Water Balance In Swimming Pools And How it Affects Maintenance
Attention: Water balance is very important to ensure that your swimming pool chemicals work properly and for as long as they should
Before adding pool chemicals it is important that you read and familiarise yourself with the workings of your spa / pool and support equipment. A clear, clean fresh spa or pool is only possible if you have good filtration and clear water flow
Water balance is the first thing to establish when treating your pool or spa. This helps make sure the later stps like sanitation are effective and use the minimum chemicals required The main criteria affecting water balance are calcium hardness, pH and Total Alkalinity.
Calcium hardness
Hardness is the measurement of calcium salts in the swimming pool or spa water and this will vary depending where you live. Low calcium hardness can cause damage to your pool materials. High calcium hardness levels (hard water) often leads to the formation of scale in pipe work and equipment.
these are guideline levels
• Ideal calcium hardness levels are between 100 – 200 ppm (mg/l).
• If the measurement is below 75 ppm (mg/l), use Hardness Plus
• When the measurement is above 200 ppm (mg/l), apply Scale Inhibitor.
pH Measures
The pH scale has a range of 1 – 14 with 1 being very acidic, 7 being neutral and 14 being very alkaline. It is essential to maintain spa water within the 7.2 – 7.6 range which, because it is mildly alkaline, will protect equipment from corrosion and give the perfect environment for the swimmers enjoying the pool or spa and also gives the best sanitiser efficiency.
• Ideal pH level for spas is between 7.2 – 7.6.
• If the level drops below apply pH Plus
• If the level exceeds 7.6 use pH Minus
Note
pH can be hard to manage in spas because the system water turns over quickly, is highly agitated and operates at higher temperature than swimming pool systems. [All these factors
pH rises can be caused by this which causes chlorine products such as chlorine shock to lose effectiveness. Much higher doses of chlorine sanitisers such as will then be required. This can be avoided by using Bromine Tablets, Bromine (HOBr) is a highly effective sanitiser, and it is stable over a much wider pH range than chlorine treatments. Bromine also remains in the spa for longer than chlorine so it reduces the quantity of hot tub chemicals you use.
Total Alkalinity
Total Alkalinity (TA) acts as a buffer to prevent pH change. The water pH varies drastically when Total Alkalinity levels are very low
If Total alkalinity is too high then water clarity can be affected but it also makes it difficult to make changes to water pH levels
• optimum Total Alkalinity is 100 ppm (mg/l) When it drops below 80mg/l remedy it with Alkalinity Plus
• When Total Alkalinity is above 140mg/l remedy it with pH Minus to reduce it
You should definitely check your water balance on a regular basis as it is the basis for your other chemical treatments
Use Test strips to measure your water balance, they are very easy to use
