POOL TREATMENTS GUIDE
Here we will take you through pool treatments, doing our best to cut the techno jargon and putting it in plain English!
There is a vast array of treatments available for swimming pools both above and below ground, indoor and out, permanent and seasonal! However to simplify things they can be broken down into small groups as listed below.
SANITISERS
WATER BALANCERS
CLARIFIERS & FLOCCULANTS
CLEANERS
ALGAECIDES
SANITISERS
These are the most important of all treatments. these are the ones which make sure that bacteria, viruses and other nasties don't infect the water and then you! They also help break down organic matter in the water that causes cloudiness and odours.
The most common one for pools is Chlorine. This comes in several forms. Liquid, granular and tablet. To add to this it can also be 'stabilised' and non stabilised!
LIQUID FORM
This mainly used in large, in ground pools and applied via a special doser. It is the most hazardous form to use due to the fact its a liquid that is very strong and can be splashed etc onto skin and surrounding items.
GRANULAR FORM
Is used to be the most popular form for pools until the tablet forms became more popular. Downsides with granular forms is that it has to be carefully measured and added regularly. However it is still very popular and ideal for smaller pools and seasonal ones.
TABLET FORM
This is the easiest one to use. It comes in sizes from very small for paddling pools to large 200g+ tablets for large seasonal and in ground pools. In most cases it is slow release and so a steady, controllable dosing is achievable over a period of time with minimal input. this is achieved through a 'skimmer' or a floating dispenser (sometimes called a 'Floater'!)
STABILISED AND NON STABILISED - NEVER MIX IN SAME CONTAINER!
Chlorine is broken down by sunlight and so to effectively use in an outdoor pool you should use a stabilised form. However if this is used in an indoor pool then the stabiliser can build up in the water and causes 'Chlorine lock'. This is where the Chlorine is no longer able to work and may register as zero on any testing equipment. For indoor pools use Non stabilised Chlorine. This is normally a form of Calcium Hypochlorite. Both types can be found in granular and tablet form.
MULTIFUNCTIONAL TABLETS
Just to add a little more to the array of treatments you can now get some Chlorines that do more than just sanitise! They may have an algaecide in them to help stop algae, a water clarifier to help clear cloudiness and assist the filter or a inbuilt 'shock dose'! (See section below). Luckily they are used the same as the treatments without them so no special details here!
BROMINE
This is normally used in spas and hot tubs as it is better in high temperatures but some people find that Chlorine is too harsh for their skin etc. Bromine is harder to use than Chlorine in a pool though. It is not stabilized against sunlight and so degrades quickly and also if used in tablet form which it normally would be, it is very slow to dissolve and so extra care must be taken not to let the levels drop too low. Bromine however is sometimes used in indoor pools as the lack of sunlight and increased temperature all help it to perform better. NOTE - EVEN BROMINE CONTAINS A SMALL AMOUNT OF CHLORINE AND SO CANNOT BE CALLED CHLORINE FREE.
CHLORINE FREE SANITISER
There are some forms of Chlorine free sanitisers available. They tend to be called Oxy shock or Chlorine free shock. You can even get UV filters which don't use any chemicals. In either case it isn't very cheap and anything other than a small paddling pool may be not cost effective. If you require more information on this please contact us.
SHOCK DOSE
Shock dose is in fact a form of sanitiser that is used to 'super sanitise' the water. It is used for a couple of several reasons.
1, To kick start off a new fill or where the sanitiser level has dropped very low. The long the water has to wait for the levels to get to normal the more change of bugs and nasties getting a hold.
2, To deal with a 'bather overload' that has resulted in cloudy water. This releases extra amounts of oxidisers into the water to break down the excess pollutants.
3, As a regular boost to control any resistant bugs etc that may get a hold over time.
The type of shock dose you use depends on what sanitiser you use. If using Chlorine then you would use a Chlorine shock. This can be in liquid, granule or small tablet form. Be careful to check and wait until the levels have gone back to a safe level before using the spa. If you are using Bromine the most popular form is Chlorine free shock, we sell OXY SHOCK. This gives of no chlorine smells and the spa can be used after as a little as 20 minutes after treatment! Alternatively you can use something called Bromine spa starter. This a concentrated form of granular Bromine and is a great way to boost levels when starting from fresh as Bromine can be very slow to establish a level.
NEVER MIX SHOCK AND NORMAL SANITISER IN THE SAME CONTAINER!
WATER BALANCERS
The most neglected yet one of the most important parts of water treatment! If your water is correctly balanced then it can causes a lot of problems.... skin and eye irritations, poor sanitiser effectiveness, corrosion of pipes and fittings, damage to other spa parts, scale etc.
To stop all this you need to keep a close eye on the following, (there are other minor ones which can be checked but these don't normally affect the average person.
ALKALINITY
Incorrect alkalinity can cause the PH to fluctuate a lot. If it is too low you can add Alkalinity builder. This will also increase the PH a little. However if it is high you have to rely on the acidic effect of you sanitiser or a series of small PH+ doses to correct the issue. If using PH+ make sure you only add a little at a time to avoid over dosing. This can be done over several days.
PH
The PH of the water reflects how Acid or Alkaline it is. Too much either way can cause many problems as listed above. To keep things on track you can adjust up or down using PH+ or PH-. The key is small doses at a time. Remember that Chlorine and Bromine tablets with often push the PH down over time.
HARDNESS
This is all about how much calcium there is in the water. It is most important to spa and pool owners who have tiles sides. This is because if it is too low it can cause the grouting to dissolve. However excessive levels can cause scaling of heaters etc and often points to excessively high PH values.
CLARIFIERS & FLOCCULANTS
Although not essential both of these can play an important part in the upkeep of your pool. Even with the best filters a small amount of very tiny particles in the water can get through and give the water a hazy look. This can also be caused by a sudden increase in bather load or as a by product of cosmetics washing off into the water. Your first port of call for hazy water is nearly always a shock dose, but to help it and the filter a treatment called a 'clarifier' can be added. This coats the outer of the tiny particles causing the haze and makes them bigger and easier for the filter to remove. Just a little goes a long way and some people like to add some weekly or bi-weekly as a preventative. Some forms of Chlorine tablets have this built in to save time!
CLEANERS
Cleaners for pools come in two main forms, external and filter. These again can be broken down into smaller groups but at this point it just adds confusion so we will keep it simple for everyone!
FILTER CLEANERS
Simply add this to a large container of hot water and submerse your filter or filters in it for several hours to break down grease and stubborn grime that can coat them. Your filters can last three times as long by doing this! Remember to rinse really well as they contain ingredients that can cause foaming.
EXTERNAL CLEANERS
These are used on the outside of the pool or surround. They are specially formulated to remove grime, dirt and impurities as well as scum lines etc. Try and avoid them washing back into the pool.
ALGAECIDES
Even the best maintained pools can suffer with algae. It enters the water via the rain, in the air and on us! There are various forms of algae, but the most common are the types that grown on the floor and sides of the pool, and those that create that lovely green haze, even green soup effect within the water.
At the end of these guides we have a Algae busting guide!
There are 2 main kinds of algaecide.
CURATIVE
Curative algaecides are applied regulary - normally every week. They attack and destroy algae as it forms. They can be copper based or non copper based. For seasonal pools either is fine. However for pools that stay up all year and have 'solar covers', it is best to use non copper as the copper based ones can degrade the covers with long term use.
PREVENTATIVE / PREVENTATIVE + CURATIVE
These are designed to be added to the pool and then left to do their job for several months, often between 3 and 6. Then can be purely preventative or both preventative and curative. They are excellent for over winter use and for larger pools or where you don't want to be treating on a regular basis. As with those above, they can be copper based or copper free.
Pool Treatment Guides
SWIMMING POOLS - CHLORINE BASED TREATMENT
Take a bucket of hot water (hand hot not boiling!) and dissolve the relevant amount of granular Chlorine in it. Apply at the following rate 50G per 2200 litres of pool water (See our guide for pool capacity). NOTE - this should be done outside in a well ventilated area. They can sometimes take several minutes to dissolve and occasional stirring will help speed things up.
KEEP CHILDREN AND ANIMALS AWAY FROM THE CONTAINER.
Once it has fully dissolved tip the water in to the pool slowly and evenly around the edges. Now take the top off the dispenser and place the appropriate amount of normal Chlorine tablets into it. Then adjust the dial on the base. The amount will depend on pool size, tablet size and dispenser size.
*** Small paddling pools can use our special instant Chlorine tablets. They can be used as a Chlorine shock and normal treatment! Each tablet will treat 1000lts!
Small dispensers - 20g tablets slow release Chlorine tablets
8ft pool - 1 tablet with one slot open at base
10ft pool - 2 tablets with 2 slots open at base
12ft pool - 3 tablets with 2 slots open at base for inflatable ring type pools and 3 slots open for framed pools.
Large dispensers - 200g slow release Chlorine tablets
10ft pool - 1 tablet with 1 slot open at base
12ft pool - 1 tablet with 2 slots open at base
15ft pool - 1 tablet with 3 slots open at base
18ft pool - 2 tablets with 4 slots open at base
PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A STARTING GUIDE ONLY AND THE USE OF TEST STRIPS WILL BE NEEDED TO HELP SET THE DOSING RATES PROPERLY FOR YOUR POOL.
Many things affect the exact dosing rate including amount of direct sunlight, water temperature, water hardness and pool usage. Before you first use the pool always check with test strips to see that the Chlorine levels are within safe limits. If it is still very low you can add extra shock dose for a quick boost and also increase the normal dosing by opening another slot on your dispenser. Remember to check every other day until you have a steady level. Then you can decrease testing to 2 to 3 times a week depending on usage etc. Instructions on how to use the test strips can be found on the bottle that they come in.
If the level is kept correct you shouldn't have any problems with algae, but if you do then you can use a multifunction tablet to correct this. These not only contain Chlorine, but also an algaecide and a water clarifier to make the water sparkle! We recommend that you shock dose the pool once every 2 to 3 weeks depending on usage to keep any resistance bugs and nasties at bay.
If your test strips shows an incorrect level of pH or alkalinity then please use pH + / - or alkalinity builder to correct this. These will have either come with your kit if you purchased one from us or can be found in the shop in nice and easy to use ready measured amounts. Make sure you run your filter pump for at least a few hours each day.
SWIMMING POOLS - BROMINE BASED TREATMENT
Treatment for Bromine based pools is fairly similar to chlorine treatment as listed above but the levels required for Bromine are somewhat higher. Also, it should be noted that Bromine is NOT stabilised against sunlight breakdown like our Chlorine treatments. So you will need to wathc levels closely and use a cover when not in use.
Take a bucket of warm water and dissolve the relevant amount of OXY SHOCK into it. You will need 30g packet per 1000 litres of water. When this has dissolved add to pool in a slow and even manner around the edges. Now add the appropriate amount of Bromine tablets to the dispenser and adjust the dial on the base, as detailed below. REMEMBER THAT BROMINE IS VERY SLOW TO DISSOLVE SO WATCH LEVELS CLOSELY. WE ALSO RECOMMEND BROMINE GRANULES TO INCREASE THE BROMINE LEVEL QUICKLY.
Small dispenser - 20g tablets
8ft pool - 3 tablets with 3 slots open at base
10ft pool - 4 tablets with 4 slots open at base
12ft pool - 4 - 5 tablets with 4 slots open at base
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A STARTING GUIDE ONLY AND YOU MAY NEED TO INCREASE OR DECREASE DEPENDING ON YOUR POOL USAGE ETC.
To boost levels quickly use our Bromine granules!
Don't forget to adjust your pH levels etc according to the readings on your test strips. MAKE SURE YOU USE BROMINE COMPATIBLE TEST STRIPS!
To shock dose your pool use Oxy Shock - Chlorine free shock dose and apply at the rate of 30g every 1000lts of water and approximately once every 2 to 3 weeks.
Make sure you run your filter pump for at least a few hours each day.
Here we will take you through pool treatments, doing our best to cut the techno jargon and putting it in plain English!
There is a vast array of treatments available for swimming pools both above and below ground, indoor and out, permanent and seasonal! However to simplify things they can be broken down into small groups as listed below.
SANITISERS
WATER BALANCERS
CLARIFIERS & FLOCCULANTS
CLEANERS
ALGAECIDES
SANITISERS
These are the most important of all treatments. these are the ones which make sure that bacteria, viruses and other nasties don't infect the water and then you! They also help break down organic matter in the water that causes cloudiness and odours.
The most common one for pools is Chlorine. This comes in several forms. Liquid, granular and tablet. To add to this it can also be 'stabilised' and non stabilised!
LIQUID FORM
This mainly used in large, in ground pools and applied via a special doser. It is the most hazardous form to use due to the fact its a liquid that is very strong and can be splashed etc onto skin and surrounding items.
GRANULAR FORM
Is used to be the most popular form for pools until the tablet forms became more popular. Downsides with granular forms is that it has to be carefully measured and added regularly. However it is still very popular and ideal for smaller pools and seasonal ones.
TABLET FORM
This is the easiest one to use. It comes in sizes from very small for paddling pools to large 200g+ tablets for large seasonal and in ground pools. In most cases it is slow release and so a steady, controllable dosing is achievable over a period of time with minimal input. this is achieved through a 'skimmer' or a floating dispenser (sometimes called a 'Floater'!)
STABILISED AND NON STABILISED - NEVER MIX IN SAME CONTAINER!
Chlorine is broken down by sunlight and so to effectively use in an outdoor pool you should use a stabilised form. However if this is used in an indoor pool then the stabiliser can build up in the water and causes 'Chlorine lock'. This is where the Chlorine is no longer able to work and may register as zero on any testing equipment. For indoor pools use Non stabilised Chlorine. This is normally a form of Calcium Hypochlorite. Both types can be found in granular and tablet form.
MULTIFUNCTIONAL TABLETS
Just to add a little more to the array of treatments you can now get some Chlorines that do more than just sanitise! They may have an algaecide in them to help stop algae, a water clarifier to help clear cloudiness and assist the filter or a inbuilt 'shock dose'! (See section below). Luckily they are used the same as the treatments without them so no special details here!
BROMINE
This is normally used in spas and hot tubs as it is better in high temperatures but some people find that Chlorine is too harsh for their skin etc. Bromine is harder to use than Chlorine in a pool though. It is not stabilized against sunlight and so degrades quickly and also if used in tablet form which it normally would be, it is very slow to dissolve and so extra care must be taken not to let the levels drop too low. Bromine however is sometimes used in indoor pools as the lack of sunlight and increased temperature all help it to perform better. NOTE - EVEN BROMINE CONTAINS A SMALL AMOUNT OF CHLORINE AND SO CANNOT BE CALLED CHLORINE FREE.
CHLORINE FREE SANITISER
There are some forms of Chlorine free sanitisers available. They tend to be called Oxy shock or Chlorine free shock. You can even get UV filters which don't use any chemicals. In either case it isn't very cheap and anything other than a small paddling pool may be not cost effective. If you require more information on this please contact us.
SHOCK DOSE
Shock dose is in fact a form of sanitiser that is used to 'super sanitise' the water. It is used for a couple of several reasons.
1, To kick start off a new fill or where the sanitiser level has dropped very low. The long the water has to wait for the levels to get to normal the more change of bugs and nasties getting a hold.
2, To deal with a 'bather overload' that has resulted in cloudy water. This releases extra amounts of oxidisers into the water to break down the excess pollutants.
3, As a regular boost to control any resistant bugs etc that may get a hold over time.
The type of shock dose you use depends on what sanitiser you use. If using Chlorine then you would use a Chlorine shock. This can be in liquid, granule or small tablet form. Be careful to check and wait until the levels have gone back to a safe level before using the spa. If you are using Bromine the most popular form is Chlorine free shock, we sell OXY SHOCK. This gives of no chlorine smells and the spa can be used after as a little as 20 minutes after treatment! Alternatively you can use something called Bromine spa starter. This a concentrated form of granular Bromine and is a great way to boost levels when starting from fresh as Bromine can be very slow to establish a level.
NEVER MIX SHOCK AND NORMAL SANITISER IN THE SAME CONTAINER!
WATER BALANCERS
The most neglected yet one of the most important parts of water treatment! If your water is correctly balanced then it can causes a lot of problems.... skin and eye irritations, poor sanitiser effectiveness, corrosion of pipes and fittings, damage to other spa parts, scale etc.
To stop all this you need to keep a close eye on the following, (there are other minor ones which can be checked but these don't normally affect the average person.
ALKALINITY
Incorrect alkalinity can cause the PH to fluctuate a lot. If it is too low you can add Alkalinity builder. This will also increase the PH a little. However if it is high you have to rely on the acidic effect of you sanitiser or a series of small PH+ doses to correct the issue. If using PH+ make sure you only add a little at a time to avoid over dosing. This can be done over several days.
PH
The PH of the water reflects how Acid or Alkaline it is. Too much either way can cause many problems as listed above. To keep things on track you can adjust up or down using PH+ or PH-. The key is small doses at a time. Remember that Chlorine and Bromine tablets with often push the PH down over time.
HARDNESS
This is all about how much calcium there is in the water. It is most important to spa and pool owners who have tiles sides. This is because if it is too low it can cause the grouting to dissolve. However excessive levels can cause scaling of heaters etc and often points to excessively high PH values.
CLARIFIERS & FLOCCULANTS
Although not essential both of these can play an important part in the upkeep of your pool. Even with the best filters a small amount of very tiny particles in the water can get through and give the water a hazy look. This can also be caused by a sudden increase in bather load or as a by product of cosmetics washing off into the water. Your first port of call for hazy water is nearly always a shock dose, but to help it and the filter a treatment called a 'clarifier' can be added. This coats the outer of the tiny particles causing the haze and makes them bigger and easier for the filter to remove. Just a little goes a long way and some people like to add some weekly or bi-weekly as a preventative. Some forms of Chlorine tablets have this built in to save time!
CLEANERS
Cleaners for pools come in two main forms, external and filter. These again can be broken down into smaller groups but at this point it just adds confusion so we will keep it simple for everyone!
FILTER CLEANERS
Simply add this to a large container of hot water and submerse your filter or filters in it for several hours to break down grease and stubborn grime that can coat them. Your filters can last three times as long by doing this! Remember to rinse really well as they contain ingredients that can cause foaming.
EXTERNAL CLEANERS
These are used on the outside of the pool or surround. They are specially formulated to remove grime, dirt and impurities as well as scum lines etc. Try and avoid them washing back into the pool.
ALGAECIDES
Even the best maintained pools can suffer with algae. It enters the water via the rain, in the air and on us! There are various forms of algae, but the most common are the types that grown on the floor and sides of the pool, and those that create that lovely green haze, even green soup effect within the water.
At the end of these guides we have a Algae busting guide!
There are 2 main kinds of algaecide.
CURATIVE
Curative algaecides are applied regulary - normally every week. They attack and destroy algae as it forms. They can be copper based or non copper based. For seasonal pools either is fine. However for pools that stay up all year and have 'solar covers', it is best to use non copper as the copper based ones can degrade the covers with long term use.
PREVENTATIVE / PREVENTATIVE + CURATIVE
These are designed to be added to the pool and then left to do their job for several months, often between 3 and 6. Then can be purely preventative or both preventative and curative. They are excellent for over winter use and for larger pools or where you don't want to be treating on a regular basis. As with those above, they can be copper based or copper free.
Pool Treatment Guides
SWIMMING POOLS - CHLORINE BASED TREATMENT
Take a bucket of hot water (hand hot not boiling!) and dissolve the relevant amount of granular Chlorine in it. Apply at the following rate 50G per 2200 litres of pool water (See our guide for pool capacity). NOTE - this should be done outside in a well ventilated area. They can sometimes take several minutes to dissolve and occasional stirring will help speed things up.
KEEP CHILDREN AND ANIMALS AWAY FROM THE CONTAINER.
Once it has fully dissolved tip the water in to the pool slowly and evenly around the edges. Now take the top off the dispenser and place the appropriate amount of normal Chlorine tablets into it. Then adjust the dial on the base. The amount will depend on pool size, tablet size and dispenser size.
*** Small paddling pools can use our special instant Chlorine tablets. They can be used as a Chlorine shock and normal treatment! Each tablet will treat 1000lts!
Small dispensers - 20g tablets slow release Chlorine tablets
8ft pool - 1 tablet with one slot open at base
10ft pool - 2 tablets with 2 slots open at base
12ft pool - 3 tablets with 2 slots open at base for inflatable ring type pools and 3 slots open for framed pools.
Large dispensers - 200g slow release Chlorine tablets
10ft pool - 1 tablet with 1 slot open at base
12ft pool - 1 tablet with 2 slots open at base
15ft pool - 1 tablet with 3 slots open at base
18ft pool - 2 tablets with 4 slots open at base
PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A STARTING GUIDE ONLY AND THE USE OF TEST STRIPS WILL BE NEEDED TO HELP SET THE DOSING RATES PROPERLY FOR YOUR POOL.
Many things affect the exact dosing rate including amount of direct sunlight, water temperature, water hardness and pool usage. Before you first use the pool always check with test strips to see that the Chlorine levels are within safe limits. If it is still very low you can add extra shock dose for a quick boost and also increase the normal dosing by opening another slot on your dispenser. Remember to check every other day until you have a steady level. Then you can decrease testing to 2 to 3 times a week depending on usage etc. Instructions on how to use the test strips can be found on the bottle that they come in.
If the level is kept correct you shouldn't have any problems with algae, but if you do then you can use a multifunction tablet to correct this. These not only contain Chlorine, but also an algaecide and a water clarifier to make the water sparkle! We recommend that you shock dose the pool once every 2 to 3 weeks depending on usage to keep any resistance bugs and nasties at bay.
If your test strips shows an incorrect level of pH or alkalinity then please use pH + / - or alkalinity builder to correct this. These will have either come with your kit if you purchased one from us or can be found in the shop in nice and easy to use ready measured amounts. Make sure you run your filter pump for at least a few hours each day.
SWIMMING POOLS - BROMINE BASED TREATMENT
Treatment for Bromine based pools is fairly similar to chlorine treatment as listed above but the levels required for Bromine are somewhat higher. Also, it should be noted that Bromine is NOT stabilised against sunlight breakdown like our Chlorine treatments. So you will need to wathc levels closely and use a cover when not in use.
Take a bucket of warm water and dissolve the relevant amount of OXY SHOCK into it. You will need 30g packet per 1000 litres of water. When this has dissolved add to pool in a slow and even manner around the edges. Now add the appropriate amount of Bromine tablets to the dispenser and adjust the dial on the base, as detailed below. REMEMBER THAT BROMINE IS VERY SLOW TO DISSOLVE SO WATCH LEVELS CLOSELY. WE ALSO RECOMMEND BROMINE GRANULES TO INCREASE THE BROMINE LEVEL QUICKLY.
Small dispenser - 20g tablets
8ft pool - 3 tablets with 3 slots open at base
10ft pool - 4 tablets with 4 slots open at base
12ft pool - 4 - 5 tablets with 4 slots open at base
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A STARTING GUIDE ONLY AND YOU MAY NEED TO INCREASE OR DECREASE DEPENDING ON YOUR POOL USAGE ETC.
To boost levels quickly use our Bromine granules!
Don't forget to adjust your pH levels etc according to the readings on your test strips. MAKE SURE YOU USE BROMINE COMPATIBLE TEST STRIPS!
To shock dose your pool use Oxy Shock - Chlorine free shock dose and apply at the rate of 30g every 1000lts of water and approximately once every 2 to 3 weeks.
Make sure you run your filter pump for at least a few hours each day.