A swimming pool is a major investment and in order to make sure that you make the right one, it’s important to be familiar with the common swimming pool terminologies. Knowing this information will also help you maintain your home swimming pool properly. Read on to learn more.
Above Ground Pool
An above-ground pool is a popular choice for many people, especially those with small yards. Above-ground pools are usually made from fibreglass and can be installed in just a few hours. They are easy to maintain, as they don’t require any digging or pressing of the floor.
pH
pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. It runs from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. The higher the pH number, the more acidic (lower on the scale) and vice versa.
Oxidizer or Sanitiser
In a swimming pool, an oxidizer is typically chlorine and bromine.
Oxidizers are used in spas and hot tubs as well as pools. They are both more effective at killing bacteria than chlorine alone, but they are less effective at killing algae. Bromine can be added to pool water to produce higher levels of disinfection (killing all forms of harmful organisms). Chlorine can only be used when there’s already a lot of algae present in your water. This is because it doesn’t have enough power to remove it completely from the system if left untreated for too long.
Pool Acid
Pool acid is used to lower the pH of your pool water. This process is called alkalinity control, and it helps prevent corrosion in your pool. It also removes calcium deposits from tile and plaster that may be causing problems with your pool’s overall health.
However, too much acid can cause serious damage to tiles, plaster, concrete liners and other materials used in your swimming area. Therefore, it’s important that you follow all safety precautions when handling this chemical product. This includes wearing eye protection and disposing of leftover waste properly so as not to contaminate groundwater resources nearby.
Buffer
Buffer is the space between your pool and the concrete slab, or floor of your yard. This can be a little confusing if you’re not familiar with how a factory pools perth works, but it’s an important thing to understand. This is because it affects how much water gets into your pool—and how much dirt and debris will eventually clog up any drains.
A buffer is necessary to ensure that all of this waste doesn’t get into your backyard or house through any kind of drain (or even worse: directly into their sewer system).
Algaecide
Algaecide is a liquid that you can apply to your pool. It kills algae and fungi, which are the main things causing problems with your swimming pool. There are many different types of algaecides, so it’s important to know what you’re using and how often you should use them.
- Granular algaecide: This type of granular algaecide contains common salt (sodium chloride) mixed with other ingredients such as borax or chlorine dioxide. The granules are spread over the bottom of your pool. They absorb moisture from water as it flows through them, killing off any life forms in their path—including bacteria!
- Liquid algaecide: These liquid formulas contain chlorine gas (which is used as a disinfectant), vitamin C powder (to prevent free radical damage), copper sulphate or zinc chloride. It offers protection against rust build-up on pipes or fittings within an average home’s plumbing system
Turbidity, clarifiers and flocculants
Turbidity is the cloudiness of water. It can be caused by a number of factors, such as algae blooms, pebble filters and even the chemicals used in your pool. Clarifiers are chemicals that bind to particles and help them settle to the bottom of your pool. They remove debris from an ionic solution, a mixture containing both saltwater and freshwater. Flocculants are another type of chemical which helps particles clump together and settle to the bottom of your pool.
ORP
ORP is a measure of how much oxidization has occurred in your pool. It’s measured in millivolts, mV and can be tested using an ORP probe.
ORP is useful for testing the effectiveness of the sanitiser. It tells you whether there is still free chlorine available in your water. This will help you adjust or change your dosage accordingly if needed.
Free and Total Chlorine
Free chlorine is the active ingredient in chlorine. It’s also known as available chlorine, active ingredient or hypochlorous acid (HOCl).
Total chlorine is a measurement of the combined chlorine that includes free chlorine, combined chlorine and chloramines. They can cause algae problems when they become too high over time. A higher-than-normal reading may indicate an imbalance between your alkalinity and calcium hardness levels. This can lead to poor water quality issues, such as scale buildup on equipment surfaces or discolouration of concrete surfaces around pools.
Advanced Water Chemistry
Advanced water chemistry is the use of chemicals to control the pH and other properties of your pool. The goal is to keep your pool clean, safe and healthy for swimmers to enjoy.
The benefits include:
- Increased resistance against algae growth (and other problems)
- Reduced chlorine demand (so you can save money)
Advanced water chemistry can be set up in two different ways:
- By adding chemical treatments directly into the filter or
- By adding them through automatic drip filters that remove chlorine gas from the water before it enters your filter system.
Comfort Zone
The comfort zone is the range of pH, temperature and chlorine levels that are comfortable for people to swim in. It can vary from person to person, depending on factors like age, sex and body type.
The best way to determine your comfort zone is simply by trying it out yourself. For instance, if you’re feeling tired after even just one lap around the pool, then your comfort level has probably risen above its normal range. This may be due at least partly because there was too much chlorine in your water at any given point during your swim session. Remember that too much chlorine will cause some headaches later on down the line when it’s time for another round!
Conclusion
A swimming pool is a great place to relax and unwind. But if you want your pool to stay in good shape, there are some important terminologies that you must know.
