• Test strips are the most cost-effective and easiest way to test your pool water. But they’re limited in what they measure and they can be contaminated easily if they’re left unsealed or exposed to moisture.
• Liquid test kits offer a broader range of testing options. But they require precision when adding liquid reagents, otherwise, you could get inaccurate results.
• Digital readers are fast, accurate, and great for anyone who has trouble reading color. However, they’re more expensive than other types of pool test kits.

That said, if you’re looking for something to help you with easy, weekly water testing, we recommend the very popular AquaChek Select Connect 7-Way Pool & Spa Test Strips.

Our Top Pick

Test Strips for Pools and Hot Tubs

Tests for 7 important chemistries in seconds: Total Hardness, Total Chlorine, Total Bromine, Free Chlorine, pH, Total Alkalinity, and Cyanuric Acid.

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On the other hand, if you’re in the market for a more comprehensive pool water testing kit, we recommend the Taylor Complete Pool and Spa Liquid Test Kit.

Our Top Pick

Complete Liquid Test Kit for Pools and Hot Tubs

A simple but effective liquid test kit for chlorine pools and hot tubs.

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Finally, if you prefer a digital reader or you’re having trouble interpreting the color-coded charts on other kits, check out the LaMotte Digital Reader.

Keep reading for more information about each type of test kit and the brands we recommend.

Best Test Strips: AquaChek 7-Way Pool & Spa Test Strips

Our Top Pick

Test Strips for Pools and Hot Tubs

Tests for 7 important chemistries in seconds: Total Hardness, Total Chlorine, Total Bromine, Free Chlorine, pH, Total Alkalinity, and Cyanuric Acid.

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If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

AquaChek test strips are an easy-to-use, 7-way test kit that measures the more important pool chemistry levels: pH, total chlorine, free chlorine, bromine, alkalinity, total hardness, and cyanuric acid. So if you’re looking for the easiest way regularly test things like your chlorine levels, this is a great option. These strips also include a free mobile app to help you interpret your results. Overall, AquaChek’s popular and affordable test strips are perfect for regular, weekly pool maintenance and testing.

Best Liquid Test Kit: Taylor Complete Pool and Spa Test Kit

Our Top Pick

Complete Liquid Test Kit for Pools and Hot Tubs

A simple but effective liquid test kit for chlorine pools and hot tubs.

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Taylor Complete Pool and Spa Liquid Test Kit tests for all of your important levels, including chlorine, bromine, pH, acid demand, and total alkalinity. This kit includes rapid dissolve tablets to test for free chlorine, and liquid solutions to test for all other levels. And different versions of this kit also include a FAS-DPD bromine test.

Most importantly, Taylor Technologies is one of the most reliable and best pool testing options on the market. However, this kit does not test salt levels, so you’ll need to purchase a salinity meter separately. And the reagents that measure your levels are very accurate when fresh, so the kit will need to be stored in a temperature-controlled environment. Also, you’ll need to replace or refill your kit components, like Phenol Red and Orthotolidine (OTO), as you use the kit.

Best Digital Test Kit: Lamotte Digital Reader and Test Kit

Our Top Pick

Digital Water Test Kit for Pools and Hot Tubs

This digital pool and hot tub water test kit checks for Free Chlorine, Total Chlorine, Bromine, PH, Alkalinity, Calcium Hardness, and Cyanuric Acid.

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If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

If you don’t want to do any color matching, the Lamotte Digital Reader can help. This is the ideal option for those who have difficulty distinguishing color and want more definitive results. The reader runs on 2AA batteries (not included) and features a memory function that lets you store the last nine test results.

Additionally, this digital water tester features a water-resistant LCD display, so you don’t have to worry about the pool water damaging the unit. In general, digital testers are more expensive than testing strips or liquid test kits. But they give pool owners a simple, fast, and reliable water testing solution.

What Are the Correct Pool Water Chemistry Levels?

Regardless of which type of testing kit you use, your normal pool water chemistry levels should be:

• pH: 7.4-7.6
• Total Alkalinity: 100-150 ppm
• Free Available Chlorine: 1-3 ppm
• Bromine: 3-5 ppm
• Cyanuric Acid: 30-50 ppm
• Calcium Hardness: 200-400 ppm
• Metals: 0 ppm
• Phosphates: 0 ppm
• Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) for Non-Salt Water Pools: 0-2500 ppm

By the way, if you’re feeling confused about pool chemistry, you’re not alone. That’s why we made our Pool Care Video Course so you never have to feel confused about your chemical levels again. Check it out!

Frustrated by adding chemicals and trying to keep your pool clear all the time?

We cut out all the confusion of pool maintenance in this easy-to-read illustrated ebook and video course. It'll help you save $100 right away on pool care!

Click Here to Learn More

Test Strips vs. Liquid Test Kits: Which Is Better?

While we recommend having both a liquid test kit and a supply of test strips on hand, here are the biggest pros and cons of each.

Pool Test Strips: Pros and Cons

Test strips are incredibly easy to use and the most affordable water testing option. But while they’re generally very accurate, they test for fewer chemicals than liquid test kits. To get the most accurate results, use strips before they expire and store them away from moisture. And avoid touching the ends of the strips before you use them to prevent contamination.

Liquid Test Kits: Pros and Cons

On the other hand, liquid test kits provide a more accurate and comprehensive test. Once you collect your water sample, you’ll add a set amount of special chemical drops (known as reagents) into each test kit vial. Then compare the color of the water sample to the color chart. But since you’ll need to repeat the steps for each chemical you’re testing for, this kind of testing takes more time than using a test strip. Also, if you accidentally add too much of each reagent, your test results for the respective chemical levels are inaccurate.

Purchasing a liquid test kit is more expensive than buying test strips. But when used correctly – that is, with the correct amount of each reagent added to your vial of pool water – your results will be highly accurate. However, you’ll need to regularly replace your drops. Similarly to test strips, the reagants and drops in the kit will expire.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pool Test Kits

Need more help deciding between pool test kits? Here are some commonly asked questions and answers.

What is the most accurate way to test your pool?

Test strips provide a quick and easy way to test your swimming pool chemicals and get a general understanding of your water levels. But liquid testing kits, when used correctly, provide more comprehensive and accurate results than test strips. However, if you mess up when adding liquid reagents to your pool water sample, you risk getting inaccurate results.

So if you’re looking for a kit to perform simple, weekly chlorine tests or pH tests, test strips will work fine.

Are pool water test strips accurate?

Yes, pool water test strips are accurate. All you have to do is dip the strip into the water and allow the strip to rest for 15 seconds before interpreting the results.

How can I test my pool water at home?

You can test your pool water at home using test strips or a liquid pool water test kit. At a minimum, the kit should test chlorine and pH levels. But you can get more specialized kits to test for metals. However, if your levels are “off the chart” or you’re worried you’re not getting accurate results, consider bringing a water sample to a local pool supply store.

What does a pool test kit test for?

Most pool test kits will test for the standard chlorine, pH, and total alkalinity. But other pool testing strips are available for additional factors, such as total dissolved solids (TDS), salt, calcium hardness, potential contaminants, bacteria, phosphates, and more.

Need More Pool Maintenance Help?

• Download our free Pool Care Cheat Sheet. It’s a free, easy-to-use guide to help you keep track of taking care of your pool.
• Subscribe to our Swim University YouTube Channel. We publish free video tutorials throughout the pool season.
• Check out our Pool Care Course. You’ll get 30+ step-by-step videos and a downloadable guide with everything you need to know about pool maintenance.

The post Best Pool Test Kits for the Most Accurate Water Readings appeared first on Swim University®.

Watch the video below for how to use pool test strips. Or keep reading for a complete guide on test strips and how they compare to liquid test kits.

How to Use Pool Test Strips

Test strips are the quickest and easiest way to test your pool water. And they’re an essential item to have on hand for regular pool maintenance.

Most pool test strips test total hardness, total chlorine, total bromine, free chlorine, pH, total alkalinity, and cyanuric acid (or CYA). These work as both pool and spa test strips. You can also find specialty test strips that check for metals like copper and iron or salt levels for saltwater pools.

Our Top Pick

Test Strips for Pools and Hot Tubs

Tests for 7 important chemistries in seconds: Total Hardness, Total Chlorine, Total Bromine, Free Chlorine, pH, Total Alkalinity, and Cyanuric Acid.

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We recommend testing your pool water chemistry once a week. But you may need to test more often if you’re dealing with cloudy water, algae, or any water clarity issues. It’s also a good idea to test in unusually warm weather or after a storm.

By the way, if you feel really confused with pool water chemistry, be sure to check out our Pool Care Video Course.

Frustrated by adding chemicals and trying to keep your pool clear all the time?

We cut out all the confusion of pool maintenance in this easy-to-read illustrated ebook and video course. It'll help you save $100 right away on pool care!

Click Here to Learn More

1. Collect a Pool Water Sample

Before you collect the sample, turn your pump on high and let the water circulate for at least an hour. If you test stagnant water, the results may not be as accurate.

Using a clean, glass cup, reach your arm into your pool elbow deep and collect some pool water. Avoid collecting surface water or water near floating chemical dispensers or pool returns, since this may affect the accuracy of your test results.

2. Dip the Test Strip into the Water

Dip the pool test strip into the water and quickly remove it. There’s no need to keep it submerged or soak it in the water. Just make sure your finger doesn’t go into the water.

3. Allow the Test Strip to Develop and Measure Results

Hold the strip in the air for about 15 seconds. Do not shake it. Then hold the strip next to the test packaging to compare the color chart. Match it up to see where your levels are.

4. Adjust Your Pool Chemicals Accordingly

Use the colored chart on the pool water test strips packaging to determine what chemicals need balancing. You’ll want to adjust your water chemistry based on the normal ranges for each chemical. Here are the pool chemical levels we recommend:

• Total Calcium Hardness: 200-400 ppm
• Total Chlorine: 3 ppm (close to Free Chlorine levels)
• Free Chlorine: 1-3 ppm
• Cyanuric Acid (Stabilizer): 30-50 ppm
• pH: 7.4-7.6
• Total Alkalinity: 100-150 ppm

Here’s an example of a pool test strip chart:

For more help with balancing your pool chemicals, check out our guide to Basic Pool Chemistry 101.

Pool Test Strips vs. Liquid Test Kit: Which One is Better?

Test strips are a quick and convenient way to do weekly water testing, especially to keep track of fluctuating sanitizer or pH levels. And test strips are much more affordable than liquid test kits. But it’s easy to spoil an entire pack if they become damp or are left out in the sunlight too long. And the strips do expire.

Liquid test kits are typically more precise when used correctly. And because testing is available for a broader range of chemicals, they are the only option available when testing for certain levels.

Our Top Pick

Complete Liquid Test Kit for Pools and Hot Tubs

A simple but effective liquid test kit for chlorine pools and hot tubs.

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But because the tests are more complex, there’s always more room for human error. And they are much more expensive. Finally, the chemical reagents used in these kits do expire, so you will need to replace them periodically to ensure the tests remain accurate.

So while liquid test kits are often a more accurate and complete testing solution than test strips, there’s more expensive and cumbersome. Pool test strips are a great and essential item to have on hand for regular pool maintenance.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pool Test Strips

Need more help with test strips? Here are some common questions and answers.

Do swimming pool test strips work?

Yes, pool strips are a reliable way to test your pool water chemistry. The most common pool test strips are either 4-way or 6-way test strips that measure things like pH, alkalinity and free chlorine levels. These testers can be used in both inground and above ground pools.

Which pool test strips are the best?

We recommend using AquaChek Pool & Spa Test Strips. AquaChek is a very reliable brand used by many pool owners and pool professionals.

How long do you leave pool test strips in the water?

You do not need to leave test strips submerged in the water. A quick dip and release from the water is all it takes. Allow 15 seconds for the color to develop on the strip before comparing it for results purposes.

What happens if I can’t get an accurate reading?

If you suspect your pool water test kit isn’t measuring your levels correctly, you may need to bring a water sample to your local pool store. This can happen when your levels are “off the charts.” Your pool store can do more comprehensive chemical testing and provide you with accurate results.

Need More Pool Maintenance Help?

• Download our free Pool Care Cheat Sheet. It’s a free, easy-to-use guide to help you keep track of taking care of your pool.
• Subscribe to our Swim University YouTube Channel. We publish free video tutorials throughout the pool season.
• Check out our Pool Care Course. You’ll get 30+ step-by-step videos and a downloadable guide with everything you need to know about pool maintenance.

The post Pool Test Strips: How to Use Them the Right Way appeared first on Swim University®.

Pool Volume Calculator

Pool Volume Calculator Click on your pool shape to calculate the volume of water.

Rectangle

Round

Get Pool Volume

Get Pool Volume

Note: The calculator rounds up decimal points, which makes it easier to calculate chemical dosing. But the rounding isn’t enough to throw off your water chemistry calculations.

If you have a more complicated shaped pool, you’ll need to run a few other calculations. We cover how to calculate the volume of an irregular-shaped pool at the end of this guide.

Pool Volume Reference Chart

You can use the pool volume reference chart below to quickly calculate the volume of these common pool sizes.

Note: These are estimates. You’ll always get more accurate results if you measure your pool yourself. And always measure the depth of your water, not the height of your wall.

By the way, if you’re struggling with knowing which pool chemicals to add and when, be sure to check out our Pool Care Video Course. It’s an easy-to-follow guide to help you keep your pool clean and clear.

Frustrated by adding chemicals and trying to keep your pool clear all the time?

We cut out all the confusion of pool maintenance in this easy-to-read illustrated ebook and video course. It'll help you save $100 right away on pool care!

Click Here to Learn More

How to Calculate Pool Volume Step-By-Step

If you need to calculate the volume of an irregular-shaped pool or you’re still feeling confused, check out our video that walks you through how to calculate the volume of water in your pool. Or keep reading for a complete walk-through on these calculations.

Pool Volume Calculation Basics

To get your pool’s volume, you need to calculate your pool’s surface area and average depth. And to do that, you’ll need a few basic metrics:

• Length (L)
• Width (W)
• Depth (D) or Height (H)
• Diameter (d) (for round pools)
• Radius (r) (for round pools)
• Pi (3.14 constant)

Multiply the length and width to get the surface area of a rectangular pool. Then throw in your pool’s depth and you’ll get basic volume calculation.

Another key part of your equation: one cubic foot of water contains 7.5 gallons. So in order to figure out how many gallons your pool holds, you’ll multiply your final cubic foot measurement by 7.5 to find the volume of your pool.

Let’s see what this looks like with different pool shapes.

Rectangular Pool Volume

How you calculate your volume will depend on how the bottom of your pool is laid out.

Constant Depth

The formula for finding the volume of a rectangular pool with one depth (no shallow or deep end) is L × W × D × 7.5 = V (in gallons).

For example, if your swimming pool is 32 feet long, 16 feet wide, and 4 feet deep:

• 32 × 16 × 4 × 7.5 = 15,360 gallons

Variable Depths with a Gradual Slope

If your rectangular pool has more than one depth (shallow end, deep end), you’ll need to do a little more math. First, determine the pool’s average depth. Add the shallow end depth to the deep end depth, and divide by 2.

For example, if your pool’s shallow end is 3 feet, and the deep end is 9 feet, the average depth is 6 feet.

Next, multiply your pool’s length and width and then multiply that number by the average depth. Finally, multiply that figure by 7.5 to calculate the volume of the pool in gallons.

For example, if your pool is 32 feet long, 16 feet wide, and has an average depth of 6 feet:

• 32 × 16 × 6 × 7.5 = 23,040 gallons

Variable Depths with a Drop-Off

If your pool has a definitive drop between the shallow and deep ends, the average depth will be different, even if the shallow end and deep end are still, for example, 3 feet and 9 feet, respectively.

Treat the shallow and deep ends as separate pools. This will allow you to apply the volume of each section using the constant depth formula.

Once you have the volumes of both parts, simply add them together to determine the volume for the whole pool.

Round or Circular Pool Volume

The formula for finding the volume in gallons of a round pool is 3.14 × r2 × D × 7.5 = V (in gallons)

Start by measuring your pool’s diameter, which is measured at its widest point across (i.e. your pool’s length). Then divide the diameter by 2 to get the radius.

Your radius squared is the radius multiplied by the radius. Finally, measure the pool’s depth.

For example, if your pool’s diameter is 18 feet, your radius is 9 feet, and your depth is 4 feet:

• 3.14 × (9 x 9) × 4 x 7.5 = 7630.2 gallons

Irregular-Shaped Pool Volume

If you have an oval, kidney shape, or other irregular-shaped pool, you can still calculate the volume. You’ll just have to do even more math.

The easiest way to calculate an oddly shaped pool is to imagine it broken down into two or three smaller, regularly shaped parts. Try to see smaller, individual squares, rectangles, or circles within the larger, irregular shape.

Once you’ve mapped them out, measure each part. Then use the same formulae above to calculate the volume in each smaller section. Finally, add all the volume figures together, and you’ll have a pretty close approximation of the pool’s total volume.

When To Ask a Professional to Measure Your Pool

If the swimming pool volume calculator or calculations don’t work properly for you because you have an unusual pool shape, or you just want everything to be more accurate, ask a pool professional to take the measurements and figure out the volume for you.

Remember, before you add any chemicals to your pool water, you need to know how many gallons of water are in your pool. Knowing your pool volume is not only critical for adding the right amount of chemicals, it’s absolutely necessary if you’re installing a new pool pump, pool filter, or pool heater. And keep these calculations handy for future reference. You’ll need them often as a pool owner!

The post Pool Volume Calculator: How Many Gallons of Water Does Your Pool Hold? appeared first on Swim University®.

Pooli (Our Top Pick)

Price: FREE
Compatibility: iOS and Android

We think Pooli is the best pool chemical calculator and pool maintenance app. It looks great and is extremely user-friendly! It has a built-in test strip scanner that delivers instant water test results and provides the most affordable solutions, chemicals, and equipment. Download the app here!

PoolMath by TroubleFreePool

Price: $7.99 Premium Subscription In-App Purchase
Compatibility: iOS and Android

A simple pool test tracking app made by the popular TroubleFreePool forum. Track all your pool water tests and it’ll tell you exactly how much of each chemical you need to add. It follows the TroubleFreePool method (BBB). Download the app now!

Clorox Pool App

Price: FREE
Compatibility: iOS and Android

Pool owners can use this free, easy-to-use app to scan test strips to provide expert water test analysis. You can also use the app to troubleshoot pool problems, get personalized recommendations, and of course, shop for Clorox products. Download the app here!

Pool Cloud

Price: FREE
Compatibility: iOS only

Although it’s no longer being updated, Pool Cloud is one of the nicest looking pool chemical calculators. It’s easy-to-use apps for entering your water test results and spitting out the proper amount of chemicals you need to add to your swimming pool. And a lot of Swim University articles are available right inside the app. Download the app now!

Frustrated by adding chemicals and trying to keep your pool clear all the time?

We cut out all the confusion of pool maintenance in this easy-to-read illustrated ebook and video course. It'll help you save $100 right away on pool care!

Click Here to Learn More

Sutro Smart Water Monitor

Price: $29.99/month
Compatibility: iOS and Android

Easily the sexist pool maintenance product ever made! But that’s just the tip (and that’s what she said)! The device measures, monitors, and sends you chemical recommendations to your smartphone. It measures pH, chlorine, and alkalinity three times a day. Try Sutro today!

pHin Smart Water Monitor by Hayward

Price: $349
Compatibility: iOS and Android

pHin is a smart pool and hot tub monitor that automatically measures your water temperature, sanitizer, and pH levels. It analyzes the data and recommends what chemicals to add. It works with chlorine, salt, and bromine. Start using pHin here.

iAquaLink 2.0 by Jandy

Price: FREE for iAquaLink products
Compatibility: iOS and Android

The Jandy iAquaLink system is one of the most advanced pool management devices on the planet. If your pool has a Jandy iAquaLink system installed, you can use the mobile app to manage everything about your pool. Things like lights, pumps, and temperature are easily changed right from your smartphone or tablet. Download App Now!

ScreenLogic by Pentair

Price: FREE for IntelliTouch® and EasyTouch®
Compatibility: iOS and Android

The Pentair ScreenLogic app works much like the Zodiac App but works with the Pentair pump control systems. It supports changing all of your pool settings on the fly if you have the supported Pentair pump system.Download App Now!

CloudControl by Bullfrog Spas

Price: FREE if you have a Bullfrog Spa
Compatibility: iOS and Android

The Cloud Control app will let you control your Bullfrog spa right from your smartphone or tablet. It’s compatible with both iOS and Android devices and will let you control a wide variety of hot tub settings from almost anywhere. Adjust your pump and filtration settings, change the temperature, and much more all from your smartphone with this handy little app created specifically for Bullfrog spas. Download App Now!

It has never been easier to transform your pool into a smart pool than it is today. With these apps, you can simplify your pool care so you can spend more time swimming than you do taking care of your pool. While it won’t eliminate the work, it will make it go much faster.

Happy Swimming!

The post The Best Pool Chemical Calculator Apps appeared first on Swim University®.

A little up-front work means a lot less remediation later when your pool becomes infested with algae, or so imbalanced, the only solution is to drain it and start over. While keeping your pool clean and sanitized may not be the most fun tasks, they’re also not difficult. All it takes is a little basic pool chemistry knowledge, the right equipment and supplies, and a desire to keep your pool clean and swimmable.

Pool Chemicals: The Key to a Clean Pool

You could fill your pool with fresh, clean water, and then skim and vacuum it every day, and the water would still get dirty. Leaves, twigs, and other debris fall into your pool. Bugs take their last swims in it. Birds fly overhead and bomb it.

And every time someone swims, they leave behind body oils, hair, dead skin, shampoo, soap, everything we humans put on our bodies and slough off on a daily basis.

The only thing keeping those contaminants from turning your pool into a black lagoon is sanitizer, probably the most important pool chemical you’ll ever use.

And in order for the sanitizer to work, other water attributes must be balanced: pH, alkalinity, and calcium hardness.

Finally, you’ll add pool chemicals to treat algae, to clear your pool, and to prevent staining, if you have hard water.

All of these factors work together to create balanced pool chemistry so you can swim in peace, so knowing what to use and how is crucial.

Sanitizer

Regardless of the type you use, sanitizer’s job is to keep the water, well, sanitized. This means free of bacteria, viruses, algae, and other nasty things that can grow in untreated pool water. You have a few sanitizers to choose from.

Chlorine

The most popular pool sanitizer due to its efficacy and low cost, chlorine sanitizes your pool by oxidizing contaminants. It enters molecules and destroys them from the inside out. Chlorine is effective at killing viruses, bacteria, and algae and will also help prevent algae from growing in the first place.

Chlorine comes in two forms:

• Granules: You pour them directly into your pool water, where they dissolve and are distributed by your pool’s filtration system. This isn’t a very effective method, though. It’s time-consuming, and there’s a chance the chlorine won’t be evenly distributed, leaving pockets of not-so-sanitized water around your pool, as well as pockets of super-chlorinated water, which can damage your pool liner.
• Tablets: Available in 1-inch or 3-inch sizes, chlorine tablets can be added to a floating chlorine dispenser, directly into your pool’s skimmer basket, or to an automatic chlorinator.

Any of the methods for using chlorine tablets will provide more even distribution. Still, we highly recommend you use an automatic chlorinator for the best dispersion rate, to handle the tablets less often, and to save you time.

ProTip: The ideal chlorine level in your pool water is 3 parts per million (ppm). Anything less than that, and your pool water isn’t really clean. Anything more than that, and you need to dilute the water a little or use a chlorine neutralizer to get the level down. When it comes to chlorine, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.

You’ll also find two types available: stabilized and unstabilized chlorine.

Our Top Pick

Hayward Automatic Pool Chlorinator (Inline)

This automatic chlorinator is perfect for the pool owner who hates fussing with chlorine tablets. With its dial control valve, you can easily adjust the chlorine level depending on your pool's size.

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Stabilized Chlorine

If you have an outdoor pool, to prevent the sun from burning off the chlorine in the water, you need stabilized chlorine. It has cyanuric acid, also known as chlorine stabilizer or pool stabilizer, added to it.

The cyanuric acid protects the chlorine so it stays in the water three to five times longer, which means it’s more effective at keeping the pool clean, and doesn’t need to be replaced as often. This saves you money and time.

ProTip: If the chlorine you buy doesn’t specifically say “stabilized” on the label, check the active ingredient. If it’s Trichloro-S-Triazinetrione or simply Trichlor, it’s stabilized.

Important: If too much cyanuric acid builds up in your water, it can reduce the chlorine’s effectiveness. If this happens, the only way to reduce the level is to dilute your pool water by removing some and replacing it with fresh water. Or, if there’s so much cyanuric acid that diluting the water won’t help, you may have to drain the pool altogether.

Our Top Pick

3-Inch Stabilized Chlorine Tablets

Stock up and save money on chlorine tablets for the season by getting the standard 3-inch stabilized chlorine pucks.

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Unstabilized Chlorine

This type of chlorine is vulnerable to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. They’ll burn the chlorine out of the water, reducing its sanitizing ability. This means you’ll have to add more chlorine to your pool more often, which means you’ll have to spend more money.

So why would you ever want to use unstabilized chlorine? Well, if you have an indoor pool, you don’t have to worry about the sun eating up the chlorine.

It can also be used as pool shock, especially since you shock your pool at night (you do, don’t you?), so again, there’s no worry about the sun.

ProTip: If the chlorine you buy doesn’t specifically say “unstabilized” on the label, check the active ingredient. If it’s Calcium Hypochlorite or simply Cal-Hypo, it’s unstabilized. This type of chlorine is most often available in granules rather than tablets.

In The Swim Cal-Hypo Non-Stabilized Pool Chlorine Granules - 25 lbs.

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Add the Cyanuric Acid Yourself

Rather than using stabilized chlorine and risking the level of cyanuric acid building up too much, you can use unstabilized chlorine and add cyanuric acid to the pool yourself. This gives you more control over the amount of cyanuric acid in your pool water.

ProTip: The ideal cyanuric acid level in your pool water is 100 ppm or less.

Our Top Pick

Cyanuric Acid (Chlorine Stabilizer) for Pools

Keep your chlorine from being burned off too quickly by the sun's UV rays. CYA will help you keep a better chlorine reading in your pool.

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Chloramines

During the oxidation process, chlorine dissipates and eventually becomes a waste product called chloramines.

When you approach a pool and you smell that distinctive “pool smell,” it’s not the chlorine; it’s the chloramines. They’re also what sting your eyes and dry your skin when you swim. They’re also not the best thing to breathe in.

To keep chloramines under control, you must add chlorine to your pool on a regular basis, according to how much it needs, which you’ll determine by testing your water. And if the chloramines get really bad, and your pool gets really stinky, you’ll need to shock it to get rid of them.

The good thing is, you’ll be shocking your pool on a regular basis anyway (Right? Right!), so that will help manage chlorine and chloramine levels.

Bromine

The most popular alternative to chlorine, bromine works by ionizing contaminants. This means it breaks molecules’ chemical bonds and forces them apart, thereby destroying them.

The benefit bromine has over chlorine is that as it works, it doesn’t break down quite as quickly, so it remains active longer.

The downside is that as it breaks down, it creates waste products called bromamines. While not as nasty and smelly as chloramines, they still reduce bromine’s effectiveness. The solution is the same: shocking the pool.

It’s also important to know that bromine tablets for your pool won’t be pure bromine. They’ll contain a small percentage of chlorine for an extra sanitizing boost.

ProTip: The ideal bromine level in your pool water is 5 ppm, and never let the level drop below 3 ppm.

In The Swim Pool and Spa Bromine Tablets - 25 lbs.

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Biguanide

Does this sound like a medical substance? That’s because it is. Well, it was. Preservative-free polyhexamethylene biguanide, better known as PHMB, is also known simply as biguanide is a chlorine-free sanitizer. It was originally developed as a surgical disinfectant, and is similar to hydrogen peroxide.

Biguanide works by forcing contaminants to bind together into water-insoluble clumps. This makes them easier for the filter to grab. The downside is it can cause the filter to clog frequently.

So why would you use it?

• It doesn’t produce chloramines.
• It’s gentler on your skin, hair, and eyes.
• It doesn’t degrade in sunlight.
• It doesn’t turn blond hair green in the pool.

But it has its drawbacks too.

• It’s more expensive than other sanitizers.
• It’s not as effective as other sanitizers.
• It loses its efficacy over time.
• It can cloud your pool water.

Biguanide is sold under numerous brand names, the most popular—or at least, the best known—being Baquacil, which offers a complete line of pool chemicals designed to work with biguanide, from algaecide, to alkalinity increaser, to pH decreaser, and even test strips that measure biguanide levels.

Be sure to fully research biguanide before you convert your pool from any other sanitizer to make sure you’re prepared for the different pool maintenance requirements.

ProTip: The ideal biguanide level in your pool water is 30 ppm to 50 ppm. Never let it drop below 30 ppm, or you’re not getting any water sanitization at all.

Baquacil Sanitizer

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Minerals

Have you ever looked at the label on a bottle of vitamins, and seen metals like iron and copper listed? That’s because they’re minerals, and are essential to our bodies’ health in small doses.

Pool mineral systems use metals to sanitize water. Specifically, silver and copper.

Silver is a known bactericide, and copper is sometimes used as an algaecide. When those metals come into contact with water, they release positively charged ions, which destroy negatively charged contaminants.

Mineral sanitizer systems may also include borates and magnesium chloride as active ingredients, which have a few added benefits such as algae-fighting properties and skin soothers, respectively.

It’s important to know that mineral systems aren’t complete sanitizer systems. They’re meant to supplement chlorine or other sanitizing pool chemicals, thereby reducing the need for as much of the other sanitizers.

ProTip: When using a mineral sanitizer system, the ideal chlorine level in your pool water is 0.5 ppm.

Now that you have the basics of sanitizers down, let’s look at some of the other facets of balanced pool chemistry, and the pool chemicals that will help you achieve them.

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pH

If you remember from high school chemistry class, pH is a measurement of whether a substance is basic or acidic. The scale ranges from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. Anything below 7 is acidic, and above 7 is basic.

To illustrate that a little better, humans’ eyes and mucus membranes have a pH of 7.4. If it were lower, our tears would be acidic and it would burn when we cried. If it were higher, our eyes and nostrils would dry out.

Anything that enters your pool can affect the pH level. Rain, dirt, leaves, people, anything. For this reason, it’s important to stay on top of your pool’s pH level to make sure it stays within the optimal range.

Keep a supply of two pool chemicals on hand: pH increaser and pH decreaser. You’ll likely use less decreaser because of how alkalinity is adjusted, but it’s good to keep some in your supply cabinet just in case.

ProTip: The ideal pH level in your pool water is 7.4 to 7.6. This creates an optimal environment for chlorine to do its job.

Our Top Pick

pH Increaser for Pools

This is a proven way to make the water less acidic when swimming in pools. This chemical helps maintain the right level of pH.

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Alkalinity

This pool chemical’s main job is to prevent pH from drastically moving up and down the scale by acting as a buffer, absorbing major changes to the water before they can affect the pH.

To keep alkalinity steady, keep a supply of alkalinity increaser or baking soda on hand. Yes,  you can use baking soda to increase alkalinity!

If both your pH and alkalinity are low, alkalinity increaser and/or baking soda will raise both, another reason to adjust alkalinity first.

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Baking Soda

Perfect for raising total alkalinity and pH in your pool along with cleaning tile and more. You'll need plenty on hand.

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Alkalinity decreaser isn’t available as a separate pool chemical, so if your pH and alkalinity are both high, pH decreaser will lower both. Lower the alkalinity first by adding pH decreaser. Yes, this will also lower pH levels even further. Once the alkalinity is where it needs to be, work on bringing the pH back up with pH increaser.

This situation can be tricky to correct, and it may take several tries to get both levels back to normal, so make adjustments gradually to avoid throwing things even further out of whack.

If the alkalinity is astronomically high and nothing is lowering it, you can also try to reduce it with muriatic acid.

Important: Because alkalinity protects pH, you must always adjust alkalinity first, then adjust pH, if necessary. Sometimes, getting alkalinity where it needs to be also brings the pH in line.

Pro Tip: The recommended alkalinity range in your pool water is 100 ppm to 150 ppm, with 125 ppm being ideal.

Calcium Hardness

A measurement of how hard or soft your pool water is, calcium hardness may vary depending on where you live, and what water source you use to fill your pool. For example, well water is often higher in minerals, including calcium, than water that comes from a spigot.

If the calcium level in your water is too low, it can lead to scaling and corrosion of your pool walls and equipment. This is remedied by adding calcium hardness increaser.

If it’s too high, you may end up with cloudy pool water, which can be addressed by shocking the pool, adding water clarifier or flocculant, and a few other methods.

Important: High pH can lead to high calcium hardness. Before you try to address a high calcium level, adjust the pH first (after the alkalinity).

Pro Tip: The ideal calcium hardness level in your pool water is 175 ppm to 225 ppm, and 200 ppm to 275 ppm for concrete and plaster pools.

Our Top Pick

Calcium Hardness Increaser for Pools

Adding calcium hardness to your pool water will protect and extend the life of your pool walls including vinyl, fiberglass, and concrete.

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Shock the Pool, Not the Monkey

No matter how well you keep your pool chemistry balanced, it’s a good idea—no, it’s necessary—to shock your pool on a regular basis. Shocking is also sometimes referred to as superchlorinating the pool because all it means is you’re adding a high dose of chlorine to the pool all at once.

This is a good method for keeping the water clean, but it’s also a remedy for things like pool algae, and certain bodily mishaps that may occur in the pool, especially when small children swim.

To get the best results, we recommend using calcium hypochlorite shock at least once a week. If you’re maintaining a chlorine-free pool, you’ll also find chlorine-free shock available.

ProTip: Pool shock is made with unstabilized chlorine or no chlorine at all. It’ll get eaten up by the sun’s UV rays very quickly. So always shock your pool at night or dusk, and run the pump overnight to fully distribute it and allow it to dissipate.

Important: Products that contain calcium (like calcium hypochlorite shock) can raise your pool’s calcium hardness level over time. If you use those products, keep a closer eye on calcium hardness levels so you can correct them before they become a problem.

Our Top Pick

Calcium Hypochlorite Pool Shock (Cal-Hypo Shock)

This fast-acting, quick-dissolving swimming pool shock from DryTec kills bacteria, controls algae, and destroys organic contaminants in pools. It comes in easy-to-use 1-pound bags.

Use the entire contents of the bag when opened. If any granules settle to the bottom of the pool use brush to disperse them. Add the right dosage of this product during evening hours while the filter pump is running.

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Other Pool Chemicals You’ll Need

If you only used chemicals to manage sanitizer, pH, alkalinity, and calcium hardness, you could theoretically keep your pool clean and healthy all season long.

But we don’t live in a perfect world, and there’ll be times when you need to help your pool fight things like algae, cloudiness, and staining. Luckily, you have a variety of specialized pool chemicals at your disposal.

Algaecide

Your best defense against algae is sanitizer, especially chlorine. Keeping the chlorine level in your pool where it should be will keep algae at bay. But things happen, water becomes unbalanced, and algae sneaks in, undetected until you’ve got a full bloom growing and spreading through your pool.

We recommend shocking the pool to kill algae. And depending on the type of algae growing, you may have to double or even triple shock the pool to fully eradicate it.

But until you get those chlorine levels back up where they need to be, you can use an algaecide. Despite its name, it won’t completely kill the algae, but it can at least keep the algae from continuing to grow and spread.

ProTip: If the water you use to fill your pool is hard, and contains high levels of minerals, be sure to use a copper-free algaecide. This will help avoid raising mineral levels even more, and possibly staining your pool’s walls and floor.

Our Top Pick

Pool Algaecide 60 (Copper-Free)

$40.89 ($1.28 / Fl Oz)

A copper-free algaecide to help prevent your pool from turning green.

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01/28/2023 08:22 am GMT

Clarifier and Flocculant

Why are these two separate pool chemicals? Don’t they do the same thing? Well, yes and no. There’s a major difference between pool clarifier and pool flocculant: One treats the symptom while the other treats the cause.

Water clarifier is good to have on hand if, say, you wake up to a cloudy pool on the day you’re hosting a pool party. You don’t want your pool to look uninviting, and you don’t want your guests to hurt themselves jumping into the pool when they can’t see the bottom. So you can use pool clarifier to quickly clear up the water. Just know that it’s only temporary, and once the clarifier dissipates, the cloudiness will return.

Our Top Pick

Pool Water Clarifier by Swim University

Clears cloudy pool water by combining particles making it easier for your filter to remove. Let your filter do all the work! This fast-acting formula improves filter efficiency for the more effective removal of dead algae and organic debris. Apply clarifier directly to the pool. Great for all pools including inground, above ground, concrete, plaster, vinyl liner, and fiberglass. It's also compatible with salt water, mineral, ozone, and non-chlorine pool water. 

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So what you really need to do is treat the cause. That’s flocculant’s job.

When you add pool flocculant—also simply called floc—to your pool, it causes all the water-clouding particles to clump together and sink to the bottom of the pool. The only way to get rid of them is to vacuum the pool.

ProTip: You may see some flocculants include the phrase “pool clarifier,” but you’ll never see pool clarifier labeled as “flocculant.” If it’s floc you need, look for that word on the label.

Our Top Pick

Fast Floc by Swim University

A fast-acting formula that drops cloudy water particles to the bottom of the pool so you can vacuum it out. Fast Floc will help you remove dead algae and non-living organic contaminants from your pool fast.

It's safe for all pools and filters including inground, above ground, concrete, plaster, fiberglass, vinyl liner, and more.

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Metal Sequestrant

If your water contains metals such as iron and copper, you may see some rust-colored or green pool stains. You’ll need to clean the pool to get rid of the stains, but you can prevent them from reoccurring by using a metal sequestrant.

This pool chemical attaches itself to metal particles in the water so they can’t settle on surfaces and stain them. If you use hard water or well water to fill your pool, you may want to keep some sequestrant handy.

Pool Mate Metal Out Sequestrant and Stain Inhibitor

$25.75 ($0.80 / Fl Oz)

Helps prevent staining by removing iron, calcium, manganese, copper and other metals from your pool water. Also helps protect plumbing and pool walls from rust, stain, and scale. Used for all pool openings and closings.

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01/27/2023 04:34 pm GMT

Testing, Testing

Knowing which pool chemicals to use when is only half the battle. There’s no way to know what the chemical levels are, and whether you need to add or remove anything without pool water testing.

You’ll probably test your pool more often than you do anything else to it. Before you add chemicals? Test it. After you add chemicals? Test it. After a rainstorm or big pool party with lots of swimmers? Test, test, test.

The quickest and easiest way to test your pool water is with test strips. If you want a more comprehensive and accurate reading, use a liquid test kit. If you’re into tech and gadgets, you can even get a digital water testing kit.

And at least once a quarter, take a pool water sample to your local pool store and have them test it for you with their even more comprehensive and accurate testing abilities.

Our Top Pick

Complete Liquid Test Kit for Pools and Hot Tubs

A simple but effective liquid test kit for chlorine pools and hot tubs.

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You’re a Pool Chemistry Wiz!

Hey, no one ever said having a pool would be easy. But it also doesn’t have to be difficult. Knowledge and the right pool chemicals make all the difference in the world.

Don’t let your pool intimidate you. You’re supposed to manage it, not the other way around. Just remember that no one expects you to know everything overnight. Even more important than having the right tools is knowing where to find the right information. And you’ve already done that, so you’re on your way!

Happy Swimming!

The post Basic Pool Chemistry 101 appeared first on Swim University®.

You probably already know how to test for basics like chlorine levels and pH balance. But what about phosphates? Or salt levels, if you have a salt water pool? Then there are potential contaminants like copper, iron, and calcium. If you’re leaving those out, you could be leaving your pool vulnerable to potential damage, not to mention an unsightly appearance.

Gear up and get ready for some in-depth (pun fully intended) testing tips.

Pool Water Testing is Essential to Pool Health

If you don’t test your pool water, how do you know what the chemical levels are? Or what undesirable substances are in it? Or how much and what chemicals to put into the water to create a clean and safe swimming environment?

The answer is, you don’t. You absolutely must learn how to test pool water, and then do so on a regular basis. In fact, out of all the pool maintenance tasks you’ll perform over the life of your pool, testing the water is the one thing you’ll do more than anything else.

Make sure you know how to do it properly, and always keep testing supplies on hand.

How to Test Pool Water Accurately

It doesn’t seem like it should be a complicated endeavor, and it’s really not. You even have a few testing options:

• Use a liquid test kit; sometimes more comprehensive
• Use test strips; quick and easy
• Take a water sample to your local pool store; the most thorough and accurate

How hard can it be, right? There’s just one key to making sure you’re testing pool water accurately: the water sample.

How to Take a Proper Pool Water Sample

The most important factors here are where you take the sample from, and how you do it. If possible, take the sample from the absolute middle of your pool.

1. Use a clean cup or bottle (with a cap if you’re taking it to the pool store).
2. Hold it upside down so the opening is facing the pool floor.
3. Insert the cup into the water elbow-deep, and then turn it right side up to collect the sample.

Important: Do not take the sample near the skimmer opening or any return jets.

How to Use Test Strips

In addition to being super quick and easy to use, test strips can also sometimes be more accurate than liquid test kits because human error can make it difficult to match up the colors using the chemical drops.

Test strips are also usually less expensive than liquid kits, but you’ll go through them more quickly, so it just about balances out.

To use them:

1. Collect a water sample.
2. Dip a strip into the water, quickly in and out. No need to let it stay submerged or soak.
3. Hold it still in the air for about 15 seconds. No shaking!
4. Compare the strip to the guide on the packaging, and match up the colors on both.
5. Adjust your chemicals accordingly.

The type of strips you’ll use most often are general ones that check for the primary components of ideal pool water: pH, alkalinity, and chlorine. But you’ll also find specialty strips that test for things like copper, iron and salt.

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Test Strips for Pools and Hot Tubs

Tests for 7 important chemistries in seconds: Total Hardness, Total Chlorine, Total Bromine, Free Chlorine, pH, Total Alkalinity, and Cyanuric Acid.

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How to Use a Liquid Test Kit

For regular maintenance testing, you really only need a basic liquid test kit. Just make sure it includes phenol red and orthotolidine (OTO) to test pH and chlorine, respectively.

1. Collect a water sample in the collector provided in the test kit.
2. On the side designated for pH testing, add the recommended number of drops of phenol red to the water.
3. On the side designated for chlorine testing, add the recommended number of drops of OTO to the water.
4. Hold the collector up to a white background, and compare the colors of the water to the color scales on the collector. The redder the water, the higher the pH, and the yellower the water, the higher the chlorine level.

Important: If the levels are low, the water colors will be fainter, and can be difficult to see. For higher accuracy, be sure to hold the collector up to a white background. Just a sheet of printer paper will do.

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01/27/2023 07:26 pm GMT

Professional Water Testing

If you decide to take a sample of pool water to your local pool store for testing, collect the sample the same way you would if you were testing at home. You may be able to have water tested on a walk-in basis, but it never hurts to call ahead to make sure they’ll be able to accommodate you.

When to Test Pool Water

To ensure the pH and alkalinity remain balanced, and to keep your sanitizer at optimal levels, test your pool water at least once a week. You’ll want to test it more often if the pool is getting a lot of use or if it’s rained, and every time you add chemicals.

Even if you know how to test pool water yourself, take a sample to a pool store once a month for a pro check, and when opening and closing your pool.

Combating Contaminants

You may also need to test more often if you have problems with your pool water, many of which can crop up due to the quality of the water you put in your pool. Well water contains more minerals, so you may see more copper and iron in your pool water. And if your city has hard water, the likelihood of high calcium levels is increased.

These contaminants can make it more difficult to maintain the proper chemical balance in your pool, and they can stain and otherwise damage pool surfaces.

Keeping an eye on them and preventing damage is more efficient and less costly than having to fix that damage later. And that prevention starts with pool water testing.

Testing for Copper: Getting Rid of the Green

If your pool water is cloudy, or you have greenish or black stains on your liner, copper is a prime suspect. Copper buildup usually happens for one of two main reasons.

First, the tap water you use to fill your pool may contain trace amounts of copper. As water evaporates from your pool, it leaves the copper behind. The less water in the pool, the higher the copper levels.

To counter evaporation, you’ll add more water, which means you add more copper, and then more water evaporates, and that leaves—you guessed it—more copper in your pool.

Second, low pH levels can cause copper elements in your pool filter or plumbing to corrode. The corrosion will then make its way into your pool water. The longer the corrosion is left unaddressed, the more copper buildup you’ll have in your water.

Greenish stains on the pool walls and floors may be an indication of too much copper in your pool water.

How to Test Your Pool Water for Copper

Most test strips don’t test for heavy metals. You’ll need a special set in addition to the ones you use for, chlorine, pH, and other levels. The good thing is, they’re pretty inexpensive.

Metals Test Strips

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01/27/2023 09:30 pm GMT

How Often to Test for Copper

While it’s ideal to conduct pool water testing for chlorine and pH levels weekly, it’s sufficient to test for copper once a month. Testing your water on a regular basis will keep copper levels at bay before you even see its effects. This will mean less work for you as you won’t have to remove liner stains on top of addressing the copper in your water.

In addition, because low pH levels can contribute to high copper levels, it’s essential to test them weekly. Keep them under control, and you may be able to avoid copper buildup altogether.

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How to Fix High Copper Levels

After testing your pool water, if you do find it contains a high level of copper, you have a couple of options to remedy it.

Metal Sequestrant

This is a substance that forms chelate complexes with polyvalent metal ions, especially copper, iron and nickel, to prevent oxidation.

In plain English? A metal sequestrant binds with certain metals in your pool water and keeps them from rusting, which is the cause of those greenish or black stains on your liner. It’s usually a liquid you add to your pool water.

Be aware that a sequestrant does not remove copper from your water—it simply keeps the copper from staining your liner. Also note that sequestrant breaks down over time.

If high copper levels are due to the element being present in your tap water, you’ll need to add sequestrant on a regular basis to prevent stains. It’s best to follow the instructions on whatever sequestrant you choose. You may also want to find out what chemicals and minerals are present in the water where you live.

Pool Mate Metal Out Sequestrant and Stain Inhibitor

$25.75 ($0.80 / Fl Oz)

Helps prevent staining by removing iron, calcium, manganese, copper and other metals from your pool water. Also helps protect plumbing and pool walls from rust, stain, and scale. Used for all pool openings and closings.

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01/27/2023 04:34 pm GMT

Metal Trap Filter

This is exactly what its name sounds like. Much the way your regular filter removes debris and other undesirable substances from your pool, a metal trap filter grabs hold of metal in your pool water, thereby removing it.

A metal trap filter selectively filters out metal, so it’s not meant to replace your regular filter. It’s also not a permanent piece of equipment. You’ll set up and use the filter to remove the metal from your water, and once the process is complete, your pool water should be free of metals.

Note that metal trap filters are sized by the number of gallons they need to filter, so be sure to choose one that can accommodate the volume of your pool.

Hose Filter

If you use tap or well water to fill your pool, using a hose filter can keep at least some of the copper out of your pool in the first place.

Our Top Pick

Hose Filter with Flexible Hose Protector

Fill your pool or hot tub with this hose filter that'll filter your water so you can have a fresh start with water chemistry.

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Testing for Iron: Banishing the Brown

You walk out, all ready to dive into your pool and cool off—and find the water is brown or rust-colored. Gross! No one wants to jump into that. Sounds like you may have too much iron in your pool water.

Just like copper, iron levels can rise if your pool water’s pH balance is low, so there’s another good reason to make sure you’re testing pH balance on a weekly basis.

Also, if you get your water from a well, it may have higher iron levels than tap water which, in turn, will mean high iron levels in your pool. And as happens with copper, as your pool water evaporates, the iron is left behind only to increase each time you add water to your pool.

If you’re unsure of the minerals present in your well water, you can test it, or have it tested by a certified water testing lab in your state.

How to Test Your Pool Water for Iron

Usually, the same strips or kit that test for copper will also test for iron. It just makes sense as both are metal elements.

The only difference will be that once you’ve filled the test tube with a sample of your pool water, you’ll add a special solution made to test for iron. Then compare the water color to the color coded chart included with the kit.

Metals Test Strips

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01/27/2023 09:30 pm GMT

How Often to Test for Iron

Obviously, if your pool water has turned brown or rusty, you’ll want to test it for iron levels. But testing pool water for iron once a month—at the same time you test for copper—will help you monitor levels on an ongoing basis, and keep the water clear and beautiful. It’s all about prevention.

How to Fix High Iron Levels

Again, because they’re both metal elements, the same remedies to fix high copper levels will also work for high iron levels.

You can use a metal sequestrant, which won’t remove the iron, but will keep it from rusting and staining your pool. Just remember sequestrant will dissipate, so adding it must become part of your regular pool maintenance.

Also, controlling pH levels can help control iron levels, so keep a good handle on those.

Finally, a metal trap filter or a hose filter works just as well for iron as it does for copper. So if your water has turned a yucky brown color due to high iron levels, don’t worry. It’s fixable.

Pool Mate Metal Out Sequestrant and Stain Inhibitor

$25.75 ($0.80 / Fl Oz)

Helps prevent staining by removing iron, calcium, manganese, copper and other metals from your pool water. Also helps protect plumbing and pool walls from rust, stain, and scale. Used for all pool openings and closings.

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01/27/2023 04:34 pm GMT

Testing for Calcium: Softening the Hardness (and Vice Versa)

Whether water is hard or soft is determined by the levels of calcium and magnesium in it. Depending on where you live, you may have to deal with the problems created by hard water.

If you get calcium buildup in your faucets and showerheads, imagine what it’s doing to your pool filter and pump. Not only that, too much calcium in your pool can cause cloudy water, rough pool surfaces, and heater inefficiency.

But unlike copper and iron, it’s also possible for calcium levels to be too low. With that comes a host of other problems including pitted concrete pool surfaces (including your pool deck), dissolved concrete and grout, and etched plaster. Over time, these can become expensive problems to fix.

Keeping calcium levels balanced is essential to prevent damage to your pool and its surroundings, and to save you money.

A calcium imbalance can cause deposits, dissolved grout, and other expensive damage.

How to Test Your Pool Water for Calcium

The total hardness (the measurement of both calcium and magnesium salts) level in your pool should be somewhere between 200 and 500 parts per million (ppm). A professional-grade water testing kit is going to be your best friend. The best pro pool water testing kits will test for calcium levels along with chlorine, pH, copper, iron, and other substances.

You’ll simply add a chemical indicator to a small sample of pool water and compare the water color to the included color-coded chart to determine whether your pool water’s calcium is too high or too low.

Our Top Pick

Complete Liquid Test Kit for Pools and Hot Tubs

A simple but effective liquid test kit for chlorine pools and hot tubs.

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How Often to Test for Calcium

If your pool water becomes cloudy, or you start to see scaling on your pool liner, or you notice any pitting in the concrete in or around your pool, it’s definitely time to test for calcium. At that point, though, you’re a little late to the party.

To stay on top of things, prevent damage, and save yourself from having to make expensive pool repairs, test calcium levels at least once a month.

However, if you live in an area where the tap water is either hard or soft, or you get your water from a well that has a high level of calcium, you may want to test more often, maybe every two weeks, or even once a week just to be on the safe side.

How to Fix High Calcium Levels

You have three options here.

Replace Some of the Water

If your water source isn’t hard, and your pool’s calcium level has risen due to other factors, you can drain a few inches of water from your pool, and replace it with softer water.

Use a Flocculant

When added to your pool water, a flocculant will attract the excess calcium and cause it to clump, making it easier to remove. Once the flocculant has worked its magic, clean your pool’s floors and walls to remove the calcium. Then backwash your pump filter, and clean it.

Our Top Pick

Fast Floc by Swim University

A fast-acting formula that drops cloudy water particles to the bottom of the pool so you can vacuum it out. Fast Floc will help you remove dead algae and non-living organic contaminants from your pool fast.

It's safe for all pools and filters including inground, above ground, concrete, plaster, fiberglass, vinyl liner, and more.

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Use an Acid

If the first first two options don’t work, you can try adding dry acid or muriatic acid to your pool water. This will not reduce the water’s hardness. Instead, it raises the saturation level, which will help to balance the water.

Our Top Pick

Muriatic Acid for Swimming Pools

Used for lowering alkalinity and pH in your pool water. It's also used for cleaning pool filter grids, filter cartridges, and concrete pool surfaces.

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How to Fix Low Calcium Levels

This is a much easier task than lowering the amount of calcium in your pool water. If calcium levels are too low, simply add calcium chloride, also called calcium hardness increaser, to your pool. How much you add will depend on the size and volume of your pool, so follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully.

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Testing for Phosphates: Do You Really Need To?

Harmless and so ubiquitous they can be found in everything from pharmaceuticals to cleaning products to fire extinguishers, phosphates are essential to our everyday life.

The truth is, phosphates are not a problem for your pool water.

You may hear that phosphates are a problem because they serve as a food source for algae, which can have a tremendously negative effect on your pool. But killing its food source is not an effective method of controlling algae.

Once it’s established itself, algae can be very tough to get rid of.

How to Test Your Pool Water for Phosphates

You really don’t need to. Your pool will always contain phosphates, no matter what you do. That’s normal. They find their way into your pool via dirt, twigs, and leaves that fall into the water, sprinkler runoff, or even fresh water used to top off your water levels to counter evaporation.

How to Fix High Phosphate Levels

Addressing this issue—and more importantly, the problems it can lead to—actually isn’t a matter of reducing phosphates.

The key to controlling algae is prevention, usually in the form of algaecide. If you also have problems with copper in your water, be sure to choose a copper-free algaecide.

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You’ll also want to make sure your chlorine levels are stable, and that your pH and alkalinity levels are correct. Keeping those three things balanced will go a long way to preventing algae from taking over your pool and turning it into a black lagoon.

It’s also important to note that adjusting your phosphate levels will not get rid of algae once it’s formed. Once you have algae in your pool, you must take steps to kill and remove it.

Again, it’s about addressing the algae directly, not the phosphates.

Testing for Salt: Keeping the Chlorine Flowing

If you were lucky enough to find a home with an existing salt water pool, or you’re thinking about converting your pool to salt water, you’ll need to add testing for salt levels to your regular pool maintenance schedule.

Just like calcium, salt levels can be a problem whether they’re too high or too low. Too much salt can throw your salt water chlorinator into overdrive.

Too little salt is even more important to address because it has an effect on how clean your pool is. Your pool’s salt water chlorinator requires salt to produce chlorine and keep your pool clean and sanitary.

If there’s not enough salt in the water, you won’t have enough chlorine, and this can present problems not only for your pool, but for those swimming in it.

Balanced salt levels are essential to chlorine production to keep your salt water pool clean.

How to Test Your Pool Water for Salt

To keep your chlorinator running well, and your chlorine at optimal levels, you want to shoot for a salt level of approximately 3,200 ppm. Once again, specialty test strips are the fast and easy method to determine pool water salt levels.

Using them is a simple matter of collecting a water sample in a test tube, dunking a dry test strip into the tube, removing it, and waiting about 20 seconds for the results.

Salt Water Test Strips for Pools and Hot Tubs

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How Often to Test for Salt

Because it’s not as delicate to keep balanced as other chemicals and substances in your pool, salt can be tested just once a month.

However, you may want to test salt levels after certain events such as a rainstorm, adding fresh water to your pool, or after you’ve had a lot of guests swimming and splashing around in the pool.

How to Fix High Salt Levels

To prevent your chlorinator from having to work too hard to assimilate an overabundance of salt, it’s a good idea to reduce too-high salt levels. You can easily accomplish this by draining a few inches of water from your pool, and adding fresh water to bring the level back up.

Retest, and continue the process until salt levels are back in the optimal range.

How to Fix Low Salt Levels

If you test your pool water and find that salt levels are too low, you’re in luck. This is quite possibly the easiest problem to fix with a salt water pool. All you need to do is … add more salt!

Add a little salt, wait a few hours for it to dissipate, then retest your pool water. If salt levels are back to normal, you’re done. If they’re still too low, repeat the process until you get the result you need.

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Digital Pool Water Testing

Welcome to 21^st century pool care! With apps and digital devices, it’s easier than ever to test pool water.

Pool Water Testing Apps

Several pool chemical calculator apps exist, and can help you manage your pool care from anywhere. Some of them may require that you purchase special test strips that can be scanned by the app, so take that into account before downloading.

Digital Pool Water Testing Kits

This is like a super-powered liquid test kit. You still add liquid chemicals to water samples, but instead of having to eyeball color scales, the digital reader does the hard work for you.

Digital test kits also check for just about everything, including free chlorine, total chlorine, bromine, pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, and cyanuric acid. It’s a pool water testing powerhouse in the palm of your hand.

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This digital pool and hot tub water test kit checks for Free Chlorine, Total Chlorine, Bromine, PH, Alkalinity, Calcium Hardness, and Cyanuric Acid.

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Are You Ready to Take Your Pool Water Testing up a Notch?

If all you’ve been testing for is chlorine and pH, it’s time to broaden your testing range. All of these additional substances are simple to test for, even if you’re a novice pool owner.

With instant test strips, easy-to-use liquid test kits, and a little discipline in your maintenance schedule, you can take control of your pool water testing, prevent a lot of problems and expense, and keep your pool beautiful and swimmable all season long.

Happy Swimming!

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