3 - Chemicals - SunSpot

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3 - Chemicals

Step 3: Chemical Treatment


It is essential to add chemicals to your pool to ensure that the water is safe for bathers and to create and maintain comfortable bathing conditions.
Bacteria Control – Stabilised Chlorine Granules are used to disinfect the water and keep it free from bacteria growth. Chlorine needs to be present in your pool water 24-hours a day, 7-days a week to protect the health of those using the pool.
The goal is to keep the chlorine level at between 1 to 3mg/l (ppm), but our advice would be to aim for the 3mg/l (ppm) level so you have a ‘buffer’ to cope with weather and bathing load fluctuations.
Stabilised Chlorine Granules should be dosed frequently enough to maintain the correct chlorine level at all times.
pH – the pH scale is 0 to 14 and is the measure of whether pool water is acidic or alkaline.  Water with a pH of 7 is neutral, if the pH is below 7 the water is acidic and if the pH is above 7 it is alkaline.  Establishing and maintaining the correct pH is important for three main reasons:
1. It determines how effective the chlorine in your pool is 2. Correct levels prevent corrosion or scaling up of pool equipment 3. It is a bather comfort regulator
Testing the pH weekly and maintaining it within the ideal range of 7.2 to 7.6 range will therefore ensure your chlorine disinfectant is optimally used, that you don’t damage your equipment and that bather comfort is maximised.
If your pH is above 7.6 then use pH Minus to reduce it, full application information is printed on the bottle.
 If your pH is below 7.2 then use pH Plus to increase it, full application information is printed on the bottle.
Stop Algae Growing – algae are microscopic forms of plant life that can multiply quickly in pool water turning into a green ‘duck pond’.  To help in the prevention of algae an initial dose followed by a weekly addition of algaecide is strongly recommended.   Ideal Level Product Does Frequency Disinfectant 1 to 3 mg/l (ppm) (but aim for 3) Stabilised Chorine Granules Often enough to maintain Ideal Level pH 7.2 to 7.6 pH Minus to reduce level pH Plus to increase level Test and adjust weekly Prevent Algae N/A Super Algaecide Weekly
 
Other Helpful Pool Chemicals
Below is a table illustrating a few of the other pool chemicals that may be required for look after your pool.  These products can be obtained from your pool shop. Chemical Ideal Level Product Sunspot Granular Shock Ideal for quickly boosting disinfectant levels Useful at the start of a new swimming season and problem solving Sunspot Chlorine Tablets To maintain disinfectant levels in the pool Dosed via a floating dispenser or the skimmer will dissolve slowly over 3-5 days Sunspot Water Clarifiers Solving & preventing cloudiness Enhances filtration effectiveness Sunspot Stain & Scale Inhibitor Solving & preventing stains & scale deposits Particularly useful in hard water areas Sunspot Tile & Liner Cleaners For cleaning around the wasteline Use weekly to prevent build-up of waterline deposits