POOL CHEMICALS – keeping things balanced

If you want to make sure that your pool is sparkling clean every time you use it, it is imperative to use pool chemicals to ensure it remains safe and clean. There are many products available to treat swimming pool water, including stabilizers, balancers and shocks.

If you don't check your pool chemicals regularly it could cause an imbalance, which in turn could be harmful to swimmers as well as the filtering system. A swimming pool should look clear, and requires regular monitoring to ensure its cleanliness and to maintain proper levels, otherwise it could lead to eye irritations as well. The most popular pool chemical is chlorine, which is available in tablet form or in a granular form. Not only that, but it is probably the most affordable of the pool chemicals as well. It kills bacteria and removes additional organisms from the water such as hair gels, sun tan oils and body sweat as well as inhibiting and killing algae. Of course there are disadvantages. Some people are put off by the smell as well as the effect it has on hair and eyes.

What is shock treatment for pools about?

Sometimes in the rainy season, when it is very hot, swimming pool water turns green and a super chlorinator or shock treatment is required to disinfect the water. Sometimes your pool will require shock treatment when it has been inactive over the winter. Shocks are a high-dosage mixture of different chemicals.

Many swimming pool companies supply a pool chemical kit complete with all relevant products that you will need to keep your pool clean, but if they don't, you can purchase special kits to be used at the end or start-up of the swimming season.