Clean The Pool Filtration And Circulation Systems
A poor water-circulation system can also be a big problem. If your water cannot circulate properly, it will become stagnant and cloudy. To fix this problem:
- Ensure that the return fittings are turned to point down, which enables the water at the bottom of the pool to circulate properly. However, the circulation system will largely depend on how the pool was built.
- Make sure you are using the right pump size to adequately clean the water.
- Make sure the filtration system is running long enough. A filter should run 24/7 for the water to remain clean all the time. However, for home pools that are not busy, at least 8 -10 hours a day might suffice.
- Remove particles that may be blocking your filter. Your filter system continuously cleans the water, and if it does not function properly, the water becomes dirty, cloudy, and may even develop algae. Large particles are fond of blocking filtration systems, especially diatomaceous earth and cartridge pool filters.
- Ensure that you regularly clean, backwash, or replace the D.E and cartridge filter medium as appropriate. Cartridge filters usually last 2,000 hours and should be replaced every 1-2 years, depending on usage.
What Is The Ph In Your Pool
pH is the measure of hydrogen ions in a liquid, like the water in a swimming pool. pH is measured on a scale from zero to fourteen with one end representing an acidic solution and the other representing a basic solution.
A perfectly neutral solution, like pure water, falls in the middle of the scale at a pH of seven. Pool water is mixed with chemicals, primarily chlorine, to kill bacteria and maintain sanitary swimming conditions. Since pool water contains chemicals, it will not be a perfect neutral. An ideal target for optimal pool water is a pH of 7.4, which is slightly basic.
How To Know If Your Chlorine Is Imbalanced
The wider the range between free and total chlorine, the more combined chlorine is present in the water. Combined chlorine should always read below 0.5 ppm or just 0 ppm, if possible. This means you should test chlorine levels on a daily basis and adjust it as appropriate before there’s excess chloramine, especially during the summer when it’s hot and the pool is used heavily.
Safe pH Level for Swimming
The correct level of pH in a swimming pool should be between 7.4 and 7.8, with 7.6 being the ideal level.
You May Like: Filling Pool With Well Water With Iron
What Happens In A High Ph Swimming Pool
A swimming pool with a high pH is considered alkaline, which can cause issues with the pool and swimmers. There can be several answers to what causes high pH in pool, such as a sudden rise in water temperature, but more importantly that the causes are its effects. If the pH level is above 7.8, you can expect the water to become cloudy and to see scaling along the pool sides.
Further, a pH that is above normal prevents the chlorine and other disinfecting chemicals to do their job. This means bacteria and other microorganisms may thrive in your pool. While you cannot see with your naked eye, bacteria in your pool water can be harmful when they enter your body. Read on to learn how to lower pH in pool naturally.
Stay On Top Of Maintenance
Regular testing allows you to figure out whats going on with your water and your pool ahead of time. Regular pool maintenance prevents any anomalies from turning into potential problems.
In terms of water chemistry, this applies to everything we mentioned above, adding the necessary chemicals to keep them within the stated ranges.
Heres how to adjust if needed:
- Water pH can be lowered by adding muriatic acid or sodium bisulfate to your pool. pH can also be raised by adding sodium bicarbonate or sodium carbonate .
- Total alkalinity can be lowered by lowering pH , and raised by adding sodium bicarbonate which raises alkalinity more than it does pH.
- Sanitizer level, assuming youre using chlorine, the chlorine level can be lowered numerous ways but the easiest is waiting for the sun to burn it off. It can be raised by adding more chlorine, obviously.
- Pool stabilizer can be lowered by draining or diluting your water, and raised by simply adding more cyanuric acid. Keep in mind that most slow-release chlorine, like chlorine tablets, are already stabilized.
- Calcium hardness can be lowered by draining or diluting your water or using a pool clarifier or flocculant to clump excess calcium. It can be raised by adding calcium chloride or using a calcium based chlorine, like cal hypo.
In terms of surfaces and pool equipment, regular maintenance encompasses everything from cleaning and backwashing filters, to vacuuming and scrubbing surfaces.
You May Like: Vitamin C Tablets For Pool Stains
Getting The Right Ph Level
You may not get the right pH level for your pool water in one go, so be prepared for a bit of trial and error. When adding additives, always start on the low end. Check
Can You Swim in a Pool with High pH
out below what to add to the water when the pH reading is either too high or too low.
After adding the appropriate substance, monitor the water pH level. If it has not stabilized after two days, continue to add the substance to lower or raise the pH.
Test The Pool Water Again
Wait about an hour and then test your pH and alkalinity again. If theyre back in balance, then your job is done.
But if theyre still off, youll have to repeat the process, adding as much soda ash as you need in order to get it in normal range.
The water will be a little cloudy, but it should clear within a few hours or so.
>>Read: How to clear cloudy pool water
If youre still having problems getting the pH balanced, you could have other issues that are throwing it off.
Test all the levels to see if there is another problem. Correct chlorine and calcium hardness levels if needed and test the pH again.
Also, make sure your pool is as clean as you can get it, since leaves and debris will cause it to be unbalanced.;
Recommended Reading: How To Lower Cya In Pool
What Causes A High Ph Level In Water
Do you remember learning about water pH levels in science class? Maybe you placed a piece of litmus paper in various liquids to check their level? If not, heres a quick refresher.
The pH scale is used in chemistry to describe how acidic or basic an aqueous solution is. Acidic solutions have a lower pH value, while basic solutions have higher values. The pH of water can range from 1 to 14, with the natural pH of water being approximately 7.
In addition, the pH scale is logarithmic, which means that going from 4 to 3 isnt a slight increase in acidity. Rather, each number on the pH scale is 10 times more than the next. For example, a water pH level of 14 is 10,000,000 times more alkaline than a pH level of 7. A high pH value in drinking water tells us that it’s very alkaline.
Pool Ph And Alkalinity Problems
Welcome back, students of pool! Pool pH and alkalinity are crucial to protect your pool surfaces and provide sanitary water conditions.
From Jackies pH / Alkalinity Tips well review why high or low pH and alkalinity are a problem in pools, and then cover several pH / Alkalinity scenarios and a few advanced tips for tough pH and alkalinity issues.
After the lecture, at the bottom of the page, Ill be taking class questions, just click Leave a Reply to post your pH and alkalinity questions, I answer them personally.
Read Also: Wasps Invading Pool
Which Pool Filter Is Best
There are three types of filters: DE , cartridge , and sand. Each has its own pros and cons. A DE pool filter is the most efficient when it comes to filtration, followed by cartridge, and the sand filters. Here is my detailed guide on types of pool filters, how to select the best one, and how to properly maintain it.
Private Pools
DE and cartridge filters are recommended for home pools and may not be the best when it comes to public pools due to their tendency to clog. The filter medium for DE and cartridge filters also require frequent replacement.
Public Pools
A sand filter is always best when it comes to public or semi-public swimming pools, but the sand used in a sand filter also gets clogged and becomes ineffective, which may cause your water to be cloudy or dirty. Consequently, the sand should be replaced every year.
Dilute Muriatic Acid As Directed And Add It To The Water
The pool in my example holds 20,000 gallons. To get my target value of 100 ppm, I needed to add about 2 quarts of muriatic acid.
I usually distribute the muriatic acid solution slowly around the pool while the pump is running high to increase the effect.
Some pool managers prefer adding the muriatic acid solution in one spot. Personally, I don’t like to do this because acid can damage pool parts when it is concentrated in one region.
The natural process of aeration begins after you add the muriatic acid and the levels of pH and TA have fallen and settled. During the aeration process, the levels of pH alone will rise gradually until it reaches the recommended level.
Read Also: Head Lice Swimming Pools
How Is It Corrected
The simple answer is that, when the pool is too alkaline, the thing to do is add something to lower the pH. Hydrochloric acid is usually used for this purpose. Test the water to measure the pH and to calculate the amount of acid you will need to lower it appropriately. Its all about maintaining balance. Pool water should be tested every day and, if necessary, corrective action taken.
OpenAire is committed to helping create indoor swimming pool areas that are safe and hygienic. We specialize in retractable roof systems that can open and close in minutes. Contact us for more information.
How To Balance Ph Levels In A Pool
When it comes to the actual enjoyment of our pool or hot tub/spa, one water balance element is more important than all others: pH.
A pH level that is too high or too low causes skin and eye irritation, affects equipment and pool/hot tub/spa surfaces, and has an impact on the effectiveness of sanitizers.
So what is pH?
pH measures how acidic or basic a solution is. The pH scale goes from 0 to 14 with 7.0 being neutral. Anything below 7.0 is considered acidic and everything above 7.0 is considered basic.
Here’s how that relates to pools and hot tubs/spas:
| Scale | |
| 7.4 – 7.6 | 7.2 – 7.8 |
Everything has a pH. Coffee has a pH of 5.0. Most hand soaps have a pH of 9.0-10. The fluid in your eye has a pH of 7.4. Lemon juice, on the other hand, has a pH of 2.4. If you’ve ever squirted lemon juice in your eye you know it burns. It burns because the pH of lemon juice is well below 7.0, which makes it very acidic. So the reason why your eyes sometimes burn during or after you swim in your pool is because the pH level in your pool is below the acceptable range.
The lower on the scale your pool pH levels are, the more acidic and corrosive your water becomes. The higher on the scale your pool pH levels are, the more basic and alkaline your water becomes, leading to scale formation.
So the goal is to keep the pH as close to the ideal range as possible to help ensure proper water balance. The basics include:
Continue to add appropriate product until your water has a pH level of 7.2-7.8 .
You May Like: What Are Pool Cages Made Of
Heres How To Raise The Ph Level In Your Pool
If your pH dips below normal range in your pool, your plumbing may start to erode and your swimmers will start to complain with itchy skin and burning eyes. Talk about ruining summer fun!
To raise the pH levels in your pool, try adding sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate until your pools pH levels are between 7.2 and 7.8.
If your pH levels are a little low, keep on reading: in this ultimate guide, well go over what pH is, why pH balance is important, what causes low pH, and how to raise pH levels in your pool.
It Can Be Harmful To Humans
Its hardly a coincidence that the recommended pH level for your swimming pool water is about the same as a human tear.
This is where pool water will have the least wear on a swimmers body, and ensure the best possible water quality.
A pH level thats too high causes dry, itchy, or sticky feeling skin, and even skin rashes. It also irritates the nose and eyes, similar to the feeling of getting shampoo in your eyes .
A pH level thats too low has a similar effect in terms of skin irritation, stripping the natural oils from your body leaving you with dry, itchy skin. It also causes more severe eye irritation, such as redness, puffiness and burning of the eyes.
Note: These symptoms can also be caused by a buildup of chloramine or a high level of total dissolved solids .
Recommended Reading: Does Target Have Pool Supplies
Products To Help Lower Ph Levels
There are two main chemicals normally used to lower pH levels in pools: sodium bisulfate and muriatic acid.
Both can cause damage to the pool surface and your skin, so its important to use caution with either one, including wearing clothing that fully covers your body, along with gloves and goggles.;
You’ll also usually find these chemicals in products called something like pH Reducers or pH Minus. If you’re particular about which you use, be sure to check the labels before buying.;
Why Ph Balance Is Important For Your Pool
Maintaining the proper pH balance in your pool will keep your pool finish and equipment in good working order. pH balance is also crucial for the comfort and safety of the people using your pool. pH balance is the measure of how acidic or basic your pool water is. An ideal pH level for pool water is 7.4 as measured on a numeric test strip.
Recommended Reading: Best Sealer For Stamped Concrete Pool Deck
What Happens In A Low Ph Swimming Pool
On the other hand, swimming pool water with low pH levels is acidic this you can actually feel the difference as you take a dip and swim. If you swim in an acidic pool, expect skin irritation and burning eyes the moment you open them underwater.
Just like in an alkaline pool, chlorine and other chemicals may not be effective in pool water with low pH. Metal parts of your pool can also corrode, and vinyl linings may wrinkle if the water is too acidic.
Summary Of Key Points
- Total alkalinity should only be lowered when it causes a significant rise in pH levels, or when it causes calcium scaling through CSI.
- To lower pH and total alkalinity, use a strong acid such as muriatic acid, sulfuric acid, or sodium bisulfate, all of which lower both pH and TA, but at different rates.
- You need to use an accurate water test kit that can give you correct readings. If possible, find software that can help you get exact amounts of dry acid to add into the water.
- This process may take longer than anticipated, depending on how high pH or total alkalinity is and how low you need to bring them down before the aeration process begins. However, you can always use an air compressor or any other aerator to accelerate the process.
- If you have achieved the ideal reading for total alkalinity but the pH is scaling up because the process of aeration has not yet ceased, you can use borate to keep the pH stable. The recommended level for pH is around 7.4 or 7.6.
This article is accurate and true to the best of the authorâs knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.
Read Also: How To Remove Hard Water Stains From Pool Tiles
Simple Science Goes A Long Way
Maintaining the proper balance of chemicals in your pool is a continuous process. Any new material that enters your pool , will influence the waters chemistry. In addition to pH, it is important to monitor total alkalinity, calcium hardness and total dissolved solids. Pool health is also your health, your time and your money. With the proper professional products and weekly testing, maintaining balanced water chemistry will become an efficient, simple process.
Does Rain Cause Cloudy Pool Water
With a rain storm, any number of contaminants can be washing into your pool acid rain, pollen, insects, tree droppings, dust, sand and even phosphates. Any one or combination of these things in rain can make your pool cloudy. A dirty rainstorm can deplete your chlorine level, making pool water hazy.
Don’t Miss: Can Lice Live In Chlorine Pools
