Pool Chemistry

Knowing your pool chemistry is a must. If you don’t know what your doing then your pool might look worse then it did when you started. Stopping the problem before it gets out of hand is always nice, because no one wants to go out back to a green pool. If at any point you feel that you are not reading the pool chemistry right you can always take your water sample to Pinch A Penny or another pool store to have them test it there for you (call ahead to make sure they offer testing).

•  Combined Chlorine:

1. 3-5 ppm.
2. Test ever week.
3. Raise with liquid chlorine or add more tablets.
4. Lower with use, sun light, and rain/water.
5. Free Active Chlorine should be 1-3 ppm.

• PH:

1. 7.2-7.6 ppm.
2. Test every week.
3. Raise with sodium bicarb. Use 4 lbs for ever two drops of base demand. Never add more then 12 lbs at one time.
4. Lower with muriatic acid. Use 1 qt for every two drops of acid demand. Never use more then one gallon at one time.

• Total Alkalinity:

1. 80-120 ppm.
2. Test once a week.
3. Raise with sodium bicarb. Use 4 lbs to raise 20 ppm. Never use more then 12 lbs at one time
4. Lower with muriatic acid. Use 1 qt of muriatic acid to lower 20 ppm. Never use more then one gallon at one time.

• Calcium Hardness:

1. 200 ppm for concrete and 400 ppm for vinyl and fiberglass.
2. Test once a month.
3. Raise with calcium chloride. Use 4 lbs to raise 40-50 ppm. DO NOT mix with hand gets very hot when mixing.
4. Lower if level reaches 1000 ppm, by draining half the pool and refilling with fresh water.

• Cyanuric Acid/Stabilizer:

1. 80-100 ppm.
2. Test once a month.
3. Raise with stabilizer. Use 4 lbs to raise 20-30 ppm.
4. Lower use less chlorine.

• Salt level:

1. 3000-3500 ppm.
2. Test once a month.
3. Add 1-2 40 lbs bags of restaurant grade salt till desired level is reached Brush entire pool after adding the salt.
4. Will lower over time or if to high drain 1/4 of the pool and refill.

Note; when adding chemicals to a pool premix in a bucket first with water to dilute you don’t have to with liquid chlorine. Also make sure pool is on and running while adding any chemicals. If you were to pour straight muriatic acid into your pool over and over again, over time it will start to etch the bottom of your pool.

Never mix chlorine and muriatic acid or calcium and sodium bicarb together you could die or cause an explosion! Pool chemistry is a big part in maintaining a beautiful pool all year long unless your in a state that sees snow.