When you buy pool chemicals, it’s best to know their purpose first. That way you can have the right chemicals on hand to deal with issues when they arise. Even with a trusted pool filtration system doing the work to keep your pool water clean, certain chemicals must be added to keep pathogens away, and keep your pool water safe and well-maintained. In this blog, we run through the basic pool chemicals you need to use for regular upkeep of your pool.
Sanitisers
Sanitisers are chemicals that inhibit the growth of bacteria and kill microorganisms that can thrive in pool water. If the water in your pool seems a little cloudy or murky, it can mean microorganisms have infiltrated the water. Chlorine is the most commonly used sanitiser, and is generally considered the most powerful. It should be used at specific levels for it to effectively disinfect water. Since chlorine is such a strong sanitiser, some people find that it can irritate skin or eyes, and opt for chlorine-free sanitisers instead. Crystal Clear Pools has chlorine free pool chemicals that can replace traditional chlorine sanitisers, so be sure to check them out if you’re looking to avoid chlorine.
Oxidisers
Oxidisers are used every few weeks to kill algae and bacteria, including those that come from people’s sweat, dead skin cells, etc. Without using pool oxidisers, the effects of a sanitiser can dissipate easily, causing the bacteria to return quickly. Shocking your water with an oxidizer maintains the cleanliness of the pool for longer, and should be done regularly to prevent a sudden invasion of algae or bacteria.
Water Balancers
The pH level of your pool is important, as it indicates how acidic or alkaline the water is. To put into perspective, pure water has a pH level of 7; over that number is alkaline, while under that number is considered to be acidic. A balanced pool helps prevent skin irritations, which can make your pool very uncomfortable to swim in. A key way to measure pH is to use water test kits. The ideal pH level of your pool should be between 7.4 and 7.6, as this also creates the ideal environment for chlorine to do its job effectively.
Specialty Chemicals
There are several specialty chemicals designed to take on specific pool problems. These include:
- Algaecides – Algaecides help prevent algae from growing in your pool. While pool shock kills the algae, algaecides keep it from returning.
- Clarifiers – Clarifiers help remove chemical and algae residue that may remain in your water. Clarifiers help coagulate small particles into bigger particles or heavier clumps, and this helps pool filters to trap them. Alternately, they sink, and are vacuumed up by an automatic pool cleaner.
- Stain removers – Stain removers remove surface stains in pools caused by minerals and metals in the water.
Keep you pool waters safe and clean!
These pool chemicals are vital for maintaining your pool water’s health. Keeping them on-hand is very useful, as sudden invasions of algae are possible, often because of storms passing over. Maintaining a pool can be a tough job, but equipping yourself with the right knowledge and proper pool chemicals will make all the difference! Crystal Clear Pool Spa & Electrical have the pool chemicals you need to swim safely and comfortably, year round. Shop our pool chemicals today!