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Proper pool water chemistry is vitally important to your comfort in the swimming pool as well as helping your pool equipment last as long as possible.
In order to properly maintain your pool chemistry you must first properly maintain your pool chemistry testing equipment. Replace all of your reagents annually. If you use test strips, keep them capped tightly when not in use and replace them based on the expiration date printed on the bottle. Do not leave your pool test equipment out in the sunlight, keep it in a cool dry location.
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pH is probably the most significant piece of the pool chemistry puzzle to maintain. It should be kept between 7.2 and 7.6 with 7.4 being ideal under most normal circumstances.
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Chlorine or Bromine is what keeps your pool water sanitized. For our discussion we will concentrate on Chlorine as that is what most people use in their pools. Most test kits will test for both Free Chlorine as well as Total Chlorine.
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The initial test you use (DPD#1) is for Free Chlorine. This should be between 1.0 and 3.0 parts per million (ppm)
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By adding DPD#2 to your Free Chlorine test you will find the Total Chlorine. These numbers should be identical. If they are not you have Combined Chlorine or Chloramines. To remove the Combined Chlorine you will need to Super Chlorinate or Shock the pool. You generally want to do this in the evening after everyone is done with the pool as you do not want people in the pool until the Chlorine residual has returned to the safe 1.0 to 3.0 range. Some people feel that weekly Shocking is the way to go while others believe that you should only shock the pool when the test indicates it is required. Either method is acceptable so long as you monitor your pool chemistry levels.
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The Total Alkalinity of the pool water works as a buffer for the pH. Maintaining a total alkalinity (T.A.) range from 80-120 ppm (parts per million) will help minimize changes in pH, which can result in scaling and corrosion.
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Stabilizer or Cyanuric Acid helps keep Chlorine from being broken down by the sun's ultraviolet rays. If you have an indoor pool you do not need any stabilizer at all. If you use TriChlor sticks or other forms of stabilized chlorine in your pool you are continuously adding Stabilizer to the pool water. You should check the Stabilizer level in the pool water periodically. If the level gets to be higher than 40 ppm you will need to drain some of the water out of the pool and add fresh water to dilute the Stabilizer concentration. Stabilizer can lock up the Chlorine and make it ineffective at keeping the pool water sanitized.
Your local pool store generally has the ability to test your pool water for things you would not typically look for such as Phosphates, Copper, Iron, and Total Dissolved Solids. It is always a good idea to take a water sample to your local pool professional periodically to have them check your pool chemistry for you, particularly if you are having difficulty maintaining a clear pool.
To ensure the highest water quality, test your pool's pH and free chlorine levels daily, adding chemicals as needed. Proper chemical usage is important for maintaining a healthy pool. Be sure to follow the chemical manufacturer's instructions closely regarding proper dosage for your pool.
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