Keeping balanced levels of acid and alkalinity in pools is an important step to keeping a healthy pool. Balanced pool levels help prevent algae and pathogens from taking up residence in the pool water. Balancing a pool's total alkalinity requires measurement and attention to balancing levels of chemicals and particulate matter in pool water. Alkalinity can be caused by a variety of environmental factors, but can only be balanced by adding the appropriate acids or acid salts to the pool water.
Identification
Alkalinity is found in water that has a high level of alkaline compounds in the water. When alkalinity is measured in a pool, it is also known as total alkalinity or TA. According to the 2006 "Certified Pool-Spa Operator Handbook" by the National Swimming Pool foundation, total alkalinity is a measure of how the pH level of water changes when an acid is introduced.
Causes
A pool can be alkaline for a variety of reasons, but the problem stems from too little acid in the water. Conditions that can cause alkalinity in your pool can include plant or dirt debris that can dissolve into your pool and change the pH, and can also be a result of alkalinity in the local water source. Most of the time, alkalinity is caused by inaccurate addition of pool chemicals.
Expert Insight
Experts and pool product manufacturers disagree on the range of alkalinity that is right for a balanced pool. According to "The Ultimate Pool Maintenance Manual," balanced water should have total alkalinity of 80 to 150 parts per million (ppm) of bicarbonate and carbonate. According to "Pools and Spas," balanced pool water needs 90 to 150 alkaline parts per million.
Symptoms
Problems associated with a high level of alkalinity include cloudy water, clogged filters and heating elements, and roughness on the pool walls. High alkalinity can also irritate swimmers' skin.
Prevention/Solution
Acid can be added to a pool to control total alkalinity. According to "Certified Pool-Spa Handbook," acids used to control alkalinity include muriatic acid and sodium bisulfate.
Benefits
Maintaining a proper alkalinity level makes a pool healthier and safer for swimmers. Keeping a pool's levels in balance can also help prevent or cure an algae infestation or to keep the pool water from staining the pool. Keeping balanced chemical levels in the pool can also protect the pool from damage from mineral water deposits.
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