Those who maintain swimming pools understand that pool water is a carefully balanced chemical solution. The chemicals must be tweaked occasionally to keep the water healthy and safe for swimming. Yet, to maintain the correct chemistry within the pool, it’s essential to understand some basics about the different additives that go into keeping the water balanced. Pool conditioner is one of these chemical additives that’s too often ignored, yet it’s also essential for maintaining the water chemistry of a swimming pool. But is pool conditioner necessary? We explain below.
Why Is Pool Conditioner Necessary?
Ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun degrades chlorine in a swimming pool’s water, and one of the prime remedies involves a chemical compound often referred to as pool conditioner. Necessary to lengthen chlorine’s effectiveness in water, especially in outdoor pools exposed to direct sunlight, it’s sometimes referred to as a pool stabilizer. Classified as triazine, the chemical name for pool conditioner is cyanuric acid, which is also used in disinfectants and bleaches.
This chemical compound binds to free chlorine particles in the water, creating an equilibrium by keeping chlorine from degrading. Once added to the water, the pool conditioner releases this free chlorine slowly over time, so pool owners won’t need to add it as often. Generally, a pool conditioner is only added once the pool is filled with fresh water. However, if too much water is lost due to leaks or backwashing, testing the conditioner level is best to ensure the water is properly balanced.
When Is Pool Conditioner Necessary?
As with other pool chemicals, the proportion of conditioner in the pool is measured as parts per million (ppm). A good range is between 40 to 100 ppm, though the ideal is 70 ppm.
An initial level of 40 ppm is good for the start of the swimming season, as a chlorine conditioner will react to raise the level throughout the season toward the recommended upper limit of 100 ppm. If chlorine without pool conditioner is used, however, small amounts of stabilizer may need to be added to maintain an average of 70 ppm. Most pool supply companies carry tablets to test the water and check for sufficient cyanuric acid content.
On the other hand, stabilized chlorine already has cyanuric acid incorporated into it, as do chlorine granules or tablets containing dichloro or trichlor. All these slow the deterioration of chlorine when exposed to UV radiation. However, some chlorine-based pool chemicals, like liquid chlorine, don’t contain cyanuric acid. Also known as sodium hypochlorite, liquid chlorine kills algae and bacteria and deodorizes and disinfects pool water.
Signs a Pool Needs Conditioner
Pools without sufficient conditioner won’t be able to keep chlorine levels high enough, leading to water that is too unsanitary to swim in. Many things can cause low cyanuric acid levels, including water dilution through rain or too much splashing.
Signs a swimming pool requires conditioner to be added include:
- Algae growth: When there’s insufficient chlorine in a pool, this leads to algae growth that can turn the water green, which can signify the need for more conditioner.
- Increased chlorine use: As sunlight breaks down chlorine in a pool quickly, when a pool owner notes that chlorine needs to be added more frequently, it may be time to check sanitizer levels; it only takes a few hours for UV radiation to destroy all the chlorine in a pool and make it unhealthy to swim in.
- Ineffective sanitation: When the water doesn’t remain clean, it leads to the formation of microbial colonies like pink slime or black “algae,” which isn’t algae but rather a microorganism known as cyanobacteria; these growths, in turn, make the water unsafe for swimmers.
- Unbalanced water chemistry: With too little conditioner, chlorine levels fall to a point where a chain reaction affects the water’s pH and alkalinity.
- Strong chlorine smell: This may indicate a buildup of chloramine, which occurs when chlorine in the water binds to contaminants like sunblock, sweat, or urine. This results in a strong odor often apparent at public swimming pools. This can occur when too little cyanuric acid is in the pool water.
Steps for Adding Pool Conditioner
Though it’s not a complex task, following the product’s instructions is highly recommended when adding conditioner to the water. Here’s a step-by-step summary about adding conditioner to a pool:
- Determine what amount of pool conditioner is necessary to reach the intended level, which can be derived either through a home test kit or certain pool suppliers; as noted previously, conventional pools should have a level of 30 to 50 ppm, while saltwater pools should be at about 80 to 100 ppm.
- Shut off the pool’s pump.
- Remove any pump baskets and skimmers from the system, as these can prevent conditioner from flowing through the filter once it’s mixed into the water.
- Replace any lids for baskets taken out of the system.
- Turn back on the filtration and pumping system.
- Add the determined conditioner amount into a bucket or other container with pool water, which should then be mixed into a thick slurry.
- This slurry should then be added to the skimmer in small quantities.
- Add each dose only once the previous dose has dissolved in the water.
- Continue adding this blend until the bucket is empty.
- By adding little bits, conditioner sticks to the pool’s filtration system, enabling it to dissolve in the pool water without causing stains.
- Run the pump for an hour after all the conditioner has been added.
- Replace every basket within the system.
- At night, rerun the system for at least eight hours to ensure all conditioner dissolves.
- Backwashing and cleaning the filter should be avoided for about 48 hours after adding conditioner; cleaning the filter before this will remove some of the conditioner from the pool.
- Retest water after about a week to ensure cyanuric acid levels are within the correct range.
As it’s much more difficult to lower conditioner levels than raise them, adding too much should be avoided. To balance the pool water, it’s easier to add a bit of stabilized chlorine at this point, though more conditioner can be added later if necessary. Stabilized chlorine is available as a liquid, granular, and tablet form.
Contact the Experienced Team at Halogen Supply
Is a pool conditioner necessary this summer for your swimming pool, spa, or hot tub? Halogen Supply Company has everything you need to check the water levels and raise the cyanuric acid content. To learn more about what supplies you need, contact the pool experts at Halogen Supply today!