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 POOL CARE:

·          pH -pH is the most important part of pool care.Proper pH control will eliminate most pool problems.

·          pH is measured on a scale from 0 - 14.Half is 7.0 so 7.0 is neutral.Below 7 is acidic - which yields hydrogen ions .(acids) Above 7 is alkaline - which yields hydroxyl ions (Bases) e.g. soda ash and bicarb of soda.

·          The ideal pH is 7.5 The lower limit is 7.2 while the upper limit is 7.8 The pH of untreated pool water rises and finally stabilize at about 8.3.

·          ALGAE Are tiny plants that range from green,brown,yellow,red to black.We don't kill algae or bacteria,but merely control them with chlorine or algaecides.They resemble an 'apartment complex' made of calcium.Spore on the bottom feed on calcium in the plaster while those on  top feed on calcium in the water and then there are the kinds that float in the water.Of the more than 20 000 types of algae, about 0 - 50 inhibit swimming pools being brought in by wind,dust and rain.Algae take carbon dioxide from the water pushing pH up.

·          SCALE FORMING CHEMICALS

·          When the pH reaches about 8.0 calcium carbonate in the water combines with carbonate to form calcium carbonate which deposits on the surface as scale.

Low pH conditions result in:

·          Etched marble : The surface will resemble sandpaper as the acids dissolve alkaline materials in the cement

·          Corroded Metals : Acids eats away heater coils ,the pump impellers and any other metal associated with the pool.

·          Stained Marble: After the metals are eaten away their oxides and sulphates are deposited on the surface in purple,blue,turquoise and black.

·          Eye Irritation:The pH of human blood is 7.5 so anything higher or lower is bad news when it comes to tender body parts.

·          Destruction of total alkalinity : Low pH is murder on total alkalinity.Acids fights alkaline materials and ultimately neutralizers them.When total alkalinity has been affected,controlling pH becomes a nightmare .

·          Rapid Chlorine loss:As pH decrease HOCL (Hydrochlorus acid) increases and escapes into the atmosphere.

·          High pH conditions results in:                             

·          Scale Formation: When the pH reaches about 8.0,calcium in the water combines with carbonates in water to form calcium carbonate which attaches itself to any surface in the form of a hard white scale that can't be scraped off.Whilst it's white at first,it is porous and gradually takes on the colour of anything that cares to take residence in the pores.

·          Cloudy Water . Calcium carbonates floats around in the water producing cloudy water.

·          Ineffective filtering:Calcium carbonate is caught up in the sand filter and solidifies.

·          Avoid this by having shorter runs by backwashing more frequently.

·          Eye Irritation Same As Low pH.

·          Poor chlorine efficiency:As ph increases HOCL (the killing power of chlorine) decreases.At 8.0 for example there is only 21.5% HOCL (hydrochlorous acid) and at 8.4 practically none.

·          Following lower ph:

Trichlor chlorine,gas chlorine,dichloride chlorine,rainwater,alum,urine,acids.

·          Following raise ph:

Liquide chlorine,calcium hypo chloride,caustic soda,algae growth,swimmers waste,bicarbonate of soda.

·          TOTAL ALKALINITY

·          Amongst other things water contains alkaline materials,the quantity of which may vary depending on the source of the water namely boreholes,municipal water etc.

·          Total alkalinity is best described as bicarbonates,carbonates and hydroxided.Carbonate sand hydroxides do not appear until the ph rises up to 9.0 to 10.0 range,so we are essentially dealing with bicarbonate alcaline.This is the 2nd most important part of good water treatment after ph control .

·          Ph can be lowered easily.

·          Ph can be lowered with difficulty.

·          Ph can be lowered rapidly.

·          Ph can be lowered slowly.

·          Total alkalinity is measured in parts per million (ppm) The ideal range is 80 - 122 ppm with the "balance point" being 100ppm.

·          Low Total Alkalinity can result in:

·          Etched marble

·          Corroded metals

·          Stained marble

·          Ph bounce (extreme difficulty in controlling ph).

·          High Alkalinity  makes it difficult to keep ph in the desired range because alkaline materials in water will overcome any acid that has been added.

·          Raising Total Alcalinity Bicarbonate of soda can be added (700 grams raises the total alkalinity of 40 000 of water by 10ppm.

·          Lowering Total Alkalinity This is a slow process and may take as long as the entire swimming season.Add a little acid at a time but do not lower the ph further than 7.0 which is neutral

·          Indiscriminate addition

Ph scale

0

1

2

3

4  If ph above 7,6 add acid

5

6

7  If ph below 7 staining pool surface occurs

8  add soda ash marbalite pool

9 Sodium Bicarb (Fiberglass) pool

10

11

12

13

14