So it has been a crazy couple of years with Covid. Equipment and chemicals were scarce and when some became available, we were all like sharks, snatching as much as we could before it disappeared. It's crazy. Now, more than ever people are wanting to put money into their pool and equipment and we can’t get it.
Things are becoming more readily available, but at what price? We have seen a major increase in chemicals and equipment. And we just keep getting letters of even FURTHER increases. What the what? Some products have increased up to 30%!
It is more important than ever to keep our pools properly balanced. Wasting chemicals is a big no-no, to begin with, but at the prices we are paying they almost become like gold. Utilizing your Pool Shark H20 App can help in so many ways.
Combined Chlorine
We need to be testing for free chlorine and total chlorine. The difference (if any) is called “combined chlorine” aka “chloramines”. Not only does this make the water unsafe because we don’t have a high enough free chlorine level, but it can be uncomfortable for bathers. If you do have chloramines, you will need to shock the pool. If you have chloramines, but your free chlorine level is fine, use a non-chlorine shock. If your free chlorine is low or non-existent, you will need to utilize a chlorine shock. As pool operators, we know that using a chlorine shock can cause us to have to shut down the pool until the chlorine is in the appropriate range. Knowing if this will be needed is super important so you don’t have complaints from guests. Calculating the correct dosages to deal with Chloramines is one of the many tasks that the Pool Shark H20 App helps with.
Cyanuric Acid
You can also go through excess chemicals if your CYA is too high. A higher CYA level requires a higher chlorine level because TOO much renders the chlorine less effective, thus forcing us to keep our free chlorine level higher in order to safely sanitize the water. More chlorine needed, more money spent. Check your CYA findings on your Pool Shark H20 App and drain and refill to get CYA in range.
On the flip side, you want to have the required amount of CYA to keep your pool sanitizer protected from the sun. Otherwise, you are losing chlorine much faster than is needed. Hence the need to test the water regularly.
Unbalanced PH/Alkalinity
We need to maintain our PH and alkalinity levels in range. Not only does this make our sanitizer more efficient, but it is more comfortable for the swimmers. Don’t forget to always test alkalinity, and not just PH, before adding acid. Too low a level of alkalinity can damage the surface and the equipment. We are also then put into a position to purchase sodium bicarbonate. More $$! Luckily on the Pool Shark H20 App, it will not only show you the PH and Alkalinity results but instruct you on how to balance, as well as automatically enter this data into your pool log.
Algae
Testing the water and reviewing your dosing instructions on the Pool Shark H20 App is super important in preventing algae. As a Certified Algae Prevention and Eradication Specialist, I cannot stress enough the importance of checking your water’s chemistry as often as possible. If we do get an algae bloom it results in extra expenditures. We may even have to close our pool, losing even MORE money. Algae treatments are already expensive. Worst-case scenario, you would need to drain your pool, causing more out-of-pocket expenses, creating unhappy guests and an even more unhappy boss!
Chemical Balance
As you can see from our sections above, testing the water often will prevent problems that honestly shouldn’t be happening. We are pool professionals and have the technology at our fingertips with things like the Pool Shark H20 APP. We really have no excuses. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that chemicals and equipment prices do not continue to rise. Let’s also do our part by eliminating the need to add additional chemicals or replace ruined equipment due to poor water chemistry. See you poolside!
