POOL CARE KEY #4 - CHEMISTRY

The fourth step in pool maintenance is applying the proper products at the proper time. By doing this you can achieve the Three P's of water chemistry:

• Prevention of Disease - By killing disease causing bacteria.
• Protection of Equipment - Water that is out of balance adds wear and tear to a pool system. Scale can build up on equipment and pipes, making the pool system less efficient. Or these components could corrode. Proper chemical balance prevents this damage.
• Provide the Expected Environment - Pool water is expected to be clear and sparkling as well as safe and algae-free. BioGuard products assist in providing this for you.

Remember...

All of the 5 Keys to Pool Care are important. Failure to maintain or perform any one of these keys will likely cause a problem. Most pool and spa owners have a fear of pool maintenance, founded primarily on a lack of proper information about HOW to care for a pool or spa. These 5 Keys ARE NOT DIFFICULT for the average person to perform. (Pool Emporium, Inc. note: Also remember that if you'd rather spend your time and efforts in other areas, we're always ready to perform these tasks for you!)

Each pool or spa has a distinct personality depending on its size, shape, source of fill water, material of construction, equipment, accessories, location, exposure to outside contaminants and owner. These personality characteristics are important because recognizing these traits will assist you and your customer in defending the pool or spa against two primary enemies:

• Bacteria - Microscopic, single-celled organisms that may be involved in the transmission of diseases.
• Algae - Microscopic, one-celled plants that often thrive in water.

Bacteria, algae and other microorganisms enter the pool every day from sources ranging from the bathers to the weather. So every day you have to fight bacteria and algae with one of the keys to proper pool and spa maintenance - Chemistry. In this section, we will explore two of the chemical groups used to fight bacteria and algae:

• Sanitizers - Chemicals that kill bacteria.
• Oxidizers - Elements or compounds that create a chemical reaction to form oxygen. Oxidizers are added to pool or spa water to destroy unwanted compounds such as urine, perspiration, suntan lotion and oils, enhancing water clarity.

Before we get too deep into the chemistry, let's take a moment to understand some of the basic characteristics of water.

THE NATURE OF WATER

All water is not alike. Although two atoms of hydrogen and one of oxygen form the liquid we call water, within this liquid are dozens of other elements, compounds and living organisms. There are trace metals like iron, copper and manganese; minerals like calcium and sodium; dissolved gasses like nitrogen and carbon dioxide; living organisms like bacteria, algae, mold and fungus, not to mention all the other chemicals we add deliberately. Water is known as the universal solvent. That means virtually any element that occurs in nature can be picked up or dissolved into solution in water. This characteristic makes keeping the water clean and clear for use in pools and spas a dynamic challenge.

Typical fill water needs some help in order to make the water suitable for pool and spa use. The parameters of water chemistry care involve three basic areas of attention:

Sanitizing

Oxidizing

Water Balance

Adding products for maintenance is one thing, but there is only one way to determine whether water has the proper level of sanitizer and mineral balance... You have to test the water. We will discuss water testing as the fifth key to pool care in just a moment. First let's explore the methods for sanitizing the water.

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