Swimming Pool Chemicals 101

You’re thrilled to finally have a pool installed, but not exactly looking forward to all the future maintenance. That’s completely understandable. Maintaining a swimming pool is a tedious but important task. But don’t worry; our swimming pool designers can help you master every aspect of pool maintenance.

Here are some chemicals that you need to know of to keep your pool clean.

1. Chlorine

Chlorine is the best for cleaning pools. It acts as a sanitizer, a strong oxidizer, and an effective algaecide.

It’s recommended to add chlorine to your pool regularly to maintain the levels between 1 and 3 ppm. But if you find this too much of a hassle, try a salt chlorinator that will add the right amount of chlorine on its own.

2. Bromine

Bromine is also a sanitizer like chlorine but is less popular. It’s more suited for indoor and high heat applications but doesn’t last long outdoors when exposed to UV light.

3. Oxidizers

Many pool owners prefer non-chlorine oxidizers to eliminate the potential contaminants in the swimming pool.

Potassium monopersulfate is added quite often to help chlorine break down the organic contaminants. It’s best to add this chemical to your pool in the evening so that it’s not destroyed by UV rays.

4. Cyanuric Acid

Chlorine doesn’t last long in the water, especially in the sunlight, so it needs cyanuric acid to keep it company. Cyanuric acid is a pool stabilizer that helps keep more chlorine in the pool, which results in a cleaner pool and lower chlorine usage.

But make sure you’re adding the right amount of cyanuric acid, neither too much nor too little or it can damage your pool.

5. pH Balancing Agents

Maintaining the pH balance of your pool is crucial for a safe swimming experience. Too much algae or another chemical can easily throw off the pH balance of your pool.

When you find your pool’s pH low, add a little soda ash into a large bucket of water then into the pool. For decreasing your pool’s pH, use muriatic acid or sodium bisulfate.

6. Shock the Pool

An algae outbreak is one of the most common reasons behind murky green pool water. So, shock your pool with chlorine to effectively remove pool algae from building up. Ensure the process is carried out at night to prevent the sunlight from reducing the efficacy of calcium hypochlorite—an active ingredient.

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We’re experts at pool designing and can turn your pool dreams into reality. Contact us today to know more about our pool services in Sterling, VA.