pH vs. Total Alkalinity
I once had a customer ask me what the difference was between pH and Total Alkalinity. She was convinced they were the same thing, and that it was just a way for pool companies to make more money. First of all, I assure you this is not the case. To understand the importance of both of these components, let’s first look at pH (potential Hydrogen). The pH scale runs from 0-14 with 7.0 being neutral. A pH of 0-6.9 is acidic (more acidic as you get closer to 0), and a pH of 7.1-14 is basic (more basic as you get closer to 14). When looking at pool water, you want the pH to be slightly basic with the ideal range being 7.2-7.6. Problems can arise if your pool’s pH falls too low or gets too high. If your pH becomes too low, and therefore is acidic, the water could potentially:
- corrode surfaces and equipment (especially metal!)
- etches plaster and concrete surfaces
- lead to excess sanitizer use (chlorine burns off much faster!)
- irritate bather’s skin and eyes
If your pH becomes too high, and therefore is more basic, the water could potentially:
- allow scale deposits on surfaces and equipment
- become cloudy
- lead to poor sanitizer efficiency
- cause eye irritation
Obviously, keeping your pH where it should be is very important for pool maintenance and swimmer safety.
Now let’s look at Total Alkalinity. There are minerals in your pool’s water that act as buffering agents. Total Alkalinity is the measurement of these alkaline materials the help prevent changes in pH (which we now know is bad). The recommended range is 80-120ppm. If your Total Alkalinity is low, the pH will easily drift making frequent pH adjustments necessary (therefore more chemical costs) and will allow the water to have more corrosive tendencies. If the Total Alkalinity is too high, there are other potential issues that can arise. High alkalinity can keep the water’s pH rigidly fixed so that it cannot be easily adjusted when needed. If pH adjustments are necessary, you will need to use an unusually large amount of treatment chemical to correct the pH. With high alkalinity, you can also potentially have issues with cloudy water, scaling on pool components, and high pH and low sanitizer efficiency (since sanitizer…aka chlorine for most…is pH dependent).
So, like I said before, pH and Total Alkalinity are both very important components of your water chemistry. While yes they are related, they both have different jobs that are crucial in maintaining a healthy pool. With regular pool water testing, you can easily keep these levels in check and prevent many potential problems.
-Stacey
Why Should I Use Shock . . . I Already Added Chlorine.
I’ve heard this comment/question more times than I could probably count. Most pool and spa owners understand the basic principle of disinfecting and why one must use chlorine to keep things clean, clear, and most importantly safe. The chlorine used to maintain a level of chlorine around 3 parts per million is doing its’ job by killing off bacteria and preventing the growth of new bacteria. Once the chlorine is effectively “used” it combines with the bacteria to form a chloramine. Now you have decaying organic material floating around in your pool or spa creating odors, irritating eyes, and giving you false readings of chlorine in the water. This is where the good old shock comes in. By adding either liquid chlorine or some sort of granular shock you release the organic materials out of the water and help to rejuvenate some of the existing chlorine. Often times I find people give chlorine a bad name when in fact, they just aren’t shocking enough to allow everything to work properly. So next time you think that chlorine tablet isn’t doing enough remember that is only part of the equation. Just make sure your liquid chlorine is good and fresh, because with a loss of 50% of its strength in the first 60 days you want to ensure you are getting the best bang for your buck.
Clear Pool – Perfect Pool
It always amazes me how few people test the water in their pools. They will come in and say that the water is clear like drinking water, but their children or grandchildren’s eyes are burning or that they are getting a rash.
When I test it most of the time there is little or no chlorine and the PH is extremely low-3.0. The Total Alkalinity is also 0. The reason the water is so clear as nothing can live in a bath of acid and that is what the pool is at this point.
Home testing the water with Pool check 5 test strips twice a week would have prevented this. Now they have a big expense of totally re-balancing the water. I’ll ask them how often they check the water at home and the usual response is “I just put in chlorine and as long as it looks good, why bother”.
Testing the water is the most important part of pool ownership. Proper water balance is what keeps everybody healthy and the water sparkling
Chet
Pool Phosphates
Is algae waiting to feast on phosphates that are in your water? Probably. This means you are more susceptible to an algae bloom and a green pool. (A screaming lady once told me her pool was GREEN and I congratulated her on her pool having character! She didn’t see the humor. I digress). You can burn through extra chlorine or remove the phosphates-your choice. Personally, I’d attack the root problem-the phosphates. Most originate from fertilizers or yard treatment sprays. Phosphates are in the water supply and rain so it is an ongoing battle to keep them under control. If there is a good home test kit for phosphates, I haven’t found it but we can test for phosphates here at Eastgate Pools & Spas. This isn’t a test we normally make but if you ask for a phosphate test we will be happy to provide one at no cost. It does take a little longer than a standard test so give us a little extra time when you come. We can then show you how to control phosphates and make it almost impossible for algae to grow in your pool. –Service
Having Trouble Keeping Chlorine In Your Pool?
There are several reasons why pools tend to burn through chlorine and fortunately, most are easy to identify and correct. First, cyanuric acid (stabilizer) holds chlorine in the water. It’s easy to add, inexpensive, and it stays in the water well once added. Secondly, keep you pH in check. A low pH (acid condition) oxidizes chlorine much quicker than pH that is in proper parameters. In other words, if your pH and stabilizer levels are off, plan on using up to three times as much chlorine as needed. For further help go to our website: www.eastgatepools.com/chem/eastchem.htm.
–Drew
