Water Balance
Balancing pH, alkalinity, hardness, and stabilizer for clear water.
Articles
pH is the most critical control parameter in pool chemistry. It determines how effective your chlorine is and whether the water is comfortable for swimmers.
Total alkalinity is the pH buffer. When it is in range, pH stays stable. When it is out of range, pH swings wildly with every chemical addition or rainfall.
Calcium hardness determines whether pool water is aggressive (low hardness) or scaling (high hardness). It is especially important for plaster pools and heaters.
Cyanuric acid stabilises chlorine against UV destruction, but too much CYA reduces chlorine effectiveness. Managing CYA level is critical for outdoor pools using stabilised chlorine products.
The Langelier Saturation Index combines pH, temperature, alkalinity, hardness, and TDS into a single balance score. It is the most reliable predictor of surface damage and equipment corrosion.
Adjust pool chemicals in the correct order: alkalinity first, then pH, then calcium hardness, then chlorine. The sequence matters because each adjustment affects the others.