Category: Blog

Which pool surface is best in 2023?

Swimming pool surface guide

The purpose of this guide is to provide you with quality and reliable information.  This will help guide you through the process of finding a swimming pool surface that is best suited to your needs, budget, and lifestyle.  So, what is unique about this guide?  Firstly, most information found online comes from surface manufacturers who are selling the benefits of their own material. Usually, they are just promoting their own products, not conducting an honest comparison.  Also, this ‘information’ highlights all the faults and flaws in their competitor products but conveniently fails to mention the flaws with their own!  Therefore, because this information is unreliable, a common question that we hear from clients that are considering renovating is ‘which pool surface is the best?  Fact is, our clients trust our advice because we don’t sell pool interiors or have any financial affiliation with any pool interior company.  Remember, we have vast experience with pool surfaces because every day our company treats stains and repairs the common issues that various surfaces face when things go wrong.

Fact is, all pool surface finishes have their merits and drawbacks which are explained. Given the right conditions, any surface mentioned below can be the ‘right’ one for you and look great.

“All surface types are susceptible to visible stains and a reduced lifespan

if the water is not regularly and properly maintained.”

6 common pool surfaces sold in Australia

  • Pebble ( + glass beads)
  • Fibreglass
  • Vinyl Lined
  • Quartz
  • Painted
  • Fully Tiled

Unbalanced water will damage any pool surface

What makes surface selection even more challenging is that every pool surface, no matter what they claim, will have a visible and adverse reaction to unbalanced water.  This happens because water is a very powerful substance and as such is often referred to as ‘the universal solvent in chemistry.  Remember, the chemical power and properties within the water can easily etch, calcify, stain, bleach, corrode or even completely destroy pool surfaces if the water is not maintained.  This image shows how even a simple rainwater drain can cause deep etching in concrete over time.

Corrosive water

Pool surface lifespan is less when applied in an older pool.

In many cases, a pool interior surface product will not last as long when you apply it to a renovated pool. This is because older pool concrete pools will have aged and become more porous over the years. Also, most pool renovation companies will apply the new surface directly over the top of the old (or existing) surface. This means that the old surface is still in the pool and is now under the new surface.  Therefore, creating a strong bond to the pool shell is not possible because your old surface is still there. Because of this, some product warranties will reduce significantly (or eliminated) when used on a renovation rather than a brand-new pool. We discuss this in more detail below.

Fully tiled pool

Without doubt, fully tiled pools are the ‘Rolls Royce’ finish for maintenance and longevity. However, they also are the most expensive finish available. If your planning to stay put for the next 25+ years, this finish is worth a closer look.
COST: $18,000
LIFESPAN – 30+ YEARS

caclium silicate on pool tiles

BENEFITS OF TILES

  • Very durable and long lasting 
  • Ceramic tiles make water maintenance easier and cheaper
  • A wide selection of tile colours, finishes, and patterns is available
  • Small sections can be repaired and matched (with spare tiles)
  • Relatively smooth under foot
  • Surface cleaning is easier than some other pool surfaces
  • Tiled pools are proven and have stood the test of time for decades

DOWNSIDES OF FULLY TILED

  • Tiles can fall off the walls as the pool ages
  • Up to X 4 times the cost of almost every other surface type
  • Chequered tile patterns can be visually off-putting 
  • You will need to wait a long time to payback on investment
  • Trendy tiles can ‘date’ your pool over time
  • Algae and calcium can form in grout causing discolouration
  • Cheap imported tiles are etching, fading, and not lasting very long

Pebble Pool

Pebble pools, in various colours, are by far the most common type of surface that pool owners select.  Mainly because the pool contractors are most familiar with this surface.  It can go on any shape, is quick to install, and comes in almost unlimited colour combinations.
COST: $8,000
LIFESPAN – 15+ YEARS

pebble pool

BENEFITS OF PEBBLE POOLS

  • Wide range of colours to choose
  • A uniform finish that has no sharp edges
  • Low-cost and fast installation
  • Relatively smooth underfoot
  • The surface will not fade, ever
  • Can be reapplied easily when it comes time to renovate

DOWNSIDES OF PEBBLE POOLS

  • Very common surface which may be boring for some
  • Can trap calcium, stains, and black spot algae in the aggregate
  • Not a smooth finish like vinyl or fibreglass
  • Poor application can lead to surface issues like calcium nodules
  • Will become harder to clean as it ages.
  • Small cracks will be visible

Which Swimming Pool Surface is best?

After reading this information you may feel as though every swimming pool surface available is a disaster just waiting to happen. While this is certainly the experience of some pool owners, these issues can often never appear or take years to appear if the water is well maintained. Along with good water maintenance, the professional application of the new swimming pool surface during the renovation process will play a critical role in surface longevity.  Remember, a poor surface application will cause major problems, even if you maintain the water properly.
 
In short, the secret to a long-lasting pool surface is to apply it properly and to maintain the water.  Doing these things will increase your chances of keeping your new pool looking great and bring joy to your family for many years.

Should you test your own pool water?

Testing water regularly is not only good for swimmer health but will also keep your pool surface looking great as well.  We often say that if everyone maintained their water perfectly then the pool stain removers would be out of business.  Also, using a good quality home water test kit may help you maintain the water more regularly because you will not have to go to the pool shop as often.  Quality water test kits do a good job and are surprisingly accurate.  In fact, we prefer the old-style ones with liquid drops as they are generally more accurate than test strips and cheaper per test. Remember, testing and adjusting the water regularly is the best thing that you can do for your pool. However, it is a good idea to go to the pool shop every so often to get a full water test to make sure all other levels in the water are correct.

Water Test Kit

Renovating your pool can transform your backyard

Renovating a pool can make a huge difference to the appearance of your home and garden.  A quality job can transform an outdated pool into one that looks brand new and is an impressive feature of your backyard.   Remember, if you feel a little scared and taken aback by what you have read here then we have done our job. We want you to know what you are getting into, good and bad.
 
Our goal in writing this article is not to scare you.  Rather, our aim is to help you approach this renovation project with accurate information along with a dose of skepticism.  This is because we hear heartbroken clients almost every day say that “if only” we had checked things out beforehand and done our research properly we would never have used company or product XYZ.  Remember, clients stuck in these circumstances often face an expensive repair bill and emotional stress. so to sum up, taking some time to research products and companies before signing up is a great use of your time.

Pool problems can cause genuine emotional distress

An example of the emotional distress that can occur when things go wrong happened in late 2018.  A distraught client in Brisbane told me that she had built a new pool at a cost of $65,000 and that within 7 weeks, the surface had growing staining issues.  These issues were so severe that she was unable to sleep.  When she did sleep, she was grinding her teeth with such intensity that her husband insisted that she visit her dentist.  After spending $4,500 to repair multiple fractures in her teeth, the dentist told her that she needed to reduce the stress in her life and stop grinding her teeth. He warned her that if she didn’t that there would be nothing more that he, or anyone else, could do for her.  It was her story that prompted me to write this article.
 

Take time to find a great pool contractor

 
Finally, there are many amazing pool contractors in the pool industry. These contractors go well beyond the legal requirements to make things right for customers if something goes wrong.  They are people of integrity and goodwill who have a brilliant reputation.  Their clients love them and have the respect of many within the pool industry.  On many occasions, I have seen genuine and honest builders personally pay for treatments, even when the issues have absolutely nothing to do with them or their workmanship.  It is my hope that this article will help you connect with contractors like these.  They mean what they say and do the things they promise.
 
We wish you the very best of luck in your pool project.
 
Wade Bosse Managing Director The Pool Stain Removers Pty Ltd.

Calcium hardness in water

Facts and Myths about Calcium Hardness in water

As with every other aspect of water chemistry, calcium hardness in water also needs to be in balance to protect your pool surface from calcium formation, stains, or corrosion. So, unlike pH and chlorine, the calcium level in most pools does not vary greatly over the seasons, so testing every few months is normally sufficient.  Consequently, high or low calcium hardness can cause white staining on pool surfaces, etching, or discolouration. Remember, the trick is to maintain the calcium at the right level.

LOW CALCIUM WILL CAUSE

  • Pitting on concrete pool surfaces
  • Etching of pool surface
  • Dissolving of tile grout
  • Pitting on concrete pool surrounds

HIGH CALCIUM WILL CAUSE

  • Cloudy water
  • Rough surfaces in pool
  • Clogged filters and reduced circulation
  • White ‘blotchy’ areas on pool surface

What about calcium hardness reducers?

Some novice pool technicians think that a ‘calcium hardness reducer’ will permanently lower the calcium level. However, this is simply not the case.  This is because the calcium isn’t actually removed from the water with these treatments. Remember, these ‘reducers’ work by using chemicals to bind up (or capture) the calcium temporarily.  These treatments do reduce the effects of high calcium in the short term.  However, after 4-6 weeks, these products are completely broken down.  Remember, when this happens, the calcium is simply released from the chemical bond and then returns to the water.  Finally, your calcium level is back to where you started!

Topping up pool
Photo Credit: Truitt's Water Service

Just adding tap or tank water will do the trick, right?

Remember, simply adding more water does not lower calcium hardness levels. This is because as water evaporates the calcium does not. The calcium left behind will stay in the water. Remember that water evaporates but calcium does not! So, the calcium stays in your pool no matter how many times you top up your pool. Also, concrete pools will also release some calcium into the pool water over time, particularly when the pool surface is new. Remember to check your water levels regularly, especially when the pool is new.

What if my calcium hardness is too low?  Isn’t that good?

The only way to properly lower your calcium hardness level is to pump out (through back washing or draining) a small amount of existing pool water and then refilling.  This lowers the level because you are taking calcium-rich water out of the pool and replacing it with tap water with very low calcium levels.  Depending on where you live, most tap water in Australia has a calcium hardness of around 50ppm (Sydney water) while tank and rainwater contain no calcium at all.  So, following this “drain and refill process” will lower the calcium level without chemicals!  So, if you live in a region that has ‘hard’ water or mineral-rich water, then have the calcium level of your tap water measured before starting this process. Remember, you don’t have to drain the entire pool to lower the calcium level. In many cases, replacing as little as 30-40 cm’s of water will bring your pool back into the normal calcium range.

How do I adjust my calcium hardness?

If your calcium hardness is too low, you can increase it by adding calcium chloride into your pool water. This is very cheap to buy from your pool shop. Adding calcium to your pool will increase the calcium level right away.  On the other hand, if the calcium hardness is too high, then we suggest pumping out some water from the pool and replacing it with tap water as mentioned above.  Remember, bringing the calcium to the right level is inexpensive, permanent, and will make the water feel great again.
 
If you don’t know your calcium hardness level, we suggest getting it tested as soon as you can.  Also, if your pool shop is not equipped to test for calcium hardness, try another shop.  Importantly, all surfaces can react with calcium, the calcium level is important to know (NSW Health).

Calcium reduction…the natural way.

One way to reduce calcium hardness is to pump out water using your pool cleaner or vacuum hose. Doing this during long periods of soaking rain when your pool is likely to overflow is best.  In short, this method removes the high calcium water from the pool while at the same time, the rain refills it with fresh water that contains no calcium. So, doing this several times a year can have a huge impact on the calcium levels in your water.  And it’s free!

Calcium build-up on fibreglass pool
As the water level drops the calcium formation on this fibreglass pool becomes very noticeable.

Calcium hardness in fibreglass pools?

Some pool shops are unaware that the calcium levels in fibreglass pools is often different to concrete pools.  Consequently, some pool shops will incorrectly advise customers to significantly increase the calcium levels in their water.  This mistake happens because the water testing software used at pool shops is primarily designed for concrete pools rather than fibreglass.  Remember, most concrete pools have a suggested calcium range of 200-300ppm while fibreglass pools are often much lower.

So, to ensure that your water is at the right level, check the suggested calcium levels with your pool manufacturer. For example, the pool shown here is from a client who had heavy calcium build-up on their fibreglass pool from poor water balance.  In addition to surface problems, excessive calcium in a fibreglass pool can clog salt cells, damage the heater, and obstruct pipework.

Calcium hardness in MagnaPool systems

Inexperienced pool technicians and pool owners don’t understand that Magnapool calcium readings are unique.  So, unlike a typical salt pool, ‘total calcium’ in MagnaPool includes the ‘magnesium salts’ which run the MagnaPool system.  These salts appear as part of the total calcium test result.  Importantly, for MagnaPool systems, 70% of the ‘total hardness’ reading actually includes the magnesium salts and the calcium.  Therefore, the tested calcium hardness reading for magnesium pools is substantially higher than typical salt pools.  Remember to compensate for the magnesium content in the water when testing for calcium.  For example, if your MagnaPool is running a measured calcium hardness of 200-250ppm, then your actual calcium level is too low and you need to increase it right away!  MagnaPool recommends a ‘total hardness’ level of around 800ppm compared to 200-300ppm for typical salt pools.

Calcium lumps in swimming pool
Calcium lumps in swimming pool

How do I remove calcium off my pool surface?

If you spot calcium lumps or blotches in your pool, please don’t alter your calcium hardness to try and fix this issue. Often, some people advise that reducing your calcium hardness will dissolve the calcium on the pool surface. This is not true. For example, maintaining the calcium level at either extreme will only make the calcium formation worse, not better. Therefore, the only way to treat calcium formation on a pool surface is to either use a calcium dissolving compound, or to drain and acid wash the pool.

If you have calcium lumps, streaks or blotches forming in your pool, please contact us for information. Remember, we can help you remove these without draining your pool water.

Calcium Nodule in pebble swimming pool

References

Suggested calcium levels for MagnaPool

http://magnapool.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/How-to-maintain-your-MagnaPool.pdf

NSW Health

http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/Publications/swimming-pool-and-spa-advisory-doc.pdf

High calcium levels damage fibreglass

https://www.swimuniversity.com/calcium-hardness-hot-tub/

Calcium hardness of Sydney tap water

http://www.sydneywater.com.au/SW/water-the-environment/how-we-manage-sydney-s-water/safe-drinking-water/water-analysis/index.htm

Is quality swimming pool salt worth the money?

Swimming pool salt causes stains

Almost daily we receive calls from distressed clients saying the following – “I got some cheap swimming pool salt from my local hardware store and now I’ve got these ugly brown stains in my pool”.  Often, this brown staining becomes evident within hours of adding the salt to the water. Remember, contaminated salt can also discolour the water and turn it brown almost instantly.  Many pool owners around the world face this issue.

Salt is salt, right?  So, what’s the difference between bad salt and good salt and why does it matter to your pool? Let’s find out.

Salt stain in pool?

Stains from salt are caused by the mineral contaminates contained within the salt precipitating onto the surface of your pool.  These salt stains are removed with our granular stain compound within a few weeks.  The best news is that this can be done without draining the pool or acid washing. So please feel free to call The Pool Stain Removers today.  Our salt stain removal kit has been used by more than 2,000 pool owners with great results.

Salt staining in swimming pool
This customer added a bag of cheap salt to the pool. When she checked the pool the following day this stripe of brown had embedded into the pool surface. This happened because the mineral contaminants bonded to the pool surface while the salt was dissolving.

Good pool salt vs. bad.  What’s the difference?

Because salt is a natural product, all pool salt has the same basic properties. However, the mineral, water, contaminate and metal content found in pool salt can vary significantly from brand to brand.  For this reason, the salt used in your pool has a significant impact on the total volume of minerals and metals that are dissolved into your pool water over time. These minerals will later discolour and stain your pool interior, particularly if your pool water balance is not maintained.

What makes staining from pool salt an issue is that pool water evaporates over time, but minerals and metals do not.  These minerals remain suspended in the pool water, even when the pool is topped up with fresh water. Over time, these minerals will precipitate or ‘plate out’ onto the surface of the pool.  When this happens a light brown film appears all over the pool surface that will not brush away.  Remember, quality salt will significantly slow down this mineral accumulation in your pool.  This is because there are less contaminates and minerals in good quality salt.  Therefore, it will also reduce the chances of visible staining in your pool.

Did you know that the average pool owner only spends around $120 per year on swimming pool salt?  It is unwise to cut corners by using cheap salt when the consequences can be so costly.

How can I recognize poor quality salt?

There are 5 things that typically characterize poor quality salt.  They are as follows –

  1. Crystal size is large
  2. Salt is discoloured
  3. It is slow to dissolve
  4. It turns the water murky 
  5. Salt leaves brown stains in your pool

If the salt brand you are currently using matches ANY of the attributes in the list above then we strongly suggest trying an alternative.

What does good quality salt look like?

There are five things that characterize good quality pool salt.  They are as follows –

  1. Crystals are very small
  2. Crystals are fast dissolving in water
  3. Salt bag shows a purity level of more than 99.5%
  4. Product is brilliant white in appearance
  5. Pool water feels soft and comfortable for swimmers

Good quality salt will cost a fortune, right?

Most pools consume around 10-12 bags of salt per year to maintain correct salt levels.  The cost difference between poor and high-quality salt is around $4 per 20kg bag.  So the $50 additional cost for quality salt is hardly a budget blowout for pool owners.  On the other hand, the cost of removing stains caused by poor quality salt can sometimes be over $1,200.00. From a financial perspective, cheap salt does not make any sense at all.

There are times when inexpensive brands sell reasonably high quality batches of salt.  However, less expensive brands need to source lower grade salt in order to meet the low prices some consumers demand.  Therefore, the chances of purchasing a contaminated batch of salt is generally higher with less expensive brands. Remember, high purity, fine salt is in demand in several industries and so it simply costs more to buy.

swimming pool salt grading
Although salt is a natural product, the variation in the level of contamination from one location to the next can be substantial. This means that those contaminates will bond to your pool surface as the salt dissolves.
Mineral salt stains on fibreglass pool
This pool owner left a bag of contaminated mineral salt on the steps of his pool to dissolve. The next morning he was stunned to see dark staining on the surface of his pool.
salt stain in swimming pool
Most commonly salt stains will leave a brown discoloration over the surface of the pool. This often slowly builds over time.

Swimming pool salt cost and qualities

Remember, salt is sold by weight not by volume.  This means that some low-cost brands will bulk buy moisture-rich low-quality salt at a low price in order to undercut their competitors.  From a price and visual perspective, this salt will seem perfectly fine.  However, moisture adds weight which means that if the salt moisture levels are high then you’re actually paying for water rather than salt! Therefore, the actual amount of pure salt you have in your salt bag will depend on the quality of the salt, not the total weight or size of the bag.

Although no brand or batch of salt is 100% pure and completely free of contaminates, high-quality brands generally have better quality control and accurate measures to monitor mineral content during selection and bagging.  These quality brands will often not purchase low-grade salt from the suppliers.

Remember, when quality salt is added correctly it saves you money over the life of your pool and will actually cost you less in the long term.

Do you have any comments or experiences with salt that you would like to share?  We look forward to hearing about them via the email address on our website.

salt stains in swimming pool
Our client in Melbourne, Australia placed a full bag of salt on the steps of their pool and left it to dissolve overnight. The next morning the steps and the entire pool had a horrible brown stain caused from contaminates within the salt.

Got salt staining?

Speak to a stain specialist today without cost or obligation.  We are happy to look at pictures and talk with you before we come out or send a kit. Please feel free to email pictures of your pool to info@thepoolstainremovers.com.au or call us.

Call now!Call now!

References

Colour, crystal size and purity – http://www.poolandspareview.com.au

Adding salt to your pool correctly – http://www.saltwaterpoolandspa.com

Long term benefits of using good quality salt – http://www.riverpoolsandspas.com

Salt graded by water content – http://www.saltcomindia.gov.in

Pool Water Cloudy? Here’s how to fix it [Updated 2023]

How to clear up cloudy pool

These 6 steps will clear cloudy swimming pool water.

  • Test the water pH
  • Check your calcium hardness level
  • Make sure you have good water flow
  • Clean (or backwash) your pool filter
  • Check for high phosphates
  • Shock chlorinate the water if it has not been done recently

Our technician recently visited a green pool that had five times the normal chlorine level and was still green! Why?  The pH of the water was so high that the chlorine was prevented from working and so it was not able to clear the pool.

High pH reduces the killing power of chlorine

If the pH of your pool water is high, the effectiveness (or killing power) of pool chlorine is greatly reduced. This may cause the water to appear cloudy.  The orange line on the graph shows that when the pH is at 6.5, chlorine is 91% effective. It also shows that when the pH is 8.5, chlorine is only 9% effective.  In short, high pH “locks up” chlorine so check the pH regularly!

kill rate of chlorine

Low Water flow can cause cloudy water

It is vital that the pump you use is the correct size for your swimming pool. If it’s too small, then there will be insufficient water flow to filter the water properly.  If the pump is too large, the strength of the water flowing through the filter can blow the fine sand through the pipework and back into your pool. Also, inadequate filtering time each day may cause cloudiness, even if the pump and filter are the correct sizes. This means that there isn’t enough pumping time for all the water in the pool to be properly filtered and chlorinated.

High Phosphates in pool water

Sometimes, cloudy water has little to do with the size or cleanliness of your pool equipment or filter.  Bird droppings, leaves, pollen, and even dirt can play a role in increasing phosphate levels which can lead to cloudy or green water.  A quality phosphate remover will remove high phosphates easily.  This is because phosphates are the primary food that algae need to survive.  Remember, high phosphates create a huge amount of food for algae to thrive on.  Therefore, removing phosphates can also work to decrease the chances of your pool turning green.  Another challenge of high phosphates is the increase in chlorine consumption.  This happens because the increase in organic material in the water consumes the free chlorine faster.

Three solutions for clearing cloudy water problems.

  • First, a clarifier will gather the water-borne particles together so you can filter them out.  This process often clears the water completely.
  • If the pool water is very cloudy and you can’t see the bottom, try using a flocculent to clear the water.  This will gather, or ‘flock’, the organic particles in the water and bring them to the bottom of the pool so you can vacuum them up.  Flocs can also remove phosphates as well which also helps.
  • A fine skimmer basket sock helps trap finer particles before they enter the main filter. Using a skimmer sock will keep your filter clean.

High Calcium Levels in pool water

High calcium hardness levels can lead to cloudy pool water.  To check your calcium levels, take a water sample to your local pool shop.  They can test your calcium hardness levels for you. According to Australian Standards (1926.3), concrete pools require a calcium hardness level between 80-500 ppm. For fibreglass pools please contact your pool manufacturer to obtain the recommended levels for your pool. High calcium levels also make the water feel ‘hard’ to swim in and also surface issues.

Backwashing a sand filter

You should backwash most sand filters every 2 weeks during winter and every week during summer.  This also applies to cartridge filters as well. However, backwashing more frequently than this can lead to excessive sand loss, cloudy water, and poor filtration.  Changing the sand in your filter every 7 years can be a great idea.  Old sand filters with the original sand inside will often have lumps of solidified sand throughout the filter.  This means that any contaminants in the pool water are simply bypassing the lumps of sand and re-entering the pool without any filtration. Clients who change their sand are often amazed at how clear the water is after the change.

How to shock chlorinate a swimming pool

First, start by testing your pool water to make sure the chemistry is in balance.  Remember, regular shocking will remove the ‘dead’ chlorine (chloramines) from your pool and kill off most algae growth.  These chloramines ‘bind up’ the free chlorine and significantly reduce its effectiveness. Because of this, your pool water can have plenty of chlorine but still be green and stay green.
 
To shock chlorinate properly, most pools typically need at least 20 litres of liquid chlorine. This should do every 6 months.  Your pool shop can help you determine the right amount of chlorine needed to properly shock your pool.  Importantly, many pool owners are often surprised by how much chlorine their pool needs to shock chlorinate properly.  IN some cases it can be as much as 60 litres at one time!
 
Shocking at the beginning and the end of the swimming season is a great idea.  Finally, shock chlorinating in the late afternoon will help protect the liquid chlorine from the UV light from the sun. This reduced exposure to UV from the sun extends the life of chlorine and increases its killing power. Finally, don’t forget to test and balance the pH of the water before shocking the pool.
dirty sand filter
Old sand filters with the original sand inside which has since partially solidifed
green pool
Pool water can have plenty of chlorine but still be green

How to clear cloudy pool water

The best way to clear cloudy pool water is to run pool pumps and chlorinators for around 4 hours a day in winter and 8 hours a day in summer to keep the water clean and safe. It is common during late Spring, when the weather and water start to warm up, for pool water to turn cloudy.  This is because the chlorination system may still be on winter mode (4 hrs per day) when the weather starts to warm up and this can lead to low chlorine levels.  Remember that the warming pool water will have low chlorine levels that cause cloudiness in the water.

Cloudy pool water

References / Credits

pH of swimming pool water

PH Scale

Poor pH balance causes nearly every type of stain that our technical team see each day and also makes the water unsafe for swimming. Our photo gallery shows some extreme cases where the pH has been left to drift a long way from the suggested level. This pH increase causes stain producing minerals, metals, copper, calcium or manganese to bond to the surface.  When this happens, the pool interior leaves an unsightly stain that will not brush away. Thankfully, these stain issues can be rectified through our stain treatment process

We often tell our customers that if everyone kept their pool water pH safely balanced they would love their pool again and spend a lot less money at the pool shop.

Take a water sample to your pool shop that is already pH balanced.  You’ll find that you save a lot of money on chemicals because the ‘foundation’ of your water chemistry is balanced. You may often find that you don’t need to buy so many expensive chemicals!

What is the right pH level for a swimming pool?

Maintaining the correct pH level of (7.4) in your swimming pool is one of the most important components of water chemistry.  If every pool owner did this regularly, we would go out of business!  This is because very few people would ever have staining in their pool.

If your pH is too low, it means that your water is aggressive (or acidic). This means that the water will want to dissolve any materials that it can to try and re-balance itself.  This may include, the cement in your pool interior, tile grouting and even the copper piping in your solar or heat pump.

On the other hand, water that is very high in pH will try to re-balance itself by depositing (or precipitating) calcium, metals and minerals onto the surface of the pool or pipework. The result is a rough pool surface, calcium spots, mineral staining and sore eyes for swimmers. In most cases, chlorine levels have nothing to do with red eyes after swimming.

Remember that the pH scale is logarithmic so that it’s simple to use.  This means that small changes in the numbers are actually HUGE changes in practice.  For example, lemon juice has a pH of 2 and we can drink it without a problem.  However, hydrochloric acid is just a little lower on the scale at 0 but drinking this could be fatal.  This is because hydrochloric acid is actually 100 times more acidic than lemon juice.  Such a massive change in acidity just 2 digits down the (0 -14) scale!

Remember, pool water is either dissolving minerals or dumping them on the pool surface.  The only way to avoid this is to keep the water pH properly balanced. When the pH is in balance it does not add to or take away from the surface.  It is in balance.

How to test pool water

We suggest using a simple (liquid drops) water testing kit to measure your pH each week.  Testing the water yourself is the best and often the most convenient way for pool owners to keep their water balanced. Remember, it takes less than 15 seconds to do and may mean that you don’t have to visit the pool shop as often.  Many of our customers have been very grateful for giving them this advice over the years. The reagents (coloured bottles) in these kits are used in some of the most sophisticated testing equipment used in pool shops today. When tested properly, the results from these test kits are surprisingly accurate.  Maintaining the correct pH is one of the best things you can do to keep your pool water clear.  Furthermore, it will also make the water great to swim in.  Best of all, it may also save you a heap of money on pool chemicals at the pool shop.

References

water PH test kit
CALL US NOW