Wondering why there is damage on your pool surfaces? We will explain why it is related to high calcium and show you how to lower hardness in pool.
While you may have already learned how to test the water’s pH, chlorine levels, and total alkalinity, identifying how to lower hardness in pool is equally important.
Hardness is the proportion of calcium and magnesium in pool water. When water is excessively hard, white scale develops on a pool surface. When it is overly soft, equipment weakens and rusts. In a nutshell, it causes real damage over time when not balanced.
What Causes High Calcium In Pool Water?
High calcium in the water is usually the aftereffect of your pool’s chemical imbalance. If your water’s pH, chlorine levels, and total alkalinity are messed up, calcium level rises. This is the reason why maintaining balance in your water is key. In the following section, we’ll show you how to measure calcium hardness in a pool and make the necessary adjustments.
How To Lower Hardness In Pool?
The right calcium hardness level depends on the kind of pool you have.
Vinyl or fiberglass surface must have a range of 175 parts per million (ppm) – 225 ppm, while a concrete pool must have a level kept within 200 ppm – 275 ppm.
Now, how do you lower hardness in a pool?
1. Test.
Know first if you need to lower hardness in pool. Typically, the first sign is cloudy water. Use a test strip 18 inches underneath the water. Hold it until the color changes and remove to compare the results with the optimal levels of ppm as mentioned above.
Note that it is recommended to monitor calcium levels every 1-3 months.
2. Drain.
In regions with immensely hard water, it is ideal to sink a portion of the water using a hose or pump. Remember not to drain the water completely unless you are doing structural changes.
3. Fill.
After draining, filling a softened or ordered water into a segment of your pool will bring down the calcium hardness. One caveat, however, is to avoid overfilling it as it can once again cause an imbalance to your water chemistry.
4. Pour hardness reducer.
Following the label on the product, measure the suggested amount, and fill a bucket. Pour the treatment from the bucket and turn the filter on for 24 hours.
5. Ensure balanced water chemistry.
Five days after the treatment, test the pH, chlorine, and alkalinity. Changes in any of which, as mentioned above, can continuously disrupt the ideal calcium level hardness.
The following are the recommended levels to keep in mind:
- pH level of 7.2 – 7.4 (You can add borax to increase these levels)
- Chlorine at 1-3 ppm
- Alkalinity level within the range of 80 – 120 ppm (Put sodium bicarbonate if you want to raise it)
6. Test again.
Seven days following the above steps, see if the ideal levels are attained. If not, repeat the cycle.
7. If all else doesn’t work, you can use muriatic acid. It won’t diminish the calcium hardness, yet it will raise the saturation, which can aid in bringing the water back to being balanced.
On the other hand, what if the water gets overly soft? Having such is equally harmful as it can be corrosive. It can break up cement and erode any metal parts contacted by the water. Everything adds up to costly repairs if the calcium level is not brought back up.
Luckily, increasing it is way easier than lowering hardness. Simply add calcium increaser and measure based on the product instructions.
Conclusion
At this point, you have already learned why maintaining balanced water chemistry is crucial. One element affects one or the other; thus, everything is interrelated.
Also, you’ve discovered how to lower hardness in pool to avoid damage to your equipment and pool surfaces.
Attentiveness is definitely a must since protecting your pool is a holistic approach. The more proactive you are at the onset, the less work and costs it will be later on. As long as you remember the guidelines above, you’ll be able to choose the right product for your needs and rest on the fact that your pool is secured.
