When handling chemicals such as those used to adjust calcium hardness, follow the product manufacturer’s instructions closely. They will provide you with instructions regarding dosage, application if raise calcium hardness of your pool water.

Pool Maintenance and Repair Prevention

A well-balanced calcium hardness level helps your pool to look great and function properly. It prevents water from being too corrosive, which can damage equipment and lead to expensive repairs. It also prevents the buildup of scale, which can clog your filters and slow water flow. The ideal calcium hardness level is 250 ppm, but it will vary depending on your location and the relative hardness of your local water supply. Calcium hardness increaser can be purchased on on you local pool supplies store.

If you use a pool service, they should perform a calcium test on the water sample that they collect from your home. You can also purchase water testing kits to perform your own tests at home. Ideally, you should test your water on a weekly basis, and also test it when you add chemicals, drain or refill the pool, receive a lot of rain water, or have a high number of swimmers in the pool.

Too low of a calcium hardness level causes your water to be too soft, which is not good for your equipment or for the structure of your pool and its surfaces. It can cause your water to etch, pit or corrode the surface of your pools, as it is unable to hold on to the other minerals that are necessary for proper water chemistry.

You can prevent calcium hardness imbalances by balancing other aspects of your water chemistry first, such as the pH and total alkalinity. Once these are properly balanced, you can begin to address your calcium hardness levels using a calcium hardness increaser or by partially draining and diluting the water if it is too high. It is important to check you water and ensure you dissolve the chemicals.

Regular water professional assistance and equipment will help you keep your pool in good condition and make owning a pool and hot tub a fun and rewarding experience. With the right care and attention, your swimming area will provide years of happy use. It is a worthwhile investment, so invest your time and money wisely! Keep up with the water testing and regular balancing and you will have a pool that lasts for years to come. Enjoy the summertime swim.

Draining and Refilling the Pool

Just when you think you have your pool water chemistry perfect, something comes along that throws it out of balance. One of these culprits is calcium hardness. It is important to keep this level in balance to protect your pool surfaces and equipment. Ideally, it should be between 175 and 225 parts per million.

Lower than this and your water becomes acidic. This can damage the surface of your pool liner and can corrode metal items like equipment or the pool rails. Low calcium hardness also affects your pool's alkalinity, causing it to drop out of balance, and can even create etching that leaves blemishes on the pool masonry.

Fortunately, raising calcium levels is much easier and cheaper than lowering them. Simply seek out a pool calcium hardness increaser at any pool store, and follow the instructions on the product label to raise your levels. It's important to know your pool volume before applying the chemical, so you can calculate how much to add. You can use a calculator to help you figure out this information, or ask your local pool store for assistance.

It's always a good idea to drain and refill the pool before adding any chemicals. This gets rid of any contaminants that may be in the water, and helps to restore your water chemistry to its ideal levels. Once the water has been drained, be sure to clean the filter and brush the pool surface before refilling it. You'll also want to ensure that you have a safe way to discharge the water into the sewer, or hire a professional to do it for you.

It's important to test your water chemistry frequently and act quickly to correct any imbalances. Keeping your pH, total alkalinity and calcium levels in balance will save you time, money, and headaches when it comes to maintaining your pool. Remember to test and adjust the total alkalinity, pH and calcium levels before adjusting any other chemicals, and be sure to wear protective gear when handling any chemicals.

Maintaining the Water Chemistry

In addition to pH and total alkalinity, calcium hardness is an important part of the water chemistry that must be actively managed. Ideal levels are 200-400 parts per million (PPM). If the water level gets too low, it can create a corrosive environment that will damage surfaces and equipment in your pool or hot tub.

A calcium increaser is an effective product for raising the levels of this chemical in the water. These products typically contain a compound called calcium chloride in varying concentrations. The amount needed to raise the hardness levels varies, but the general rule is that 1 level tablespoon or teaspoon of product per 100 gallons of water will be enough.

It is a good idea to test the water on a regular basis so that you know what the chemistry looks like. It is also a good idea to keep track of these numbers over time. This can be done with a titration kit or a digital analyzer such as DigiQuatics. The level of calcium hardness is unlikely to change as much as the pH or chlorine, so it is less likely to need frequent testing.

While you might be tempted to use a chlorinating product such as chlorine tablets to increase the level of calcium in the water, this is usually not advisable. Using these types of chemicals often results in the water having high hardness levels, which can then lead to other problems such as scale and cloudy water. You can try to avoid this by using a salt system or other products that will help to maintain the correct balance of the water in your pool.

If the levels of calcium in your water are too low, you will notice that there is a slimy feeling to the water and that metals will be corroded. This is because the water is starved of this mineral and will seek to source it from surfaces such as plaster and other equipment in your pool.

Another way to increase the level of calcium in your water is by using a mineral treatment. These are also sometimes known as chelating or sequestering products and are used to help avoid problems such as staining, discoloration and scale. This will also solve issues of metal corrosion and maintain your calcium hardness.

Testing the Water

When using calcium hardness increaser to prevent pool etching, pitting of plaster, scaling of surfaces and equipment and persistent cloudiness, it is important to test the water with the right equipment. This can be done with a specialized water testing kit or an inexpensive liquid drop test kit (see below). Since these levels do not fluctuate as much as pH and chlorine levels, tests can be performed more often than tests for other chemicals.

There are several methods for testing the total hardness of your water, with the most accurate results obtained through a professional laboratory. These tests are costly and can take a while to complete, so many home and hobbyist pool owners prefer to use a more budget-friendly test method to monitor their water.

Test strips are available in a wide range of sizes and brands, so it's easy to find one that suits your needs. Most kits come with dozens of test strips, which can be used over and over again for quick, inexpensive results. Sellers can be found on your local area. It is recommended to buy a reputable brand.

To use these strips, simply dip a test strip into your pool water for a few seconds and wait for the color to change. Then compare the color to a chart provided with your kit to determine your water's hardness level.

A liquid drop testing kit is also very useful for monitoring the total hardness of your pools. These kits typically consist of a comparator tube, a hardness indicator, and a hardness reagent. To use the kit, first fill the comparator tube to the "elbow deep" mark with water from your pool or hot tub. Then add the hardness reagent and read the endpoint, which will be a blue color in most test kits.

When using this type of kit, it is important to allow the reagent and water to mix for a few minutes before adding the hardness indicator. This will ensure that the reagent has fully saturated the indicator and provided an accurate reading. Once you have determined the hardness level, record it in your pool maintenance log or on a calendar to track changes over time.

In maintaining your pool water. It is important that you purchase the product. It is also important to take note of product performance in this way you can provide feedback to the manufacturer.