Chemicals – Is This Some Kind Of Magic?

The answer is…NO!  This time of year is very difficult on pools, not to mention pool owners.  Chemical levels are all over the place, algae is running wild, and some water just won’t get rid of that cloudy, murky appearance.  After spending many, many hours back at the water test center over the past several weeks, I want to clarify something about chemicals: they aren’t magic.  Chemicals take time to work.  If you were to come in one afternoon to have your water tested, add the chemicals that evening, then come back with another sample the next morning, chances are we won’t be getting an accurate reading.  Chemicals take time to completely work their way into the pool’s system (some longer than others).  Cloudy water for instance- patience is key.  A clarifier won’t typically work overnight to completely clear your cloudy pool water.  A tip when using clarifier is to find a line of visibility somewhere in the pool (Example: I can see the top of the first step on my ladder).  After you add the clarifier, let your filter run continuously, and instead of just waiting to see perfectly clear water, watch your “line of visibility.”  You may notice that the next morning you can see clearly down to the third step of your ladder.  With more time, will come increased visibility.  So, like I said before, patience is key.  Also remember that with chemicals, more is not better.  Too much clarifier can actually do the opposite of what you want it to do.  Too much algaecide at once can keep you from maintaining a chlorine level for several days, even weeks.  Sometimes, more than one treatment is needed, but please consult a pool professional before doing so.  Finally, please remember that while Chemistry is a science, pool water chemistry is not an exact science.  There are so many other factors that contribute to your water chemistry that it is impossible to know exactly what to do that will work 100% of the time.

-Stacey