• Algae

  While the goal of water chemistry is to help maintain crystal clear and blue sparkling water, at times your pool water - its water clarity - will be1

• Alkalinity

  The Alkalinity level is one of three indicators that will help determine water balance (or imbalance). The Alkalinity level affects the pH level, which is1

• Ancillary Chemicals

  You must use pool chemicals to sanitize, oxidize (shock), and balance the pool water. The phrase 'ancillary chemicals' simply refers to the additional1

• Balancing The Water

  You must chemically-balance your pool water. When balanced pool water is being referenced, this refers specifically to the Alkalinity, pH, and Hardness (also1

• Biguanides

  Biguanides [pronounced by-gwa-nides] are a sanitizer of pool water. The use of biguanides to sanitize the water is a true alternative to chlorine. In fact, it1

• Bromine

  There are many pool sanitizers other than traditional chlorine. While bromine is technically considered an alternative to chlorine, bromine itself still1

• Chemical Overview

  Gaining an understanding of the various pool chemicals individually is fairly straightforward. Where it gets a bit more challenging, though, is that there is a1

• Chemical Tests

  Chemical testing is simply the process to obtain chemical results so you can determine if a chemical level is low, ideal, or high. This will ensure that you1

• Chlorine

  Chlorine is a sanitizer for pool water. While salt (having a saltwater pool) is gaining rapid and exponential growth as a proven option to sanitize pool water1

• Cloudy Water

  While the goal of water chemistry is to help maintain crystal clear and blue sparkling water, at times your pool water - its water clarity - will be1

• Cyanuric Acid

  When chlorine is used to sanitize your pool, that chlorine must be protected from the sun. The ultraviolet rays from the sun will destroy any chlorine if it is1

• Discolored Water

  While the goal of water chemistry is to help maintain crystal clear and blue sparkling water, at times your pool water - its water clarity - will be1

• Hardness

  The Hardness level (also called the Calcium Hardness level) is one of three indicators that will help determine water balance (or imbalance). While pH and1

• Helping The Chemicals

  While pool chemicals will always get the credit for water clarity (or blame for unclear water), chemicals alone cannot keep a pool clear. Fortunately, there1

• Hindering The Chemicals

  There are certain situations, conditions, and events that can be detrimental to your pool chemicals and therefore hinder water chemistry, which can - and often1

• Ion-Chlorination

  The use of ions as a sanitizer for pool water is often referred to as an alternative to chlorine, but it really should be referred to as a co-sanitizer with1

• Mineral-Chlorination

  The use of certain minerals as a sanitizer for pool water is often referred to as an alternative to chlorine, but it really should be referred to as a1

• Oxidizing The Water

  You must chemically-oxidize your pool water to assist your chosen sanitizer in maintaining water chemistry. While you do have some oxidizer options and1

• Ozone-Chlorination

  The use of ozone as a sanitizer for pool water is often referred to as an alternative to chlorine, but it really should be referred to as a co-sanitizer with1

• pH

  The pH level is one of three indicators that will help determine water balance (or imbalance). The pH level is likely the most important indicator of water1

• Salt

  There are many pool sanitizer options. While traditional chlorine is still the most popular pool sanitizer used today, saltwater pools continue to gain rapid1

• Sanitizing The Water

  You must chemically-sanitize your pool water. While you do have sanitizer options and choices, you do not have the choice to sanitize the pool or not sanitize1

• Scale

  While the goal of water chemistry is to maintain crystal clear and blue sparkling water, this can be detracted by the presence of scale, which is a white and1

• Shock

  If you use biguanides to sanitize your pool water, then do not read this 'Shocking The Pool' section. You cannot use traditional pool shock with1

• Specialty Chemicals

  The main chemicals you will use as a pool owner are your chosen sanitizer, shock, and the water balancers (for Alkalinity, pH, and Hardness levels).You should1

• Stains

  While the goal of water chemistry is to maintain crystal clear and blue sparkling water, this can be detracted by the presence of a stains on the pool surface.1

• Total Dissolved Solids

  Many pool owners are confused about the topic of Total Dissolved Solids (often referred to by its acronym, TDS) in a pool. While the actual explanation of -1

• UV-Chlorination

  The use of ultra-violet light (often referred to as just UV) has always been a co-sanitizer with chlorine, because some chlorine - albeit in trace amounts - is1

• Water Chemistry

  While pool safety is the #1 priority of pool ownership, pool maintenance is also high on the list of priorities. To be able to maintain your pool, you must be1

• Waterline Build-Up

  While the goal of water chemistry is to help maintain crystal clear and blue sparkling water, at times your pool water - its water clarity - will be1