At Pooltime WA we keep chemicals simple. There are a variety of chemicals available to help keep your pool looking sparkling clean, and some issues require specific chemical solutions. However maintaining a clean pool is often about the basics of keeping the correct sanitiser level and the pH balanced. If you are unsure of the chemical levels in your pool, bring a 250ml water sample in store and one of our staff will be happy to provide a free water test.
Chlorine
Maintaining the correct level of Chlorine in your pool is important to keep your pool safe and clean. Chlorine is the most commonly used sanitiser in pools and keeping the correct level of chlorine helps prevent harmful bacteria and algae.
While many pools have Salt Water Chlorinators or Chemical Dosing Systems to add chlorine to the pool automatically, regularly testing the chlorine level of your pool is still important. Keeping extra chlorine around to top up when required or to use as a shock treatment is also recommended.
Pooltime WA stock Chlorine both granular & liquid varieties. The granular chlorine comes in 2kg, 4kg, 10kg & 40kg sizes and liquid chlorine can be purchased in 20 litre drums.
pH Balancers
It’s important to maintain the pH of your pool in the range of 7.2 to 7.6, as this helps the chlorine to be most effective while also helping reduce irritation on your eyes and damage to the pool surface.
If your pH is too high (above 7.6) this can be reduced with acid. The most common acid used in pools is hydrochloric acid which is available in 5L and 20L containers. Granular acid is also available in 3kg.
If your pH is below 7.2 then it can be raised using either with Alkalinity up or Soda Ash. Soda Ash differs from Alkalinity Up (Also referred to as buffer) as it has a greater effect on the pH where Alkalinity Up is largely used to increase Alkalinity.
Alkalinity
Total Alkalinity should be ideally kept between 80 and 120 ppm. Keeping an ideal Alkalinity level helps to reduce the change in the pool waters pH which can help to reduce the need for Acid or Soda Ash. As mentioned above Alkalinity Up or Buffer is used to manage the Alkalinity levels of the pool and is available in 2kg, 4kg and 10kg.
Stabiliser
Stabiliser, Cyanuric Acid or Sunscreen as it is also known acts to protect chlorine from being destroyed by UV rays from the sun. This is particularly important during summer months, on a hot day with high UV levels chlorine can be destroyed rapidly making maintaining the correct level of stabiliser crucial to keeping your pool safe from algae and bacteria. Stabiliser levels should be maintained around 50ppm. It is also recommended to be careful not to go too far over this level as it can then begin to affect the clarity of the pool and hold the chlorine in the water past it’s effectiveness. Available in 2kg and 4kg sizes.
Salt
Maintaining the correct Salt levels is only relevant for pools equipped with a salt water chlorinator system. These systems use the salt in the water to produce Chlorine and maintaining the correct salt levels allows the chlorinator to operate more efficiently while preventing damage to the cell. Our salt is sold in 20kg bags and is sourced in Western Australia.
