Chemistry
For water to perform as we want it to we must treat the water. We ourselves are a complex water vessel with a specific chemistry matrix. The water in the pool is engineered to synergize with our very own body. Free of bacteria, clean, & free flowing. Water has needs too. We are driven to make the pool as beautiful as we ourselves strive to be.
"Why can’t they just sell regular chlorine?"
Remember the old states of matter lesson in Chemistry 101? Matter exists in (4) states.
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Solid
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Gas
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Liquid
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Plasma
In order for chlorine to exist beyond a "gas" or "liquid" state it must have a "solid" attached to the molecule. “Cal hypo” has Calcium added. (Calcium-hypochlorite) “Trichlor Tabs” have CYA (Cyanuric Acid) added. Sodium Dichlor has CYA added. The only way chlorine can exist as a solid is with something attached to it. It is quite literally "Impure" beyond it's natural gas state. Even liquid chlorine or "Bleach" is not pure.
"Mineral Purifiers"
Remember walking around the mall and seeing the crystal clear water in the fountains? These fountains operated with only a pump. There were no chemicals added to those those fountains. How in the world did it stay so clear? Pennies! Coppe is an algaecide. Nature2, Frog, & Pool RX all use minerals to help purify the water lasting six months.
"Bather Load & Chloramines"
Pool literature will often times use the phrase "Bather Load". This is simply the amount of people in the pool. The more people the more the PH will raise and the Chlorine will lower. When there are any folks in the pool, especially children and the ladies, the water chemistry is most subject to change. Suntan lotion, hair products, sweat, & urine will collide with the chlorine in the pool and create a molecule known as a "Chloramine". This is basically a busted contaminant in the pool and it creates a fume. A gas that we smell. It smells like chlorine and is actually a bi-product of it. The pool needs MORE chlorine.
"Dogs"
Many pool experts say that one dog in a swimming pool will have the same effect on the pool water as three humans. This means that the amount of debris your dog brings into the pool is a lot more than what humans bring. Filters will require more frequent cleanings and backwashing.
Dogs, of course, have a lot more hair than people. Any loose or dead hairs on your dog's coat will end up in the pool water, affecting the filtration system and the chemical balance.
"Salt"
Chlorine generators use sodium chloride (salt) and electrolysis to create a new molecule called sodium dichloride (chlorine). This process creates a gas (sodium hydroxide). This gas raises the PH. This rise in PH is what damages pool equipment and materials in and around the pool. A salt pool needs weekly attention with specific regard to PH in order to safeguard your investment. The cells themselves can fail within months of installation. They cost app $1,000.00 before labor. Is it worth it? That's a question ultimately for each of us to opine individually. The salt certainly makes the water soft and more enjoyable but the cell cost and PH management are variables to consider. The salt cell will need to be cleaned every three months (quarterly) and is an additional expense.
"Calcium"
There’s usually very little in our tap so it’s usually a must on a new pool. This is typical for our water from North, South, to East Texas. If you travel to West Texas, Arizona, or New Mexico they rarely add calcium. Their water is very hard and it makes sense if you only imagine the desert environment they are in. They rarely use Cal-Hypo in the West because of their hard water. Our water is usually a bit on the low side. Water has a demand for calcium (200 - 400 PPM) that will quench its thirst one way or another. It will draw it right out of your plaster if its too low. Soft water causes plaster to get soft. Then it's easily chipped and damaged. Exact same thing as the bones in our body. Calcium is also drawn straight through the grout in your tile, through your gunite, and from the earth around the pool. This is called "efflorescence". In the event of a warranty claim to your builder their 1st question to you will be "Do you have your chemistry logs?"
"Fiberglass Pools"
Water demands by its very nature that it be between 200-400ppm's calcium. In my mind I thought "Why would calcium matter if the pools fiberglass?" Turns out it may be even more important. Water is a fascinating thing. It is going to find balance by corroding your fiberglass, light niche or fixture, anywhere it can to reach the soil beyond the shell. The dirt has the calcium to quench the waters demand and over time your pool will be damaged as a result. Follow the manufacturer's guidelines for Calcium range.
1) Filters are usually undersized on equipment sets with these pools. I am not seeing them any bigger then 150SF in the field. You will need to clean them monthly to keep up with the dirt.
2) I am only seeing these pools with one skimmer regardless of size. A pool with one skimmer gets less skimming action making your pool dirtier than a traditional pool.
3) I'm seeing some pools with no main drains on fiberglass installs. This practice is suboptimal as the water at the bottom is stagnant and the floor becomes inordinately dirty.
4) Dirt is highly visible on a fiberglass surface.
CV-700
Weston Pools always has this enzyme on hand for pools that need a little extra love. We recommend its regular use for optimal water performance. The product is expensive otherwise would be routinely used on our service routes. It sure does make the water bling in a way nothing else does. As soon as it hits the water your eyes will see a pop.
"PH"
PH will be high just about every visit. Nature wants it higher. Our rain is usually high PH raising it with every drop. Algae loves high PH. Our urine and sweat have a high PH. This is why your uncle or grandparents always said not to pee in the pool. It does throw everything out of balance. Aeration from water features will also raise the PH in the pool. If you are seeing white build up on your tile, light lens, or pool cleaner and having trouble pinning the unstable variable in your water chemistry try turning your water features off. Acid is added once a week to lower the PH and with the constant aeration of the water into the pool the PH will climb the minute the water starts to fall.
"Phosphates"
The fancy science word for algae food is phosphates. Phosphates are in organic matter and super concentrated in fertilizers. Removing them makes algae impossible to grow. In high concentration they can also make the pool cloudy & oversaturate the Langelier index. Phosphates are measure in Parts Per Billion as opposed to the more common Parts per million. Phosphate removers are nit a sunstutute for chlorine as the are not a disinfectant.
"CYA"
Over 100 PPM CYA and a public pool in Texas is shut down. CYA protects chorine from UV rays but when too much is in the pool it renders the chlorine impotent. Imagine an Emergency Room and the staff told you that nothing was sterile because their disinfectant wasn't working. Thats what happens to your pool when the CYA is too high. The pool can appear clear and inviting but be laden with bacteria. Think about how water much you swallow in an hour of swimming. Germs are carried from the pool water to the inside of our bodies. Then it causes ear infections and sickness. High CYA also renders other chemistry tests accuracy false. Throws it all off.
"How to Remove"
DRAIN the Pool. I have drained a public pool 3/4 of the way and refilled only to still have a reading of still over 100 PPM's. I suggest draining the whole pool to avoid wasting time, money, and aggravation. Starting fresh with your pool allows the water to start at a low saturation index, "New Water", is a good thing. Always contact your builder prior to draining and follow their instructions.
Other reasons to drain:
A) Total Dissolved Solids are also high (TDS). These are minerals too small for your filter to capture.
B) Hard water, high calcium, (Ca)
C) In the event of a fecal event in a public pool.