15. May. 2021 / by Weston Darling / Water Quality / 0 comments

Free vs. Total Chlorine: What’s The Difference?

Ready for a refresher on pool science? Chlorine is your best friend in the fight against germs and viruses. It’s also a great defense against algae and other biological growth. But do you feel confident about the difference in free vs. total chlorine and why they matter? Let us break down these two important measurements for your water quality.

A Chemistry Lesson

When we talk about pool chlorine, we’re actually talking about different states of chlorine activation. That’s because chlorine undergoes a chemical reaction as it works to destroy contaminants. Basically, its molecular bonds change as it sanitizes. Chlorine takes these four forms in your water:

Free Chlorine – The amount of chlorine that is available to sanitize your water; often abbreviated as FAC for free available chlorine.
Combined Chlorine – When free chlorine particles bond with containments through oxidation. This is when chlorine is actively working to destroy germs.
Chloramines – A chemical that is formed when free chlorine attaches to body waste, personal care products, ammonia, and nitrogen. It often creates a gas that most people think is the smell of a chlorinated pool but is actually a sign that water quality is low.
Total Chlorine – This is the sum of both combined and free chlorine.

So why are these measurements important? Chlorine’s sanitizing power is lost if you don’t have the correct amount of free and total chlorine. For example, let’s say you have 3 ppm for total chlorine and 0 ppm for free chlorine. Don’t think that the total chlorine level means your water is clean! Zero free chlorine means exactly that – there’s no available chlorine actively working.

The Right Chlorine Ratio

The reason you need to test your water quality so often is that your chemicals are always hard at work. That means they need to be replenished as they do their job. Chlorine is no exception.

The ideal concentration for free chlorine is at least 1 ppm with a pH within a 7.2–7.8 range, according to the CDC. Chlorine and pH go hand in hand. A higher pH decreases chlorine’s ability to disinfect while a lower pH can lead to eye and skin irritation. It’s like the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears – you want free chlorine and pH just right!

Test free chlorine concentration and pH at least once per week. You may need to do it more often if you have a heavy bather load, like an all-day pool party. When in doubt, use your senses. If the water doesn’t look or smell quite right, test it.

As a general rule of thumb, add chlorine shock when you have a large weekly bather load. Add oxidizer when your free chlorine is low.

Have more questions about free vs. total chlorine? Check out this video for additional expert insights!

Still have questions? Stop in the store and bring us a water sample or contact us. We have everything you need to stay soaking up the summer FUN!

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30. Apr. 2021 / by Weston Darling / Pool Maintenance, Water Quality / 0 comments

3 Ways to Maximize Your Pool Chlorine

Chlorine is the single most important way to clean your pool water. This chemical defense neutralizes pathogens, such as “bacteria like salmonella and E. coli, as well as germs that cause viruses such as diarrhea and swimmer’s ear” (American Chemistry Council). Chlorine even helps combat pesky algae growth.

You need to test and replenish your chlorine level every week. Factors like temperature, sunlight, debris, and bather load can all burn through your chlorine level. But there are steps you can take to avoid excessive use and maximize your pool chlorine throughout the season. That’s good for your water and your wallet!

1) Measure Properly

Are you the type of person who cooks without a recipe or mixes the perfect cocktail without measuring? We’re sorry to say that magic touch won’t work on your pool! Water quality is like baking – there’s a specific ingredient ratio needed to produce a specific chemical reaction.

You first need to know how many gallons your pool holds. If you are an existing customer, we’ll have this on file for you! Otherwise you can use this formula to calculate the volume: length x width x depth x 7.5 gallons per cubic foot.

Then read the directions on your chlorine label. The amounts differ based on your volume and whether you are using granules or tablets. Simply add the measurements listed to achieve the correct parts per million (ppm). Don’t eyeball or guess – actually measure!

2) Use a Cover

Did you know direct sunlight destroys chlorine? That’s right – UV rays from the sun break apart chlorine’s ions when they’re in a liquid state. In fact, ultraviolet radiation “can reduce chlorine by up to 90 percent in two hours” (Sciencing).

Maximize your pool chlorine with a pool cover. Think of it like adding a giant sun visor over your pool. It reflects off the sun’s rays, keeping your water shaded. A cover also reduces water evaporation, which can lower chlorine levels as well. Read our post about the four types of pool covers here.

3) Test Regularly

The saying “you can’t manage what you don’t measure” definitely applies to pool chemistry! It would be like driving a car without a gas gauge. If you don’t know what your current levels are, there’s no way to determine what needs to be adjusted.

For example, let’s say it’s time to shock your pool. A 1lb. bag of our Poolife TurboShock treats a 10,000-gallon pool. But what if you have a 30,000-gallon pool and no idea how much chlorine is left? You might end up overcompensating and adding more shock than is necessary.

Remember that chlorine isn’t the only chemical level you need to monitor. That’s why we encourage you to take advantage of our free in-store water testing! Simply bring in a sample and we’ll run it for chlorine, alkalinity, calcium, cyanuric acid, copper, iron, manganese, TDS (total dissolved solids), phosphates, and salt. Read our post on the importance of water chemistry if you need a refresher.

Need help? Give us a call 319-200-7665.

15. Apr. 2021 / by Weston Darling / Pool Maintenance, Pool Ownership / 0 comments

5 Ways to Automate Your Pool

We love our automatic coffee machines, programmable thermostats, and smart speakers. What’s amazing is that this same technology can be paired with your pool! Learn about the cool ways you can automate your pool and streamline its operation.

1) Pool Cover

Pool covers are a smart way to minimize evaporation, trap in heat, and even prevent accidents. But a manual cover can be difficult to physically move into place. An automated cover is as simple as a turn of a key!

An automatic cover smoothly glides over your water in a matter of seconds using motorized pulleys. Covers are flush on in-ground rectangular pools or above the deck with freeform shapes. We are an authorized dealer for Cover-Pools, which offers two vinyl options and a range of coordinating colors.

2) Robot Cleaners

Did you know there’s a pool version of a Roomba vacuum? These adorable little robots have scrub brushes that whisk away buildup. They’ll also trap debris and particulates they encounter. Some models crawl over floors but some can scale walls! Read our post about which robotic cleaner will work for your pool.

3) Lights and Water Features

Imagine coming home from work with your pool waterfall running gently and your deck lights glowing in the twilight. All of your lights and water features can be fully automated on a set schedule or through remote control. It’s the same ability as opening your garage with an app or programming your home’s exterior lights to turn on once it’s dark.

4) Water Monitoring

Technology that makes water chemistry easier? Yes please! Intelligent sensors can help keep your water clear and sparkling. It’s like the gauges in your car that indicate when you need an oil change or more air in a tire – it simplifies upkeep. Some systems even have an app so you can check levels or run pumps on your phone at anytime from anywhere.

If you have a saltwater pool, we recommend Pentair’s iChlor system. This device automatically converts salt into chlorine. Its sensors continuously measure chlorine levels – no test strips required. Simply push a button to adjust chlorine output in 1% increments.

5) Full Automation

For full pool automation, we rely on Pentair’s IntelliTouch. This control system allows you to program your pool heating, filtration, and cleaning. It even includes lighting and water features! IntelliTouch’s control panel and app manages the scheduling and operation of your pool so you can focus more on relaxation.

This level of precision control saves you money too. Equipment countdown timers, shorter filtration cycles, and syncing operation to off-peak electrical rates really adds up. You also extend the life of your equipment when it’s not working so hard.

Automated systems are simple to include in your pool design. In addition to new pools, intelligence can be added during renovations or to existing pools. Schedule your pool consult by sending us a message. Adding in some of these ways to automate your pool equipment is just another way we build FUN and we’re happy to help!

31. Mar. 2021 / by Weston Darling / Hot Tub Ownership, Splash Pool & Spa Brands / 0 comments

Are You Buying Trusted Spa Products?

Ready to restock your spa products? We know it’s tempting to shop online or at a big box store, but you’ll trade quality for convenience. Not when you shop with us! We only carry trusted spa products and brands that we use in our own hot tubs. Plus our staff is always happy to answer your questions about water chemistry and spa upkeep. Let us check off one thing on your to-do list!

1) One-Stop Shopping

Water quality is the foundation to an amazing spa experience. For hot tub models that use an in-line sanitation system, we carry chlorine and bromine cartridges. We also stock floatable cartridges from Spa Frog.

While you are here, grab a bucket (or bottle) of granular chlorine or bromine. It’s important to have supplemental sanitizer on hand. It’s like laundry detergent booster – sometimes you need a little extra cleaning power!

We also have your oxidizer, which breaks down organic matter. Don’t forget balancing agents that will help correct your pH balance. They’ll also address specific issues like heavy metals or scale from lime or calcium. These proactive treatments help you stay ahead of issues.

2) Handy Accessories

Do you really want to pay shipping for a spa vacuum? Or have to wait for test strips to arrive in the mail? Does your home improvement store carry the right tablet dispensers? We always have these supplies on hand in our showroom.

One of the most important things we can help order is your spa cover. Because covers are so important to energy efficiency and water conservation, this isn’t an item you want to skimp on. We purchase covers directly from Marquis Spas and Hot Spring Spas – the two brands we carry. We use your tub’s serial number so your cover is an exact fit.

3) Top-Rated Chemicals

We take pride in offering spa treatments that have dependable formulas. We’ve seen how ineffective bargain brands can be. For example, one of our spa customers went to a home improvement store and bought a generic product. It turned all of the water green and the tub had to be completely drained! Oofta…nobody has time for that!

We carry brands such as Brilliance, Spa Frog, AquaSpa, and cartridges for Hot Springs’ FreshWater Salt System. We also LOVE helping you understand ingredient ratios on these products and how to measure correctly. It’s sort of like reading the label on the back of food packaging. You want to know exactly what you’re putting in your hot tub. It’s important that you feel confident and empowered about your spa care and that’s what we’re here for!

Are you a pool owner? Not only do we carry trusted spa products, we take the same approach with our pool customers too! Let us help with all of your pool chemicals and supplies! Read about why you should let us take care of this as well!

Don’t forget, we offer complimentary water testing for anyone any time! Stop in during store hours to 5454 Center Point Road NE in Cedar Rapids or take advantage of our overnight dropbox. Simply leave us a water sample; we’ll test it and email you the results! Now that’s service!

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