PRELIMINARIES
Buy a good chemical test kit
- Calculate the volume of water in your pool using the formulae
- For rectangular pools – Length x Width x Ave depth (in feet) x 6.25 = volume in gallons
- For round or oval pools – Length x Width x Ave depth (in feet) x 4.9 = volume in gallons
BASIC GUIDELINES
- MAINTAIN FREE CHLORINE LEVELS Make sure free chlorine never falls below 1.0ppm. This is to kill harmful germs and algae.
5. CHECK THE pH Correct the pH if it falls below 7.2 or rises above 7.6. Correct pH will ensure the chlorine is working effectively.
6. Total Alkalinity
Test once a month. The alkalinity reading using the Alkalinity M tablet count test should be between 100-200ppm for pools using stabilised chlorines; 80-120ppm for calcium hypochlorite or 120-150ppm for sodium hypochlorite
Calcium Hardness
Test two or three times a season. The calcium hardness reading using the tablet count test should be above 350ppm – the top limit is not too important.