Is pH really that important?

The pH is one of the most important factors in pool water balance and it should be tested and adjusted on a weekly basis. pH is the measure of how acid/ alkaline the swimming pool water is.  I also frequently describe it as the amount or strength of the hydrogen in the water.  A pH of 7.0 is neutral - below 7.0 is acidic, above 7.0 is alkaline. It should be kept within the range of 7.2-7.8.

What happens when the pool is too acidic?
(pH is low):

1.  If your swimming pool is Marbelite or plaster, the pool water will begin to dissolve the surface, creating a roughness
which is ideal for pool algae growth. A similar result occurs in the grouting of tiled swimming pools.

2.  Metals corrode - and this includes swimming pool equipment, pipe fittings, pump connections, etc. As the swimming pool walls and metal parts corrode, sulphates are formed. These sulphates are released from the water onto the walls and floor of the
swimming pool causing ugly brown and black stains.

3.  Chlorine, which is used as a disinfectant in the swimming pool water, is activated and lost to the atmosphere very quickly.  The water is not being sanitised, and we are throwing away our money by adding chlorine when the pH is too low.

4.  When we swim, our eyes and nose burn. Our swimwear fades and perishes. Our skin gets dry and itchy.

What happens when the pool is too alkaline?
(pH is high):

1.  The calcium in the swimming pool water combines with carbonates and forms scale, just like in our kettles. This calcification is seen  most at the waterline, where it traps dust and dirt, turning black with time.

2.  The swimming pool water starts to become cloudy or murky and it loses its sparkle.  Catch yourself buying clarifier frequently?  This could be the result of your pH being too high.

3.  The calcium carbonate has a tendency to plate out on the sand in the swimming pool filter, effectively turning it into cement.  So your filter becomes a cement filter, and loses its ability to trap dirt and other debris from the pool water.

4.  As the pH rises, the power of the chlorine to act on foreign particles is lost. At a pH of 8.0 the pool can only use 20% of the chlorine you put in. So 80% of it goes to waste and you would need  5 times as much chlorine to provide the disinfection you need.

5.  In alkaline swimming pool water, the swimmers suffer too. Our eyes and nose burn and our skin gets dry and itchy.

I truly hope this information was beneficial.  If you have any questions or you’re experiencing further issues please don’t
hesitate to shoot me a quick email.  I’ll be more than happy to assist.

To you and yours,

Terry Duff
Founder - Fire Your Pool Guy

Filed under: General Information, Swimming Pool Chemicals