Pool Water Testing | Lakeside Pools & Spas

Importance Of Balanced Water

No two pools or hot tubs are the same. Everything from source water to weather patterns to vegetation and proximity to other environmental factors can have a profound effect on your pool or spa. Because many of these factors can change from day to day, regular testing is a must to avoid problems before they occur.

Properly balanced water provides the following; a comfortable swimming or soaking environment, efficiency of your sanitizer, longevity of your pool or spa surface and equipment. Proper water balance can be regularly monitored at home using a test kit or test strips.

Your pool or hot tub water should be tested every 3 to 4 weeks to ensure the safety of the bather and quality of equipment.

What We Test For

Here is a list of everything we check for when we perform a pool or spa water test for you.

Chlorine

Controls bacteria and algae in swimming pool water.

There are three categories of chlorine we test for which include:

Free Chlorine - This is the chlorine that you usually test for in your pool water. This chlorine is available to sanitize your pool. Your pool should have between 1 and 3 parts per million (ppm) in the water.

Combined Chlorine - This is chlorine that's been used up by the sanitation process of the water. While it's still in the water, its ability to sanitize is reduced compared to free chlorine.

Total Chlorine - This type of chlorine is the sum of both free chlorine and combined chlorine.

pH

If the pH is above 7, the water is basic; if it is below 7 the water is acid.

The optimum pH for pool water is 7.4, since this is the same as the pH in human eyes and mucous membranes.

A pH of 7.4 also gives good chlorine disinfection.

Alkalinity

The alkalinity should be between 80 ppm and 120 ppm.

When the total alkalinity (TA) is within this range, it prevents rapid pH changes and “stabilises” the pH level.

We call it the governor of the pH.

Stabilizer

Cyanuric Acid, otherwise known as Chlorine Pool Stabilizer or Conditioner, is what protects your chlorine from being eaten away by the sun's ultraviolet rays.

It should be between 30 - 60ppm.

Your chlorine relies on it!

(Doesn't apply to hot tubs)

Calcium (hardness)

This should be between 200-300ppm.

Calcium is needed to achieve maximum balance water and to avoid erosion of surfaces. Maintaining a balanced calcium hardness will ensure better bather's comfort and protect your pool equipement. Ecologo

High calcium levels can cause problems with cloudy water and scale.

While soft or low-calcium water is also of concern. Such water is aggressive and will actually remove calcium from the pool in order to satisfy its need for the mineral. Low calcium water will actually attack metal fittings and heat exchangers resulting in destruction of the fittings or pinhole leaks in the heater.

We Also Test For:

• Manganese
• Phosphates
• Salt
• Bromine