Chemicals used to maintain a pool

When maintaining a swimming pool, an owner has a few issues that she needs to keep consistent control over. The major issue is ensuring a safe and sanitary swimming environment. Sanitation of pool water is important to most owners because the lack of proper disinfectants and other chemicals can create a dirty looking pool and can also sicken swimmers.

Pool chemicals in general are part of a broad category related to pool chemistry. They fall into two subcategories. One has to do with disinfection while the other deals with stabilization. In the disinfection category there are chemicals like chlorine, bromine and even algaecides. Chlorine is the most widely used of the common disinfectants. When stabilizing a pool's water, chemicals include pH balancers and chlorine stabilizers.

By far, the most common chemical disinfectant used in pools in the 21st century is calcium hypochlorite chlorine. It can be found anywhere swimming pool supplies are sold and come in a variety of forms which include granules, sticks and tablets. It's relatively inexpensive when compared to bromine. Both are very strong and are even classed as hazardous materials so handling them according to their package instructions is important.

Owners need to stabilize pool chemical levels. Soda ash is the most common substance used to raise pH to recommended levels. The second most common substance typically involves cyanuric acid. It helps prevent chlorine from being quickly dissipated by sunlight.

Algaecide is a specially formulated chemical disinfectant that's applied if a pool becomes contaminated by algae. You should also take care to treat all pool chemicals with the respect they deserve. Keep them in approved containers and away from children and pets. And always use a quality pool testing kit to monitor your pool's chemical levels, adjusting them as needed.