What Pool Chemicals To Test For – 4 Essential Chemicals

Though there is a lot of work involved in pool maintenance, to ensure a comfortable and safe swimming environment, regular maintenance and water testing (of pool chemicals) are crucial. Additionally, this helps ensure the longevity of pool equipment and finishes.

Damage and/or deterioration to the pool equipment, materials, and features can be caused by a failure to maintain and monitor water quality. What’s more, if you don’t know which pool chemicals to test, and how to do it, it can lead to a variety of illnesses, harming you, your family, and your guests.

By keeping water properly maintained, you can avoid the risks, hazards, and hassles involved in using your pool. For a healthy aquatic retreat, you must have the data needed and use it as part of a routine.

pool chemicals to test for

Pool Water Testing

Before we get to testing and the pool chemicals to test for, let’s look at methods through which you can test your pool water. There are testing tablets, four-in-one test kits, and test strips.

These help you analyze the water chemistry in your pool. For first-time pool owners, the good news is that these are simple to follow and usually include step-by-step instructions.

That said, what are you testing for? For a swim ready, trouble-free environment, there are four essential pool chemicals you must pay attention to.

Top 4 Pool Chemicals To Test For

  • Total alkalinity
  • pH
  • Calcium hardness
  • Free chlorine

Testing Total Alkalinity

You may also hear alkalinity testing referred to as TA – total alkalinity. The level should fall between 90 and 120 ppm for TA to be effective in your pool. To keep the pH level neutral, one major component is alkaline. PH levels can fluctuate if the TA level is too low or too high.

Swimming in dark, murky water and/or burning eyes could be the result of using a pool in which the TA is too low. The major impact, however, is suffered by the pool itself. Heating system heat exchangers, ladders, railings, and other equipment containing metal can be aggressively attacked.

Testing pH

The total acidity of your pool water is measured by the pH level. To indicate how much acidity is present, a scale of 1 to 14 is used for measurements. Alkalinity is indicated by 8 through 14. Your pool water should be neutral – between 7.3 and 7.7 ppm – right in the middle.

The skin and eyes of swimmers can be irritated if the pH level is too low. Additionally, pool equipment can be damaged such as railings, ladders, and other metal accessories. The effectiveness of the free chlorine can be lowered if the pH is too high, however. This could result in swimming conditions that are unsanitary.

Testing Calcium Hardness

To indicate whether water is too soft, too hard, or just right, pool water is tested for calcium hardness. If the water is too soft – hardness level is too low – pool plaster can be negatively affected. An entirely different set of problems can be ushered in, however, if the hardness is too high.

On the pool’s interior surface, calcium deposits – ugly scaling – can build up. If, in addition to elevated calcium, the alkalinity and pH are also elevated, this is particularly bad news! The cartridge filter or DE, heater, and pool pump can suffer scale buildup.

Free Chlorine

An array of bacteria and viruses are killed through the use of chlorine. Additionally, organic matter such as fecal matter, urine, and sweat are dealt with. Because they can harm swimmers, to remove most pathogens, we use chlorine to disinfect the water. A variety of undesirable effects can occur if there isn’t enough chlorine to attack invading contaminants.

Not enough chlorine means that your pool won’t be cleaned to the extent it should. Too much chlorine, however, can irritate skin, stings the eyes of your swimmers, and more. There must be a perfect balance.

Trust the Testing and Care Of Your Pool to AquaVision Pool & Spa

All of this seems like a lot of information… because it is! Testing the water in your pool isn’t complicated. Cleaning your pool isn’t hard, but can be labor-intensive.

The easiest and best way to enjoy your pool or spa to the absolute fullest is to entrust its care and maintenance to the skilled professionals at AquaVision Pool & Spa!

Got questions about pool chemicals? Would you like to set up pool maintenance? Contact us today for more information.

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