What should my pool chemistry look like?
- Pool water chemistry along with proper filtration is the key to clean healthy water. It doesn’t matter if you have 100 or 1,000,000 gallons of water, the same balance levels and chemical types are required—only the quantity will vary. Everything that enters the body of water affects water balance: swimmers, rain, pollution, animals and chemicals.
- Every pool, each season, creates its own demand for different chemicals. The pool in your neighbor’s yard, with the same system and environment may react totally different then your own. Every pool also develops a pattern each season. After observing how your pool reacts to different bather levels, rain, and the environment you will get a handle on your pools chemistry pattern and what’s required to keep the water balanced. The accepted levels for balanced pool or spa water are listed below.
- Please visit an authorized Hayward dealer for more details on maintaining a chemically balanced pool or spa.
Pool Spa Total Alkalinity Plaster 80-120 ppm 80-120 ppm Vinyl 100-150 ppm 100-150 ppm pH 7.2-7.6 7.2-7.6 Bromine 2-4 ppm 3-5 ppm Chlorine Total 1.0-3.0 ppm 2.0-4.0 ppm Free 1.0-3.0 ppm 2.0-4.0 ppm Combined < 0.2 ppm < 0.2 ppm Cyanuric Acid 30-100 ppm 30-100 ppm Calcium Hardness Plaster 200-400 ppm 200-400 ppm Vinyl 175-300 ppm 175-300 ppm TDS < 2000 ppm < 2000 ppm Copper < 0.3 ppm < 0.1 ppm Iron < 0.3 ppm < 0.1 ppm
* Table from LaMotte Company
If the water is not properly maintained and the pH, Total Alkalinity and Calcium Hardness are allowed to fall below the recommended levels, the water will turn corrosive and can etch plaster, wrinkle vinyl liners, irritate the eyes & skin, AND corrode any metal components in the filtration system. The effects of this are most noticeable when a heater begins to leak. The corrosive water will eat at the copper in the heater’s heat exchanger. The copper will dissolve into the water and blond hair will start turning green and you may begin to see stains on the pool walls.
If the levels are kept above the proper ranges, the water becomes scale forming. Scale will build up on the pool walls, the water will remain cloudy, eyes and skin irritation will develop and chlorine will not work as effectively.
If you are in doubt as to how to maintain your pool or spa, contact a Hayward Authorized pool dealer.
