FAQ
that is the closest match.
You Will Get Better With Practice.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
How often should I test my Pool/Spa?
You should test your pool at least:
- Every 1 week in summer
- Every 2 weeks in winter
- After heavy pool use eg after a pool party
- It is also a good idea to retest your pool 3 days after you have added chemicals to ensure accuracy in re balancing.
What is the best way to care for my Aquachek Strips?
1. Caution must be taken not to touch the coloured pads as this will affect your water test results.
2. Always keep the lid of the Pool and Spa test strips securely tightened when not in use.
3. Store your Pool and Spa test strips in a cool dry place.
4. Do not remove the moisture protection pillow within the Pool and Spa test strip bottle.
Why is there no mention of Cyanuric Acid (Stabiliser) when I test my Spa?
Due to the fact that most spas are under shelter or have a cover fitted this alone protects the sanitiser from being eaten up by the UV light from the sun. Another reason is that generally the volume of a spa is less than that of a pool and Cyanuric acids levels have a tendency to reach undesirably high levels reducing the efficiency of the sanitiser.
What order should I add chemicals to my pool?
We have found that it is best to add chemicals to your pool as per the instructions on the product container or leave hour intervals between each product while the pool pump is running.
Pool and Spa Chemistry
What is pH?
pH is the proportion of acid to alkaline content in the water of your pool or spa.
What happens if my pH is not at the correct level?
If your pool pH is high the results are as follows:
- Scale or hard deposit builds up on pool or spa surfaces and coils of heating systems - Blocking of filtration systems
- Reduced chlorine efficiency
If your pool pH is Low the results are as follows:
- Eye and nose irritation
- Etching (eating into) plaster or lining surfaces of the pool or spa
- Corrosion of metal such as ladders, recirculation and filtration
- Rapid dissipation of chlorine
What is Free Chlorine?
Every sanitizer has two key functions, to sanitize (kill bacteria and all living organisms) and also oxidize (destroy contaminants and waste). The most popular pool and spa sanitizer is chlorine. Chlorine is also classified as a disinfectant, meaning that it is capable of killing bacteria, algae and other organic material instantly. All chlorine does the same thing when it is added to the water, regardless of the type of chlorine added. It forms free available chlorine. Free chlorine is the form of chlorine that kills bacteria, algae and disease-causing organisms.
You must maintain free chlorine at a sufficient level to disinfect potential contaminants on contact. The more chlorine in the water, the more it can sanitize and oxidize the water. (Remember that sanitizing and oxidizing are the processes that chlorine uses to keep the water clear and clean.) However, if the free chlorine level gets too high, it can make the water uncomfortable for swimmers.
What is Total Alkalinity?
Total Alkalinity measures the amount of alkaline substances (primarily bicarbonates and carbonates) in your water. Alkaline substances buffer your water against sudden changes in your pH.
- Incorrect pH
- Incorrect Total Alkalinity
- Presence of chloramines (used up free chlorine combined with ammonia, body fats, body wastes etc)
Treatment:
- Test your pool water on www.poolwatertesting.com.au and administer the necessary Chemicals
- Use an Oxygen shock (following label instructions)
Algae
What is Algae?
Algae are microscopic plants. Like all plants algae require nutrients. Algae obtain their food from leaves, plants and all organic matter (including swimmers).
- No free available chlorine
- Poor or inadequate filtration
- Presence of phosphates in the water
- Incorrect pH
- Excessive stabiliser levels
- Failing to test pool water regularly and adjust parameters
- Test your pool water on www.poolwatertesting.com.au and administer the necessary Chemicals
- Brushing pool walls and floor thoroughly. A stainless steel brush is recommended for Black Spot Algae on pebble crete or marble sheen pools
- Backwashing or cleaning filter
- Super chlorinating pool water
- Adding liquid algaecide
If your pool surface is pebble crete or marble sheen and there are black spots on the wall and/or floor, in addition to the above we recommend adding a granular algaecide 24hrs prior to adding the liquid algaecide.
If algae are a common occurrence in your pool, phosphates may be present.
What are Phosphates?
Phosphates are a major food source for algae and can be controlled by the addition of Starver. Phosphates are released into the water from fallen leaves in the pool.
Will filtration clear the water?
In most cases it will, but if the pool was severely infested by algae it may be necessary to use a product called Maxi Floc Plus or Floc-Out to drop the suspended dead algae particles and then vacuum the pool to waste.
Note - Be sure to retest your water again after this process to rebalance your pool as when you vacuum to waste you will have to top up the pool.
Cloudy Water
Why is my pool/spa water cloudy?
Cloudy pool water can be caused by one or more of the following:
- No free available chlorine
- Incorrect pH or Total Alkalinity
- Poor or inadequate filtration
- Failing to test water regularly and adjust parameters
- Suspended particles as a result of treating pool for an algae infestation
All of the above also directly relate to Spa water becoming cloudy.
How can I make my water sparkle again?
Cloudy water can be treated by:
- Testing your pool water on www.poolwatertesting.com.au and administer the necessary Chemicals
- Super chlorinating pool water
- Backwashing or cleaning your filter
Staining and Scale Formation
How can I remove stains on my water line tiles?
It is always a good idea to thoroughly brush your water line tiles regularly to prevent build up of stains. Some tiles are more prone to staining than others. You may possibly see a white calcium build up on the grout or tiles that can be treated with a Poolstone Block and regularly testing your water.
Why does my pool have Surface Staining?
Possible causes of staining are soluble metals such as iron, copper, manganese or tannins and pigments from plants entering pool water. When stains appear on swimming pool surfaces immediate action should be taken. Test and adjust pH and use a stain remover (following label instructions) together with Metal Solution until all metals are removed.
What is Scale Formation?
Crusty white deposits on pool surfaces and equipment indicate scale formation. This problem is common in new concrete pools due to the leaching of the new interior.
Try using a Poolstone Block (BR-PS)
How can I remove scale from my pool?
Firstly to prevent this problem it is recommended to use Scale Eliminator and to test your water more frequently.
Try using Scale Eliminator (SCALE)
Salt Water Pools
How can I tell if I have enough salt is in my pool?
A good guide is to look at your chlorinator power pack, (the box on the wall with the lead going to the cell) which in most cases will have a chlorine indicator meter. If you are unable to turn the production of chlorine up to the maximum and the salt water cell is clean, this is a good indication that your pool may need more salt.
Other more advanced chlorinators may have a need salt indicator located on the control panel.
I have a salt water pool. Why do I need to add chlorine?
A salt water chlorinator is designed to maintain a residual of chlorine by dosing small amounts of chlorine into the water when the filtration system is on. At times the chlorinator can struggle to maintain these levels because of heavy pool use, the cell may need cleaning, inadequate Cyanuric Acid (Stabiliser) levels or the water may be heated which rapidly reducing chlorine levels.
It is then necessary to give your chlorinator a helping hand by giving your salt water pool an additional dose of chlorine.
FAQ - more to come
Spa recommendations
We recommend using a combination of Spa Lithium Hyperchlorite, Spa Shock Right and a Nature 2 Spa Cartridge for a complete sanitising package. All these product are available in one handy pack Nature 2 Spa Kit. (require hyperlink for all of the products mentioned)
Once a day use Spa Lithium Hyperchlorite 10 minutes before using spa with the spa cover off use Spa Shock Right Every 4 months replace Nature 2 Spa Cartridge and empty and refill your Spa with fresh water Once every 2 months clean and soak your spa cartridge in Spa Bath & Cartridge Clean
Terms and Conditions
By using this website to test your pool or spa water you agree to all inclusive terms and conditions outlined thereafter whether susbcribed or unsubscribed.
www.poolwatertesting.com.au can at no time be held liable for incorrect use of this site or incorrect chemical dosages or volume calculations associated with the users pool or spa.
Users of the website use the site www.poolwatertesting.com.au are at their own risk and therefor are responsible for their own health and safety.
Users of www.poolwatertesting.com.au can at no time reverse engineer or copy functionality of the site. Doing so will lead to litigation proceedings by www.poolwatertesting.com.au
Changing of a email address after a lifetime subscription has been paid via PayPal will incurr a $15 administration fee.
Once a subsciption has been activated for a lifetime of usage refunds of $29.95 cannot be refunded.
1. The materials displayed on this website, including without limitation all editorial materials, information, photographs, illustrations, artwork and other graphic materials, and names, logos and trade marks, are the property of www.poolwatertesting.com.au and are protected by copyright, trade mark and other intellectual property laws. Any such content may be displayed and printed solely for your personal, non-commercial use within your organisation only. You agree not to reproduce, retransmit, distribute, disseminate, sell, publish, broadcast or circulate any such material to any third party without the express prior written consent of www.poolwatertesting.com.au.
Save for the above, www.poolwatertesting.com.au does not grant any licence or right in, or assign all or part of, its intellectual property rights in the content or applications incorporated into the website or in the user interface of the website.
2. You acknowledge and accept that the information contained on this website (the website information) may include technical inaccuracies. You acknowledge and accept that the website information is subject to change at any time and may not necessarily be up to date or accurate at the time you view it. You should enquire with us directly to ensure the accuracy and currency of the material you seek to rely upon.
3. To the extent permitted by law www.poolwatertesting.com.au disclaims all warranties with regard to the information and applications contained on the website and your use of the website, including all implied warranties of merchantability and fitness. In no event shall www.poolwatertesting.com.au, its contractors, agents, or employees be liable for any damages whatsoever (including special, indirect or consequential) arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of the website whether in contract, at common law or in equity, or on any other basis. These Terms and Conditions do not exclude warranties or conditions which www.poolwatertesting.com.au cannot, by law, exclude. These Terms and Conditions do not exclude any liability which any law requires www.poolwatertesting.com.au to accept. If www.poolwatertesting.com.au becomes liable for any breach of any such condition or warranty, www.poolwatertesting.com.au liability shall be limited at its option, to any one or more of the following:
(a) in the case of goods, to any one it determines of the following: replacement of the goods or the supply of equivalent goods; repair of the goods; payment of the cost of replacing the goods or acquiring equivalent goods; or payment of the cost of having the goods repaired; and
(b) in the case of services, to either supplying the services again or payment of the cost of having the services supplied again.
4. If you wish to establish a
link to this website you must, in the first instance, use the Contact Us Link at the top of the page and provide the following information:
(i) the URL of the website that you seek to establish a link from;
(ii) a brief description of your website; and
(iii) the reason that you wish to establish a link.
If www.poolwatertesting.com.au agrees to your proposed link, you must comply with any terms and conditions imposed by www.poolwatertesting.com.au as a condition of such agreement. If the nature and/or content of your website changes in any significant way, you must contact www.poolwatertesting.com.au and provide a new description of your website.
5. This website and the materials displayed on it may not be accessible from time to time due to act of God or other force majeure events, including inability to obtain or shortage of necessary materials, equipment facilities, power or telecommunications, lack of telecommunications equipment or facilities and failure of information technology or telecommunications equipment or facilities.
6. You must not attempt to change, add to, remove, deface, hack or otherwise interfere with this website or any material or content displayed on this website.
7. These Terms and Conditions are governed by and construed in accordance with the State of New South Wales, Australia. In the event that a dispute arises from these terms and Conditions, you agree to submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of New South Wales, Australia.
Useful Links - Pool Test Kit