When you bring in a water sample to our retail center, our store associates will test for a range of elements in your pool or spa water. The entire process takes a few quick minutes, and at the end you will have a better understanding of your pool, and what products you may need to ensure that it is healthy and safe. Our test system scans pH and Alkalinity levels, Calcium, Total, Free, and Combined Chlorine, and Stabilizer, while providing a reading of your Langelier Index. Additional salt, metal, phosphate, and borate tests are also available upon request.
The relationships between any combination of these readings can affect the overall health of your pool. Today we’re going to focus simply on Calcium, Chlorines, and Stabilizer.
Calcium is a mineral that affects the hardness of your water. You may have naturally hard water at your own home and may have supplemental softeners plumbed into your house’s water lines. While we don’t want excessively hard water in our homes, some hardness in our pool water is a good thing. If the pool or spa water lacks that mineral, the water (being the intuitive element that it is) is going to look for that mineral wherever it can. This can lead to the water leaching calcium mineral from your pool’s structure itself, causing wear and tear on your system, fittings, vinyl liner, and even Gunite and fiberglass finishes. Too much calcium can lead to scaling and mineral build up which can be very difficult to remove from your pool’s surfaces. Many at home tests do not check for calcium, so it is a good idea to periodically test your pool’s calcium levels to see if any action needs to be taken.
There are three types of chlorine readings we test for in your pool or spa. Free Chlorine, sometimes called Available Chlorine, is unused chlorine that is ready and waiting in the water for any kind of bacteria or grime that it needs to kill off and sanitize. A healthy free chlorine reading is anywhere between 1 and 3, but having it read a little higher isn’t going to be unhealthy or dangerous to the pool or bathers. Combined Chlorine is chlorine that, instead of killing and sanitizing the bacteria and grime it is supposed to, has essentially compounded or married those bacteria, and exacerbated the problem. When this combined chlorine reading is anything higher than 0, the best procedure is to shock the pool with an intense amount of chlorine shock to overwhelm the compounded bacteria and grime, and fully kill everything. A Total Chlorine reading is simply the Free Chlorine added to the Combined Chlorine. A healthy total chlorine reading will match your free chlorine reading exactly. This will indicate that your combined chlorine is 0.
Stabilizer is exactly what it sounds like-a stabilizing agent. Also called Cyanuric Acid, or CYA, this component acts as a sunblock for your pool water and helps prevent chemical burn off so that the chlorine you put in your pool lasts longer and has a better chance of keeping your water clean and clear. It also helps stabilize the other chemical readings of your water and prevents your pH and Alkalinity from bouncing excessively, which keeps your water healthy for your pool, and for you.
Each of these elements can lead to a better, healthier, and more enjoyable pool experience. It may feel like drinking from a fire hose, but you are well on your way to mastering water balance!
