How To Test and Adjust Calcium Hardness in a Pool

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In this video I show you how to test for Calcium Hardness level and what to do to raise and lower the level. It is important to know that there is a difference from Total Hardness (what the test strips measure -- calcium and magnesium) and Calcium Hardness (what a Taylor test kit measures: Calcium only).

One of the main factors in Calcium Hardness will be your pools fill water. You can generally tell you have hard water like in my area by the shower and sinks in your house. My pool also has some build-up on the tiles but the surface is still very smooth. And that leads to the second factor; proper water balance.

It is very important to keep your pH and Alkalinity in range by checking them and making the proper adjustments when needed. If you don't balance these then chances are the calcium hardness will be either too high or too low. I believe that proper pH and Alkalinity levels is a more important factor than your pool's total calcium hardness. If for example your pH and Alkalinity get too low the symptoms you get from low calcium hardness are similar to when that happens. If the pH and Alkalinity get too high then the symptoms also mimic high calcium hardness.

Here are some videos on testing the water and balancing the pH and alkalinity:
Pool Test Kit: Chlorine, PH and Acid Demand: http://youtu.be/mKD7fphxWJI
Taylor Test Kit (K-1006 - K-2150): http://youtu.be/AMe0rJJli8A
Aquachek & HTH Test Strips: http://youtu.be/hHhabkd5A0s
Metal in Pool Water, How to Treat and Eliminate Metal: http://youtu.be/_f7DQgbmmr0
How Much Chlorine do I Add to My Pool?: http://youtu.be/sAbQO1F_7Z0
Alkalinity UP (Baking Soda) Raising Low Alkalinity: http://youtu.be/76wQeC4k-hc
For High Alkalinity, how to lower Alkalinity: http://youtu.be/dD7B3QzCNdc
Soda Ash, PH UP: http://youtu.be/xbN4h1WTm2U
Muriatic Acid, pH Down: http://youtu.be/HN11nOOCvG4

You should run the calcium hardness test every one to three months, although every three months is fine since it doesn't change very dramatically over time. If you think you have a problem then test it more often. You can lower it by draining some water and filling it with softer water. This may not be practical if your tap water (fill water) is hard to begin with. Running it through a water softener is the only solution in that case but one that is not very practical.

You can raise it with Calcium Chloride, but be careful when adding it as it will raise the water temperature and avoid adding it in conjunction with Soda Ash or Baking Soda.

I show you a failed test so you know that sometimes copper in the water will cause the test to turn purple instead of blue. I think it is important to see that there are factors that can give you a false reading. High Chlorine can also do this. A proper reading is essential if you are going to use the results for the Saturation Index.

The Saturation Index is a formula used to see if the water is in balance by using the following factors:

Calcium Hardness, pH, Total Alkalinity, water temperature and to some extent Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). There are websites that will calculate this index for you by you simply entering in the results of these tests. The TDS results are not a critical part of the test, so if you don't have a TDS meter you can still get a good result.

As long as you keep your pH and Alkalinity in range, your water should stay pretty balanced. It is important to note that as the water gets warmer, calcium becomes harder to dissolve. That is why in the hotter months water balance is critical.

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Видео How To Test and Adjust Calcium Hardness in a Pool канала Swimming Pool Tips, Reviews & How To - SPL