Pool Chemistry

Learn about the chemicals you use to keep your pool and hot tub water crystal clear!

Buying Guide for the Best Pool Shock
Buying Guide for the Best Pool Shock

In this detailed guide, we’ll help you find the best pool shock, so you can keep your chlorine or saltwater pool clean, clear, and healthy for swimming.

Buying Guide for the Best Pool Algaecide
Buying Guide for the Best Pool Algaecide

In this buying guide for the best pool algaecide, we’ll help you find the best product based on swimming pool type, budget, and specific needs.

The Facts About Pool Algaecide
Why You Need A Salt Chlorine Generator
Why You Need A Salt Chlorine Generator

There are many benefits to having a saltwater pool. However, you can’t reap the benefits without the proper equipment. Read on to learn more.

Muriatic Acid: Pool Owners Guide
Muriatic Acid: Pool Owners Guide

Muriatic acid is one of the most versatile pool chemicals. Read on as we answer the most common muriatic acid pool questions.

Salt Water Pool Conversion Guide
Salt Water Pool Conversion Guide

If you’re a pool or hot tub owner and are interested in the growing trend of salt water pool conversion keep reading to learn more about the process!

The Difference Between Pool Clarifier and Flocculant
The Difference Between Pool Clarifier and Flocculant

Trying to figure out which product to buy for your cloudy pool? Read on to find out whether a clarifier or flocculant is best for you.

Green Hair from Chlorine & How to Fix It
Green Hair from Chlorine & How to Fix It

Green hair from chlorine occurs because chlorine oxidizes hard metals in the pool water. Learn more about how to prevent green hair.

Can You Over Shock a Pool?
A Beginner’s Guide: Hot Tub Chemistry 101
A Beginner’s Guide: Hot Tub Chemistry 101

How Does a Saltwater Generator Work?
How Does a Saltwater Generator Work?

Saltwater generators are quickly becoming a popular sanitizing system for swimming pools and hot tubs. This article describes how they work.

What is Suggested Free Chlorine? – Balancing Free Chlorine and Cyanuric Acid
What is Suggested Free Chlorine? – Balancing Free Chlorine and Cyanuric Acid

The cyanuric acid level of your pool impacts the effectiveness of you chlorine. Suggested Free Chlorine takes this relationship into account.

The Pros and Cons of Pool Sanitation Systems – Chlorine, Saltwater, Ozone, and UV
The Pros and Cons of Pool Sanitation Systems – Chlorine, Saltwater, Ozone, and UV

What you sanitize your pool with is one of the most crucial decisions you will make as a pool owner. Contrary to popular belief, there are many different ways to clean your pool. Chlorine is a great and reliable option, but it isn’t the only one.

Free Chlorine vs Total Chlorine – What’s the Difference?
Free Chlorine vs Total Chlorine – What’s the Difference?

Free Chlorine and Total Chlorine mean different things for your swimming pool. Knowing the difference is key to a well balanced pool.

Using the Calcium Saturation Index to Calculate Your Pool’s Health
Using the Calcium Saturation Index to Calculate Your Pool’s Health

The Calcium Saturation Index (CSI) is a helpful tool for testing your swimming pool’s health. Read on to learn how to use it!

UV Pool Sanitation Systems – Pool Technology
UV Pool Sanitation Systems – Pool Technology

One of the latest and greatest innovations in pool technology is the use of UV rays for pool sanitation and treatment. This UV system is a supplemental pool tool that can greatly increase the cleanliness of your pool as long as it is used in an efficient way.

Swimming Pool Maintenance: Benefits of Borate Treatments
Swimming Pool Maintenance: Benefits of Borate Treatments

Borates provide many benefits to your swimming pool. Read on to learn more about why you should consider using borates!

Saltwater vs Chlorine Pools, Which is Better for You?
Saltwater vs Chlorine Pools, Which is Better for You?

The first chlorine pool was invented and used in the year 1911 by Brown University (See source here). Since then, chlorine pools have become the most popular type of pool in the world. But is it time to rethink that norm?

Should You Use Sulfuric Acid to Treat Your Pool?
Should You Use Sulfuric Acid to Treat Your Pool?

Sulfuric acid can be used to reduce the pH of your pool. But is it the right choice for you? Read on to learn more!

What is Calcium Hardness?
What is Calcium Hardness?

How to Shock a Swimming Pool or Hot Tub
How to Shock a Swimming Pool or Hot Tub

Shocking your pool should be part of your regular maintenance. It will help you avoid algae and bacteria build-up, and save you from cloudy water.

Introduction to Swimming Pool and Hot Tub Chemistry
Introduction to Swimming Pool and Hot Tub Chemistry

This article describes the chemistry involved in keeping your pool or hot tub safe and your water crystal clear.

How to Test, Raise, and Lower Swimming Pool Alkalinity
How to Test, Raise, and Lower Swimming Pool Alkalinity

Total alkalinity is similar and correlated to cyanuric acid. It’s not as volatile as free chlorine or pH and doesn’t require frequent testing.

How to Test, Raise, and Lower Swimming Pool pH Level
How to Test, Raise, and Lower Swimming Pool pH Level

You should test your pool pH level as often as you test free chlorine – about twice per week. To raise pH use borax or soda ash (aka washing soda). To lower pH use muriatic acid.

What Should pH levels be in Swimming Pools and Hot Tubs?
What Should pH levels be in Swimming Pools and Hot Tubs?

The ideal pH level in both swimming pools and hot tubs is 7.4 to 7.6. This is the level where water is most comfortable for swimmers while also maximizing chlorine’s sanitizing ability.

Swimming Pool Water Testing Basics
Swimming Pool Water Testing Basics

New to owning a swimming pool? This article explains water testing and what you need to know to keep your pool water clear and balanced.

How Often Should You Test Swimming Pool Chlorine?
How Often Should You Test Swimming Pool Chlorine?

In general, chlorine levels should be tested at least twice per week. However, the answer to this question depends heavily on how often your swimming pool is used, who uses your pool, and weather events that may introduce a large amount of fresh water into your pool.

How to Test, Raise, and Lower Swimming Pool Chlorine
How to Test, Raise, and Lower Swimming Pool Chlorine

Chlorine is the most important chemical when it comes to maintaining sparkling clean water that is safe to swim in. Chlorine sanitizes your pool water by attacking and killing harmful microorganisms, called contaminates, that could lead adverse health consequences. Therefore, it is critical to know how to test the chlorine in your pool or hot tub, as well as what to do when your chlorine levels are outside recommended ranges.

Choosing Your Swimming Pool Chlorine Sanitizer
Choosing Your Swimming Pool Chlorine Sanitizer

Sanitizers come in liquid, powder, and tablet form, and many pool owners have questions about the differences between them. In this article, we will get your questions answered.

What Should Chlorine Levels Be in Swimming Pools and Hot Tubs?
What is the right Cyanuric Acid Level for Swimming Pools and Hot Tubs?
What is the right Cyanuric Acid Level for Swimming Pools and Hot Tubs?

The suggested cyanuric acid level depends on the amount of direct sunlight your pool receives and whether you use a salt chlorine generator.

How to Test, Raise, and Lower Cyanuric Acid
How to Test, Raise, and Lower Cyanuric Acid

Test strips are the easiest way to test cyanuric acid. Cyanuric acid is raised by adding chlorine stabilizer containing cyanuric acid. The only way to lower cyanuric acid is by replacing water.

Choosing the right Swimming Pool Stabilizer
Choosing the right Swimming Pool Stabilizer

There are three types of pool stabilizer: stabilized chlorine, liquid stabilizer, and granular stabilizer. Which type of stabilizer you should use is largely a matter of personal preference. Learn more about pros and cons of each.

Five Things Chlorine Will Kill in your Swimming Pool
Five Things Chlorine Will Kill in your Swimming Pool

There are is a lot of misunderstanding about how chlorine works to kill harmful contaminants in pool water, as well is misconceptions about what type of contaminants chlorine will kill efficiently. In this article, we cover 5 important things free chlorine will kill in your swimming pool or hot tub water.

The Relationship Between Pool Chlorine and pH
The Relationship Between Pool Chlorine and pH

The degree to which chlorine is effective in sanitizing your pool by breaking down contaminants is highly correlated to the degree to which pH is kept in balance.
In this article, we dive into the relationship between chlorine and pH, and how pH of water changes the effectiveness of chlorine.

How Cyanuric Acid and Chlorine are Related
How Cyanuric Acid and Chlorine are Related

Learn the relationship between chlorine and cyanuric acid, and how cyanuric acid stabilizes the free chlorine in your pool.

What is Cyanuric Acid?
What is Cyanuric Acid?

Cyanuric acid stabilizes free chlorine by preventing it from evaporating from UV sunlight, which increases the lifespan of free chlorine but decreases its ability to sanitize swimming pool water.

The Relationship Between pH and Total Alkalinity
What is Swimming Pool Alkalinity?
What is Swimming Pool Alkalinity?

Swimming Pool alkalinity (often called total alkalinity) is a measurement of the concentration of alkaline materials in your pool. Alkaline materials stabilize pH but buffer chlorine sanitation.

Swimming Pool Algae: What it is and How to Remove It
Swimming Pool Algae: What it is and How to Remove It

Pool algae is an unfortunate yet common problem many pool owners face. This article describes the types of algae and how you can prevent it.

Saltwater vs. Chlorine Sanitation Pros and Cons for Swimming Pools
Saltwater vs. Chlorine Sanitation Pros and Cons for Swimming Pools

Saltwater and chlorine are the two most common types of pool sanitation. Learn the benefits and challenges with both!

What are Free Chlorine, Combined Chlorine, and Total Chlorine?
What are Free Chlorine, Combined Chlorine, and Total Chlorine?

Want to know what the different types of chlorine mean? Read on to learn about Free chlorine, combined Chlorine, and Total chlorine.

Popular posts

The Facts About Pool Algaecide
Can You Over Shock a Pool?
The Relationship Between pH and Total Alkalinity
What Should Chlorine Levels Be in Swimming Pools and Hot Tubs?