Basics of pool water treatment

Healthy and clean pool water all year round

Pool water is only crystal clear if certain components are in chemical balance.

Using chemicals can save you money and time, as continuous maintenance requires less investment than cleaning, refilling or replacing dirty pool water.

Removal of larger contaminants in the pool water

The first step to keep your pool water clean is to remove any larger contaminants in the water. Every pool requires a water circulation system consisting of a pump and a filter. For larger pools the filter tank could be sand-filled or a more efficient option is Nature Works Hi-tech filter glass. For smaller, above-ground pools a paper filter is sufficient.

The pool filter removes dirt that floats on the surface or are in the water. For removing dirt that settles on the bottom and side walls of the pool, the best choice is one of the Dolphin robotic pool cleaners, but you can use an underwater vacuum cleaner or a net to remove leaves and insects that float on the surface.

In the case of a paper-filter, it is recommended to rinse the filter cartridge with running water every week and to change it every 2-3 months for best filtration!

When not in use, always cover the pool to protect the water from leaves, insects and other contaminants. To ensure even distribution of pool chemicals, it is important to circulate the pool water at regular intervals.

The use of pool chemicals is essential for the maintenance of any residental pool. Without chemicals, the water will become opalescent, turn green and can be harmful to your health. You can get infections from untreated water.

It's not worth skimping on chemicals, because draining and refilling a larger pool will cost much more than regular maintenance. The use of chemicals is to prevent algae forming and to make sure your pool water is crystal clear all the time. Only using chemicals when the water is heavily polluted is too late.

The use of pool chemicals is necessary from the very first moment, it is very easy to adjust the pH and chlorine levels of the water in a matter of seconds.

To find out more about algae formation, read our article below:

Is your pool algae forming? Here's the solution!

Measuring the chemical parameters of water

Measuring the chemical parameters of water is simple. You can choose from a variety of testers: liquid, test strip, tablet or digital water analyser to measure the pH, chlorine content, alkalinity of the water.

PH value

The pH value of pool water can be acidic or alkaline. If the pH of the water is not in the ideal range of 7.2-7.6, it can sting or irritate bathers' eyes and the disinfectant will not work. However, too low pH can also cause rusting of pool components and accessories.

Coherence

This is the resistance of water to pH fluctuations. The greater the deviation from the ideal level, the more difficult it is to adjust the pH, and more chemicals have to be used. The total alkalinity of pool water is ideally between 80 and 120 mg/l.

Water hardness

The amount of calcium-salt and magnesium-salt dissolved in the water determines the hardness of the water. Hard water contains too much of these salts, which can cause scale forming on the walls of the pool, in the piping system and in the sand filter. This can lead to significant damage to the mechanical units.     
You can also prevent scale precipitation by using chemicals. Ideally, the hardness of the pool water should be between 200 and 400 mg/l.

Free active chlorine content

Chlorine compounds that are effective for disinfection: pool water should contain enough free chlorine to destroy micro-organisms, algae and fungi that cause infections or diseases, but not to be harmful to bathers' health.     
The free chlorine content of pool water should ideally be between 0.6 and 1.00 mg/l.

Bound chlorine content

Free active chlorine can react with contaminants in water to form irritating chlorine compounds with an unpleasant odour. The characteristic "swimming pool smell" is caused by high levels of bound chlorine.     
High levels of bound chlorine can be reduced by water freshening (partial water changes, fresh water refills) and shock chlorination, i.e. a sudden increase of the free chlorine content.

Algae removal

The algae remover fluid prevents algae forming in the swimming pool, helps to remove substances that cause turbidity and makes the water crystal clear and spakling. It does not contain chlorine.

Flocculants

Flocculants bind non-filterable, tiny suspended particles in the pool water, which then increase in size and become filterable. The flocculant is poured into the skimmer or directly into the water at several points in the pool with the water circulator running. If algae froming occurs, use shock chlorination. For this purpose, use fast-dissolving chlorine according to the instructions on the box.     
The effect of flocculants is strongly linked to the correct pH value.Make sure that the pH of the water is between 7,2 and 7,6. If the water does not clear up, repeat the water circulation and sedimentation after two days. Remove the settled dirt by using a robotic pool cleaner or a vacuum cleaner in drain mode.

Maintenance

Maintenance can be either regular (every few days, every week) or periodic (every six months, every year, every few years).

Regular weekly maintenance for an average sized private pool takes 10-30 minutes ( pool vacuuming not included). It is known that indoor and polycarbonate pool surfaces require much less maintenance. Water loss due to evaporation and bathing should be replaced on a weekly basis.

In practice, the sand filter of the pool only needs to be serviced when the pool is vacuumed or the sand in the filter is washed back out.

Periodic maintenance are winterisation of the pool, opening in spring, inspection of the mechanical system, replacement of the filter cartridge (every 3-4 years), calibration of the automatic water treatment system (monthly).

Pool maintenance is not too complicated. Mechanical cleaning of the water is the main task, as well as proper winterisation. Of course, to maintain crystal clear water, you will also need to do a bit of chemical treatment of the water. If you do these things well, you will have done a lot for your pool, so that you can enjoy your leisure time as much as possible.

TIP

If you use filter glass instead of pool filter sand, although it is a little more expensive, it is enough to change the filter media every 10 years or so.

The main steps of basic water treatment

• Regular measuring the chemical parameters of the water
• pH control
• Disinfection with chlorine or active oxygen
• Removal of algae
• Using flocculant
• Maintenance

By following these steps, you can maintain good water quality for long term, ensuring that you and your family can enjoy a healthy holiday by the pool.

Have a nice splash!