General

Water balance

11 April 2012

Keeping your pool or spa in tip top condition takes experience and knowledge. It’s important to remember that the right quantity, quality, timing and dosage of chemicals can make all the difference to your pool and spa.

Water balance

The importance of correct water balance

How important is water balance?
Correctly balanced water is essential when considering the long term effect on pool finishes, exposed metal and equipment. If water is out of balance it will either be corrosive or scale forming, which in both cases is detrimental to the pool.

Four factors contribute to balanced pool water: pH, total alkalinity, calcium hardness and temperature.

Maintaining the pH is one of the most important parts of pool care. It is a measure of the acid/alkaline balance of the water on a scale of 0 to 14, with 7.0 being distilled water, which is neither acid nor alkaline.

The ideal pH level in a swimming pool should be between 7.2 and 7.8. This is not only the ideal level for body comfort, but also the ideal level for achieving maximum chlorine efficiency. The pH of your eyes is 7.3. If the pH of the pool is too high, or low, then you will experience sore, itchy eyes, commonly called "red eye".

Check your chlorine and pH level at least once a week. Pay particular attention after a period of heavy usage of the pool or after a very hot day. Unbalanced pool water can end up costing you time and money and can also adversely affect the sanitisation process.

Free water tests
For peace of mind, talk to the experts in pools and spas today at your local Swimart. They can explain the intricacies of pH, alkalinity and much more, and teach you how to ensure your water balance is always at an optimum level. Swimart stores stock a range of products to correct any imbalances. Better still, bring in a sample of your pool water for a free computerised test.

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