Basics of Balancing and Testing Pool Water

• Why should I be on a pool care system?

By getting your pool on a system, you can establish a maintenance plan that keeps your water prepared for whatever the season brings - erratic weather conditions, heavy bather loads, rising temperatures, and so forth.  BioGuard^® makes it easy with four different systems that account for all the products you'll need to keep your pool sparkling clear and ready for swimming.

• What is free available chlorine?

This is the active chlorine in the water that has not combined with organic matter and is therefore available for killing bacteria and algae.  The proper range for free chlorine residual is 1 - 4 ppm.  Below 1 ppm can cause swimmer irritation, cloudy water and even growth of algae.  You should test often throughout the summer when the pool is used most.

• What is pH?

A measurement that indicates the acidity of the water.  This is the most important part of chemical balance because it protects the equipment, allows the sanitizer to do its best job and increases swimmer enjoyment.

                        Ideal Range          7.4 - 7.6

                        If it's too low        Use BioGuard Balance Pak^® 200

                        If it's too high       Use BioGuard Lo 'N Slo^®   

• What is Total Alkalinity?

It's a measure of the water's ability to resist changes in pH.  pH can be affected by environmental factors such as acid rain, pollution, run-off from the surrounding land, and fertilizers.  Keeping the TA at proper range will help prevent pH from fluctuating and help prevent scale and cloudy water.

                        Ideal Range          125 - 150 ppm   (80 - 150 ppm for Mineral Springs)

                        If it's too low        Use BioGuard Balance Pak^® 100

                        If it's too high       Use BioGuard Lo 'N Slo^®

• What is calcium hardness?

It's the amount of dissolved calcium in the water.  Keeping calcium hardness at the proper range will help protect equipment and keep water sparkling.  It also helps prevent cloudy water.

                        Ideal Range               175 - 225 ppm   (200 - 275 ppm for plaster and SoftSwim^®)

                        If it's too low             Use BioGuard Balance Pak 300^®

                        If it's too high            Use BioGuard Scale Inhibitor^®

To Learn More About Your Water Chemistry Give Us A Call Or Bring A Water Sample In To Any One Of Our 4 Locations In Spokane and Coeur d'Alene!