Question: Where can I find info on pool fence or barrier laws?
Answer: A starting point is to click HERE
Question: I have a salt pool, what do I need to do to maintain it?
Answer: Salt pools use salt to generate sanitizer for the pool. Salt level must be checked & salt added from time to time. Most salt pool monitoring equipment have a salt level indicator on the control panel. The manufacturers usually have a disclaimer saying that before adding salt, a manual test must be performed. Usually the harsh Arizona sun will cause the monitor circuit boards, etc. to give inaccurate readings over time.
Salt pools maintain a sanitizer level that needs to be adjusted based on water temperature, bather load, weather, etc. It is NOT a set it and forget it device. Super chlorinating must be also done since algae will build a resistance to a level exposure to sanitizer. Additionally, muriatic acid and stabilizer levels must be maintained.
In addition, the monitor sends a signal to an inline salt cell that needs to be cleaned periodically. This cell must be removed and soaked in a solution to descale the build up.
Question: Why is my pool always out of chemical balance?
Answer: General industry standards for Balanced Water is:
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Chlorine residual: 1.0 - 3.0 ppm (parts per million)
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Total alkalinity: 80 - 150 ppm
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pH: 7.4 - 7.6
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Hardness: 200 - 400 ppm
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Total dissolved solids: Less than 2000 ppm
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Cyanuric acid: 30 - 80 ppm
The problem begins when you try to correct a severe imbalance of one or more of the components, you can throw the other components out of alignment, for example when killing an unexpected algae bloom or eliminating blue staining from the plaster, etc.
Water chemistry is a process of balance. Changing one component even to bring it into a correct range and you might adversely affect another component. Imagine that the water quality parameters are stones, each of equal size and weight, evenly distributed around the edge of a dinner plate. Now imagine balancing that plate on one finger. You can do it if you find the exact center of the plate, where each stone balances the others. But now imagine that one stone is doubled in weight or removed, it now changes the balance of the plate-the other stones will slide into new positions or off the plate completely, eventually making the entire plate fall. So it is with water chemistry. A balancing act, with each component working on the others.
Question: Why is my pool green?
Answer: The green is a single-celled plant called Algae. It is a form of seaweed. Although green and black algae tend to flourish in water that lacks both chlorine or other residual sanitizer, algae can grow in the presence of both chlorine and well-balanced water. Some forms become increasingly resistant to the amounts of chlorine you maintain in the water. This is another reason to super chlorinate on a regular basis. Algae can be carried to the pool by the wind, dropping spores into the water where they grow quickly, especially in southern Arizona where the water temperature in pools can exceed 90 degrees. Pool pump run times, equipment condition, and filter effectiveness can contribute to pool algae growth.
Have further questions?