Balancing your pools water is often overlooked and failure to do so, could result in liner wrinkles, fading or even staining. It is suggested to protect your investment, bring in a water sample each month, this will result in balanced the water extending the life of your pools liner and all the related equipment. Also, minimizing the possiablity of algee or bacteria growth creating a safer swimming envirorment.
Water balance is not such a complicated exercise. It is simply the relationships of different chemical parameters to each other. Your swimming pool water is constantly changing. Anything and everything directly and indirectly affects water balance - from sunlight, wind and rain to the oil, dirt and cosmetics which may enter the water.
You will likely not change the water in your swimming pool for many years. Continuous filtration and disinfection remove contaminants which keep the water enjoyable, but this is not water balance. An inground, aboveground pool or hot tub that is "balanced" has proper levels of pH, Total Alkalinity and Calcium Hardness. It may also be defined as water that is neither corrosive or scaling. This concept is derived from the fact that water will dissolve and "hold" minerals until it becomes saturated and cannot hold any more in solution. When water is considerably less than saturated it is said to be in a corrosive or aggressive condition. When water is over saturated, and can no longer hold the minerals in solution; this is known as a scaling condition. So then, balanced water is that which is neither over or under saturated. The cliché that "water seeks its own level" certainly applies here. Water which is under saturated will attempt to saturate itself by dissolving everything in contact with it in order to build up its content. Water which is over saturated will attempt to throw off some of its content by precipitating minerals out of solution in the form of scale.
How do we know when our water is over or under saturated? Test strips are a good home indicator for daily use. However, we recommend to bring a sample into Aqua-Blue Pools, Spas & Bath Fixtures every 4-5 weeks. We provide a detailed and accurate test to better adjust the water.
Swimming pool water can visually be very deceptive. Even if the water is clear....don't let that fool you. Battery acid is clear, you dont want to be swimming in that....lol. Salt pools especially, chlorine levels can drift and throw out the alklinty and ph. Regrettably, I have seen many pool liners that have wrinkled, or faded far sooner than there average life. In fact, we have seen liners less than one summer old, need replacing due to bad water chemistry. This unfortunately is not a warranty issue, so can result in an expensive replacement.
Yes, balancing the water takes a little effort and cost a little in balancing chemicals. But you can prolong the life of your liner, pump and equipment...than it is well worth it in the long run. When we install any new pool or hot tub, we ask that customers bring a sample every 4 weeks. Down the road, you will thank us :)
