Testing, 1, 2, Testing…

Water Testing.

Your pool water is continuously changing due to conditions such as the weather and the swimmers you have.  There are a lot of things that will affect your pool’s water chemistry, which is why it is a good idea to test the levels frequently.  The more often you check your water’s levels, the better chance you have of getting that crystal-clear pool water you desire.  
    
Before we begin describing the different ways to check your levels, it’s important to let you know what desired range you are looking for on the results. The most important levels to be monitored, other than the sanitizer (chlorine, bromine) levels, are pH, total alkalinity, and calcium hardness.  The desired range for pH is 7.2 to 7.8, total alkalinity should range from 80 ppm to 120 ppm, and your calcium hardness should range from 180 ppm to 220 ppm.  These four are the necessary levels that should be monitored to achieve the desired crystal-clear water.  It’s suggested that you check your pH and chlorine levels two or three times a week, alkalinity should be tested if the pH has fluctuated, and once a month testing for calcium hardness is sufficient.    

There are several different ways to check your water, ranging from simple test strips to the more detailed tests that you can have completed at Dolphin Pool & Spa.  Test strips are the easiest to use but don’t always give the most exact readings.  Test strips are dipped into the pool water, and the color changing material on the strip will change depending on the various chemical levels in the water.  Some people find them to be irritating because they don’t give you an exact number, others appreciate their ease of use.  Another simple way is the DPD drop test kit.  Drop test kits use reagents that give you a level depending on the number of drops it takes to turn a water sample a specific color.  These can give a more detailed reading, but not as accurate as the digital readers.  Digital readers are easy to use and give results in numbers, not colors.  Water and liquid reagents, like the ones used in drop test kits, are added to a test tube which is then placed in the digital reader.  The digital reader can use the color to read the levels.  Each digital reader works differently, but it is important to have them calibrated regularly for accurate results.

Don’t forget that Dolphin Pool & Spa offers water testing, at no cost, with the purchase of chemicals.  We can check your chlorine/bromine, pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, and cyanuric acid levels, along with the amounts of metals present in your water.  Having a better idea of where your pool water levels are at, will make it easier to treat any problems you may encounter.  So, stop by our store during our business hours for a free water test.  We hope to see ya soon!