Pool Maintenance

Properly balanced pool chemistry prevents the growth of harmful bacteria and viruses that can cause illnesses such as Skin rashes, ear infections, respiratory infections, and even more serious conditions like E. coli or norovirus. Ensuring the safety and health of swimmers is crucial for any pool owner.

Balancing pool chemicals helps to keep the water clear and sparkling, making it more inviting for swimmers. Unbalanced chemicals can result in cloudy water, algae growth, and unsightly stains on the pool surface, which can be unappealing and off-putting.

Unbalanced pool chemistry can also cause damage to pool equipment such as filters, pumps, and heaters. This can lead to costly repairs or replacements, which can be avoided by maintaining proper chemical levels in the water.

Properly balanced pool water is essential for a comfortable swimming experience. pH levels that are too high or too low can cause skin and eye irritation, while high levels of chlorine can result in a strong chlorine smell that is unpleasant for swimmers. By keeping chemicals balanced, you can ensure a comfortable and enjoyable swimming environment for all.

Maintaining proper pool chemistry can actually save you money in the long run. By preventing damage to equipment and the need for costly repairs, you can extend the life of your pool and reduce the overall cost of maintenance. Additionally, regularly testing and balancing chemicals can help you avoid the need for expensive shock treatments or algaecides to correct imbalances or issues that arise from neglect.

The majority of pools in Thailand use chlorine as the main sanitising agent.  As can be seen in the graph below, the lower the pH the more effective our chlorine is.

The problem is the lower the pH the more acid (around 6) a pool becomes – making is unsafe to swim in, resulting in eye and skin irritations.  On the other end of the spectrum once the pH level reaches the high scale (around 8) the chlorine becomes ineffective.

Ideally we want the pH to be around 7.4 with chlorine effectiveness around 50%.  At this level of sanitisation it is enough to kill off bacteria, algae and oxidise any organic contaminant in the pool.

Once you have your Total Alkalinity levels between 80 to 120ppm this will prevent pH swings in your pool and keep chlorine effective – this is called pH bounce.  Make sure you are always on top of Total Alkalinity (TA) levels by testing regularly as it is a buffer for keeping pH where it should be.

Calcium hardness is the measure of how hard or soft your pool water is. Just like pH and TA, it is important also to keep Calcium levels balanced to protect your pool surface from calcium formation, stains of corrosion which can lead to permanent damage to you pool.  You could be looking at repairs worth hundreds of thousands of Baht.

Cyanuric acid (CYA) otherwise known as pool “sun screen” or chlorine stabilizer reduces the amount of chlorine destroyed by the sun’s UV rays.

As most pools in Thailand are outdoors, it is important to protect the chlorine with CYA as it only takes 17 minutes of exposure to UV rays to destroy half of your chlorine.  Adding CYA can help your chlorine last 3-5 times longer.

Chlorine is the most commonly used disinfectant used in swimming pools, which kills bacteria, viruses and other microorganism that can cause disease and infection.  Keeping the chlorine levels at a recommended level of 1 to 3 ppm, will help create a safe & hygienic environment for swimmers.

So don’t delay look after your pool chemistry today - drop off a sample of pool water to PST.