Nitrates, Nitrites and other Ammonia-based compounds can be confusing. We'll try to simplify it and why these things matter in swimming pools. We encourage you to read more into these subjects if you want to learn more.1
Simply put, over-stabilization occurs when too much cyanuric acid is added to pool water. Over-stabilization is a problem because cyanuric acid (CYA) can slow down chlorine’s ability to kill pathogens and algae. To explain this, you need to know that hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is the active form of chlorine in pools. The concentration of HOCl is affected by both the pH and the CYA concentration. Figure 1 shows the well-known relationship between pH and HOCl.
Automating chemical feeds in swimming pools is almost always a good idea. Orenda products are no different. This is a step-by-step guide with a video to walk you through how to install a feed pump on a swimming pool.
The Orenda Startup™ originated from an idea shared with us by a plastering company in San Diego, California, called Blue Moon Pools. We want to share their story and how they helped change our industry.
What are you going to do if you remove a winter pool cover and find calcium crystals in the pool? If you have encountered winter crystals in the past--and you may have thought it was 'scale'--what did you do in the past? Did it work? This article will outline four things Orenda recommends if you are trying to open a pool with crystals in it.
What if range chemistry is the wrong thing to focus on when managing water? What if the ranges do not always apply, like in the winter? Theoretically, the textbook ranges for chemistry are ideal. But in reality, that's not always the case. In this article we will explain why we prioritize the Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) first, and range chemistry after that.
Water chemistry readings are only as accurate as your test kit. And the history of that pool's water chemistry is only as accurate as your honesty (and diligence) when recording test results. In this article, we'll outline five rules for testing water chemistry.
This article aims to shed light on what really goes in a pool that is winterized. When the temperature drops, chemistry changes. Pools must be treated differently in the winter than they are in the summer, You can read our primary article about Proactive Pool Winterization here.
Total Alkalinity (TA) often gets confused with pH and words like alkali and alkaline. This topic is widely misunderstood in the pool industry. Most of us know how to test for TA, but may not know what it actually is, what it does, and why it's important.
How should we add calcium chloride to a swimming pool? How can we make sure we're handling it safely, and properly, to avoid unintended consequences? Adding calcium is not as simple as it sounds...you don't just throw it in the pool. Calcium chloride doesn't dissolve the same way as dry acid, sodium bicarb or a non-chlorine shock; calcium chloride gives off a lot of heat. Like any other dry chemical, however, calcium chloride should be pre-dissolved in a bucket prior to adding to the pool. Let's explain.
Way back in 1984 I founded my service and repair company, The Pool Surgeon. I had no idea what ORP and LSI abbreviations meant, let alone their definitions. To be completely honest with you, I am not certain I was any better informed in the first 25 years of my pool career. As ashamed as I am to admit it, I'm admitting it because it's the truth.
Cyanuric Acid (CYA), also called stabilizer or conditioner, protects chlorine from sunlight. But CYA is a double-edged sword, causing a dramatic impact on chlorine efficacy and sanitization. CYA is so important to keep to a minimum that we decided to make Minimal CYA our fourth Pillar of Proactive Pool Care.