What I mean is… Begin by testing and adjusting alkalinity first, before PH and Calcium Hardness. EVERY TIME! If your alkalinity is high STOP there. There is no need to test for PH. Look at your Taylor Technologies Pool Care Guide for how much acid to add to lower the alkalinity. Most simple cheap test kits only test for free chlorine and ph. They do not give you the whole picture. Learn how to test for alkalinity. If you balance total alkalinity first, your pH will fluctuate less and you will have an easier time testing and adjusting your pH. Not to mention your pool will be properly balanced and crystal clear!
Even if pH and calcium hardness are balanced and your water is clear your pool is still out of balance if the total alkalinity is low. Too low, and the water can be acidic and corrosive. To high, and the water can turn cloudy and eventually deposit scale on the pool surface.
Low alkalinity will bring the pH down. Low pH causes corrosion of metals, staining of the pool surface, plus irritated eyes, nasal passages, and dry skin. You can try raising PH little by little hoping to raise the PH but the low alkalinity will just bring it back down.
High alkalinity can result in white scaling and cloudy water.
Pool water with an alkalinity level of 100PPM will prevent constant PH highs and lows.. By keeping your Alkalinity at 100ppm PH will rarely need to be adjusted.
Your order of water testing should be: Free and Total Chlorine, Alkalinity, PH, Calcium Hardness, Phosphates, Total Dissolved Solids, and Salt (If you have a salt generator).
Keep your pool water balanced and sanitized by maintaining these levels in your pool water.
- Free and total chlorine should be between 2-3 ppm.
- Maintain alkalinity at 100ppm
- Ph should be 7.4
- Calcium Hardness is between 200 – 400ppm
- Phosphates need to be below 100ppb
- Keep Total Dissolved Solids below 500ppm
- Most salt generators work well with levels at 3800ppm
Follow these guidelines and your pool will be Crystal Clear!
[…] The recommended level that you keep Alkalinity is 100 ppm, while the level you keep pH is 7.4. CLICK HERE to read more on why you should stop testing your PH. Chlorine should be kept between 3-5 ppm while […]