If you’ve recently bought a pool and installed it, you need to get your smart boy/girl hat on and get on top of all the pool chemicals.

Why?

Because that’s what will let you and your family splash around without fear of any nasty germs making you sick. It will also keep your pool in pristine shape, with less need for expensive repairs.

If you want to know more about the importance of pool chemicals, keep reading!

Why Are Pool Chemicals Important?

It doesn't matter if you empty your pool and fill it with fresh water every day because it would still get filthy. Like twigs, leaves, or bugs, all sorts of debris can fly into your pool at any point.

Not to mention that birds often drop poop bombs as they fly overhead, and everyone that swims in the pool leaves behind all sorts of bodily remains. It’s fairly disgusting when you think about it.

Pool chemicals are your safeguards against these contaminants. More specifically, pool chlorine is what keeps your pool clean.

Though pool chlorine is essential, it cannot work if water’s calcium hardness, pH, and alkalinity are not balanced.

Furthermore, you need pool chemicals to prevent staining and clear algae.

Pool Chlorine Kills Germs

Pool chlorine is the most commonly used pool sanitizer and the one we will recommend for most residential pools. Their job is to kill germs, microbes, viruses, bacteria, and algae.

Pool chlorine is cheaper than the alternatives and a lot more effective in treating dirty water. It oxidizes contaminants and destroys them inside out. Pool chlorine can be either stabilized or unstabilized.

Stabilized chlorine is used for outdoor pools because of its ability to protect itself from UV burning thanks to cyanuric acid. Unstabilized chlorine is cheaper and used for indoor pools that don’t face a lot of direct sunlight.

Pool chlorine can be found in three forms: tablets, granules, and liquid. Each has its own pros and cons. Pool chlorine levels should be around 3 parts per million (ppm).

Other Chemicals That Help Pool Chlorine Do Its Job

Here are all the other factors you need to consider and keep an eye on if you want the chlorine to work.

pH Balance

The first thing you need to consider is the pool’s pH balance. You’re probably having some flashbacks of chemistry class now. The pH level refers to the acidity of the water.

A low pH level means that the water is too acidic, while a high pH level means that it might not be acidic enough. Veering to either side could leave you with some nasty results, like skin irritation and erosion of your pool lining.

A pool’s pH level should always lie around 7.4 to 7.6. It’s obviously an unstable factor and not something you can control every second of the day. Anything from debris to rain can affect your pool’s pH balance.

Whenever you can, you should use a pool chemistry testing kit to determine the current pH levels of your water. If it’s not between 7.4 to 7.6, you will need to fix it.

If it’s too low, you’ll need to use sodium bicarbonate or sodium carbonate. If it’s too high, you should use sodium bisulfate or muriatic acid.

Calcium Hardness

Calcium hardness measures how hard or soft your pool water is. It can vary depending on your water source. For example, water from a spigot has lower calcium than water from a well.

If calcium is too low, the water will try to pull some from the pool plaster to compensate. This can lead to corrosion and scaling of your pool equipment and walls. The remedy for this is a calcium hardness increaser.

If calcium is too high, your water will probably look cloudy. You can fix this problem with shock therapy. Remember that a high pH can lead to high calcium hardness. You may need to fix that first before you can work on your calcium.

Alkalinity

These pool chemicals play a key role as a buffer that prevents drastic changes in your pool’s pH levels. It can help you control the external factors that impact your pool’s pH levels.

The ideal alkalinity of a pool is between 100 to 150 ppm.

Conclusion: Follow All Safety Protocols

Make sure to follow all label instructions regarding storage. Pool chemicals, like pool chlorine, can be hazardous to health if handled incorrectly. Keep children and pets away from all chemicals, and always wear your safety gear.

If you’re on the lookout for quality pool chemicals, DiscountPoolSupply has got you covered with the best prices on everything, from pool chlorine to calcium hardness increasers. Check out our website for more details.