season, please contact us today for more information.
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