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I am a Certified Pool Operator... Why
your pool Man should be also!
Change
my Swimming Pool Water ?
By Paul Morton
Partial water changes are required from time
to time.
Everything we put in pool water leaves something behind. That
includes people, pets, chlorine, salt, algaecides and anything
you can think of including more water. Not all of these
residuals need to be dealt with immediately, but they do
affect the waters chemistry. Some of the things we do to pool
chemistry can be undone, for example; If you add a lot of
chlorine to deal with a contaminant, there are chemicals to
reduce chlorine level.. If we adjust ph too high or low there
are ways to correct this.
TDS, or total dissolved solids
will only increase over time. This number represents all the
minerals in your pool water. As water evaporates, it leaves
these minerals behind, so we add new water that also has some
minerals in it. Over time this will cause a measurable
increase in TDS. TDS can not be adjusted
down. The only answer is to drain part of the
water, and add water with a lower TDS. Calcium hardness is the
same way. As the numbers increase, a responsible maintainer
will monitor them and eventually do a partial water change.
This will lower both numbers to an acceptable range, allowing
the operator to manage corrosion or scaling with factors that
can be controlled. |
The Calcium Saturation Index or S.I.
Most pool owners have never heard of saturation
index, but aside from assuring a properly sanitized pool, it
may be the most important number for a pool owner. The number
is based on the basic measurements a pool operator can make;
ph, alkalinity, TDS, calcium hardness and temperature. These
values are factored together to come up with your pool’s S.I.
The normal range is between -.3 and +.3,
and will indicate if
your pool is likely to scale or corrode. Scaling is the
deposition of calcium on the pool surfaces. Likewise corrosion
is the leaching of calcium from your pool surfaces, this will
lead to premature failure of the pool finish. This is based on
the fact that only so much solids can remain in solution in
your pool at a given temperature.
No pool man is going to calculate
this every time the pool is serviced, this is usually only
done while troubleshooting a problem, but as swimming pool
maintainers, we should keep this in mind.
Of the factors listed above,
temperature can not usually be managed by the maintainer. The
other factors must be controlled; of those TDS and calcium
hardness are not usually corrected weekly, leaving alkalinity
and ph as the main tools for managing SI.
These both are
limited in range by swimmer safety and comfort. This is why
partial water changes are sometimes required for the
protection of your swimming pool asset.
Cyanuric
acid or stabilizer will also build
up over time. In a residential pool this chemical is
introduced with stabilized chlorine, and is a trade off
between this build up and the loss of chlorine due to exposure
to sunlight. Once this number gets to 100, it is time to do a
partial water change.
As a pool owner you should be
observant of the condition of your pool, and make sure that
these conditions are managed, either by yourself or a
reputable maintenance firm.
Above Ground
Pools
Before and after Cleanup
Pool Algae
Amoeba
Water Chemistry
Pool
Service
What is a
Certified Pool Operator
Calculate
Saturation Index
Make a Payment
Service Area
Map
Lawn
Maintenance
Palm Tree
Trimming
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