Chemically treating your pool water is essential to its hygiene and longevity. Every pool owner needs to have a basic working knowledge of their pool’s chemistry. What materials should you have in your kit, though? Here are a few of the essential chemicals needed in your pool to keep your water clean.
Test Strips
First, you need to know what’s in your pool water at any given time. These handy dip-and-read strips will tell you the alkalinity, pH, and chlorine levels in your water. When you clean your pool, using a test strip is the first step.
Sanitizers
Chlorine is the most common pool sanitizer. It comes in both granule and tablet form. You need to administer granules to the pool water every day. On the other hand, tablets can go into a chlorine floater or automatic chlorinator.
If you run your pool, spa, or hot tub at a warmer temperature, the water may respond better to bromine treatment. Haven Spa Pool & Hearth’s selection of pools in Portland, Oregon, can run warm or cool, depending on your preference. Either way, you must check the levels of any water sanitizer regularly.
Algaecides
To combat scum and bacteria in your pool, use an oxidizer like calcium hypochlorite every few weeks. Chlorine and non-chlorine varieties are available, generally in powdered form. Pour the powder into your pool every few weeks to give your water a good shock.
pH Balancers
The ideal pH for a swimming pool hovers around 7.5. To keep it there, have pH increasers and reducers on hand. Granular soda ash will increase the pH, while granular sodium bisulfate (also known as dry acid) brings it down. Use your test strips regularly and act quickly if your pool water’s pH changes drastically.
Alkalinity acts as a buffer to keep your water’s pH from changing too fast. Sodium bicarbonate will maintain a healthy alkalinity level in your pool.
Calcium Increasers
Your pool’s water needs some calcium of its own. Otherwise, it’ll become hungry and start eating away at the plaster. To prevent buildup (calcification) on the pool’s floor and walls, feed your water some calcium chloride, which you can easily find in powdered form. Test your water regularly, though. Too much calcium can cause scaling and extra buildup.
When you shop for pools in Portland, Oregon, think of the chemistry kit you’ll need on hand to take care of the water. Stock up on these essential chemicals needed in your pool to ensure that you maintain it properly.
