WATER BALANCE

Chlorine and bromine work best in water that is properly balanced. Balanced water is also more comfortable for swimmers and safer on equipment, pH is the primary factor in balanced water.

What is pH?

pH is a number that characterizes the acidic or basic characteristics of a liquid substance. Measured on a scale from 0-14, Acidity (less than 7) and Basicity (greater than 7) are opposites on the pH scale with 7 being Neutral. All things considered, the ideal pH for swimming pool water is 7.4 to 7.6.

So what are the features of water with a proper pH? What are the benefits of these pH features?

• Swimmers are comfortable.
• Water remains clear.
• The pool/spa equipment and surface last longer and perform better.
• The sanitizers in the water work more efficiently.

Swimmer Comfort

If pH is too high or too low, the water will feel uncomfortable to swimmers. As a matter of fact, an improperly balanced pH causes most complaints of itchy or irritated skin and burning, blood-shot eyes. What chemical is typically given the rap for these water characteristics? That's right, chlorine. Now we know chloramines do pose some discomfort to bathers (see previous section on chloramines), but performing proper maintenance minimizes this discomfort.

Water Clarity

Generally speaking, a high pH will promote cloudy water and a low pH will promote clear water. As a matter of fact, low pH is a huge problem because the water does not give you any visual clue that there is a problem. After all, the water is sparkling clear, and that's what you wanted. So you may think, "If it looks good, then it must be good". NOT! This low pH is not only eating away at the swimmers, it's also eating away at the pool and equipment. It is only a matter of time before major expenses are incurred as a result of the corrosive nature of a low pH. A high pH is typically handled more quickly because the water will begin to cloud. This visual clue will prompts you to do something because you know you have a problem.

Surface and Equipment Longevity

Anything the water touches can be affected by the pH. An improper pH can cause corrosion or scale formation on the pool surfaces, equipment and plumbing.

Corrosion The eating away of metals and surfaces (caused by low pH). This leads to costly replacement of things like: handrails, lights assemblies, the plaster surface, the vinyl liner, pump impellers and seals, and heat exchangers. These problems can be prevented by maintaining a proper pH.

Scale A mineral build-up, especially of calcium, that forms on surfaces and reduces equipment efficiency. Scale formation on the surface is unsightly and uncomfortable to walk or sit on. Scale formation in the plumbing, filter and heater ultimately cost the owner money. Circulation is choked off from scale formation in the plumbing. Filtration is impossible when the filter media is clogged with scale, ultimately resulting in cloudy water. All of these conditions can be prevented.

A WORD ABOUT SCALE AND EQUIPMENT

If pH is high, scale forms easily, and that can cause serious problems. For example, if a layer of scale as thin as a sheet of paper builds up on a heater, the heater will lose 10% of its efficiency. In a spa with an electric heater, the formation of scale around the element will begin insulating the heater element from the water running over it. If allowed to continue to accumulate, the scale will cause the heater element to "burn-up"

Scale on a filter is particularly troublesome. Not only will the filter function less efficiently, the build-up of scale can actually damage the filter. The increased pressure created by scale can crush cartridge filter elements and grids inside a D.E. filter. In sand filters, the scale will actually cause the sand to turn into a "rock" which will contribute to channeling. When this occurs, water takes the path of least resistance, running through established routes rather than dispersing evenly through the sand. As discussed in the last section, proper filter maintenance is one of the keys to pool and spa care. Proper pH balance is as important to proper filter maintenance as it is to water balance.

IF THE pH IS HIGH... Use Lo ‘N Slo™ to lower it. You may also use muriatic acid.

IF THE pH IS LOW... Use Balance Pak 200™ to raise it.

Sanitizer Efficiency

Of the three primary sanitizers (chlorine, bromine and biguanide), chlorine is the most vulnerable to an improperly balanced pH. Simply put, when the pH is below 7.4, the activity of chlorine increases to such an accelerated rate that the HOCI leaves the water prematurely. When the pH is above 7.6, the amount of HOCl is reduced to the point where it cannot provide adequate sanitizing opportunity to the water. In either case, more HOCI is required to compensate for the inefficiency that the pH is causing. Bromine is more tolerant of the pH, maintaining adequate sanitizing effectiveness in a pH range from 7.0 - 7.8. Biguanide (SoftSwim™) sanitizing effectiveness is not adversely affected by pH swings one way or the other. However, the effectiveness of the sanitizer is only one of four reasons to monitor the pH.

BROMINE AND pH INTERFERENCE

If the pH test on a water sample taken from a pool or spa using bromine turns a dark shade of bluish/purple, suspect interference from the un-neutralized bromine. This could be the cause of the unique color. Many think the color indicates a high pH and adjust it by lowering the pH. That's often a wrong assumption. In all probability, the water already has a low pH and further lowering the pH only causes greater problems. To ensure accuracy, neutralize the bromine with the same #4 reagent you use to neutralize chlorine.

BUFFERING THE WATER AGAINST CHANGE

Chemical buffers are critical in order to easily manage the dynamic changes that can occur in a pool or spa. Heavy rains, heavy bather load, and routine application of chemicals will typically have an affect on the pH of the water. If the water is not buffered to prepare it for this routine and expected use, the pH can fluctuate wildly.

TOTAL ALKALINITY - THE pH BUFFER

Total Alkalinity is a measure of the ability of the water to resist pH change. If the Total Alkalinity of water is kept within its ideal range, it acts as a buffer against changes in pH. So if it rains heavily or a lot of people go for a swim, the Total Alkalinity absorbs the shock of these potential pH changing events and the pH doesn't bounce around. Since Total Alkalinity can dramatically affect the ability to keep water in balance, a Total Alkalinity test is part of every water analysis.

IN GENERAL, the ideal range for Total Alkalinity is 125-150 ppm. (Note from Pool Emporium, Inc.: Some surfaces and some builders/manufacturers have specific levels they wish you to maintain for ALL of your chemicals. ALWAYS follow your builder/manufacturer recommendations, and make sure your pool professional knows these recommendations! When these are not available, follow the recommendation of your pool professional.)

IF TOTAL ALKALINITY IS LOW... the pH will bounce around dramatically, making it difficult to keep the water clear and comfortable. If the pH ever drops to 4.5 or below, all Total Alkalinity is destroyed. Use Balance Pak 100™ to raise Total Alkalinity.

IF TOTAL ALKALINITY IS HIGH... pH will also be high and you face the problems of cloudy water, dry skin, scale formation and inactive chlorine. Use Lo ‘N Slo™ to lower Total Alkalinity.

CALCIUM HARDNESS - WATER'S FAVORITE MINERAL

Remember, water is the universal solvent. Given enough time, pressure, and/or proper temperature, water will dissolve most metals or minerals (and anything else it can get its hands on) into solution. Because of this tendency, any minerals that are present in the water's environment will ultimately end up dissolved in the water. Municipal water systems will typically take measures to reduce the levels of minerals and metals in the water they provide to their users. On the other hand, persons or households that utilize a well to provide their source water are much more likely to have problems with metals and/or high levels of minerals in their source water. For our current discussion we will limit our concern to the mineral make-up of the water, specifically calcium. Though calcium is not the only mineral in water it's certainly the most prevalent.

When detergent manufacturers were recognizing the characteristics of how their soaps performed in different types of water, they noted that water with high mineral levels was hard for soap to suds-up. Thus began the characteristic of water being hard. The opposite of hard is soft. So water that easily suds-up with soap is said to be soft.

Calcium hardness in pool and spa water is an important water balance characteristic. Water that has too little calcium is likely to be aggressive water. This aggressive nature is defined by the water's want and need to satisfy its mineral appetite. If there is not enough calcium in solution to satisfy this appetite, the water will look for a way to satisfy its mineral hunger. The surface of pools and spas is the most vulnerable to this aggressive search for mineral satisfaction so depending on the pool or spa surface, the calcium hardness level is adjusted accordingly.

IDEALLY, PLASTER and SoftSwim POOLS: 200 - 275 ppm, ALL OTHER POOLS: 175 - 225 ppm

TEMPERATURE AND CALCIUM HARDNESS

The water's appetite for calcium changes depending on the temperature.

• When water is cold, the water gets "hungry," and works more aggressively to dissolve calcium from surfaces and equipment. This results in corrosion or etching of pool surfaces.
• When water is warm, the water forces calcium out of solution and scale forms more readily.

IF CALCIUM HARDNESS IS HIGH... the water may have a tendency to form scale on surfaces, plumbing and equipment, specially if the water temperature is high.

• The only way to lower Calcium Hardness is to drain some of the water and add new source water.
• Check the new source water to make sure it has a lower level of Calcium Hardness.
• Use a sequestering agent to help control scale formation.

IF CALCIUM HARDNESS IS LOW... the water will corrode pool equipment and plumbing and etch pool surfaces. This tendency is intensified if pH and Total Alkalinity are also low. Plaster pools are particularly susceptible since the surface itself provides a ready source of calcium for hungry water.

To increase the Calcium Hardness use Balance Pak® 300.

A NOTE ABOUT TOTAL HARDNESS

You may hear of a total hardness test for water. Total hardness includes Calcium and Magnesium and is more often performed on drinking water, not pool water.


TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS

Remember, water is the universal solvent. Water will dissolve (put into solution) as much as it can hold. Metals, minerals, perspiration, salts, chemicals, organic waste -- virtually everything water contacts -- goes into solution. We refer to the entire group of dissolved substances, as Total Dissolved Solids. When too many solids are dissolved, several major problems can occur:

• The water becomes hazy or cloudy. Filtration is ineffective in removing substances dissolved in the water.
• It's harder for sanitizing chemicals to attack and kill bacteria and algae. The TDS get in the way.
• You add more chemicals to fight a problem that really can't be won with chemicals.

IDEAL TDS: BELOW 2500 ppm

IF TDS ARE TOO HIGH... there is only one solution.

• Check the new source water to make sure it has a lower level of TDS.
• Drain some of the pool water and add new source water.

(Note from Pool Emporium, Inc.: You are not able to test for TDS with a home test kit. It requires a precision instrument that every professional should have, and make a part of every routine customer water test.)

BIOGUARD® OPTIMIZER™

Optimizer is a unique product formulated to "optimize" the performance of all the chemicals in the water. When added to either a chlorine, bromine or SoftSwim pool, the results are phenomenal! So phenomenal that this formulation has been used as a bath conditioner. With Optimizer augmenting the Once-A-Week 3 Step System or the SoftSwim ABC system you will realize:

• Optimum Comfort
• Optimum Clarity
• Optimum Performance
• Optimum Results

Optimum Comfort

This borate-based product provides a smooth and gentle feel to the water, making swimming in the pool extremely comfortable to the skin and eyes. This level of comfort has never before been possible in a halogen treated pool, and in a SoftSwim pool there is a noticeable improvement in even this "soft" feeling water. Borate chemistry is no stranger to eye comfort. Many eye wash treatments use compounds of this chemical to provide relief to red and irritated eyes. For this reason alone, you'll love the results Optimizer provides.

Optimum Clarity

Another part of Optimizer's performance enhances the water's clarity. Described as a Caribbean-like water quality, Optimizer will provide a level of additional sparkle to the water that will exceed the expectations of any pool owner. This clarity is due, in part, to the water's enhanced ability to absorb calcium.

Optimum Performance

By providing additional buffering ability to the water, BioGuard Optimizer will improve the product efficiency of any pool care system. The ideal Optimizer Range is:

Chlorine or Bromine Pools 30 - 50 ppm
SoftSwim Pools 50 - 80 ppm

When Optimizer is added to the water it remains in the water until the water is physically drained out or splashed out. So the initial treatment only has to be supplemented to maintain the appropriate level. Optimizer testing is done once a month with a special test kit. (Note from Pool Emporium, Inc.: While we can sell you an optimizer test kit, which is relatively easy to use, we suggest you let us do it for you with your regular monthly analysis.)

The pH buffering capability of the water is also improved. The result is water with an even better ability to buffer against pH change.

One note however, Optimizer has a very high pH. So pH adjustments will need to be made each time Optimizer is added.

Optimum Results

The improved performance of the system components, due to the improved water buffering capability, may tend to reduce the amount of primary sanitizer used. Every pool is different and the amount of savings achieved is difficult to estimate. When Optimizer is added at the proper level, the occurrence of other wise typical problems will be minimized because the system is performing at such an optimum level. The savings from preventing just one problem would be substantial. When Optimizer is a maintained part of either the Once-A-Week 3 Step System or the SoftSwim ABC System, you will be spared some of the annoying problems that might have distracted you from fully enjoying your pool.

The information on this page has been provided courtesy of BioLab, Inc. ©1998