Pre-emptive phosphate maintenance
Commercial pool operators should avoid using any phosphate-based cleaners for decking or tiles. Operators of any seasonal outdoor pools located near lakes should discourage patrons from visiting the pool after swimming in a lake (at the very least, thorough showering before entering the pool should be mandatory).
In the case of residential pools, care should be taken when fertilizing any grass or plants near the pool area. Source water should be tested regularly for phosphates as well. Many municipalities treat water with straight orthophosphates at different times. If this is the case, phosphate treatment is recommended when filling or topping off the pool.
The method for winterizing a salt chlorine generator pool is not that different from a regular pool. In areas where winter is extreme and a hard shut down is required, the water level in the pool should be lowered, with winterizing chemicals added as usual. The salt chlorine generator itself should be deactivated and, in some cases, disassembled and stored; in some areas, a complete shut down may not be necessary. Check with the manufacturer for specific winterizing instructions.
Understanding a pool’s underlying water chemistry is vital if a salt chlorine generator is to operate properly. In a salt water pool, keeping the phosphates low is the secret to letting the free chlorine flow.
| PHOSPHATE REMOVAL: A CANADIAN TEST CASE |
|---|
| Kathryn Pollock of Pollock Pools & Spas in Guelph, Ont., found the excessive rains experienced in her area over the course of two summers have caused a much higher level of phosphates in all their customers’ pools. “The way I understand it, phosphates are airborne and the rain pulls them down into the pool water,” she explains. “They are also introduced from fertilizers used by farmers, bathing suits laundered in phosphate-based detergents and sunscreen on swimmers.” Over the past few years, when Pollack was confronted with a malfunctioning salt chlorine generator, the manufacturer’s first question was always, “What are the phosphate levels?” As a result, Pollack recently decided to start monitoring and treating phosphates in all of her customers’ pools, as a matter of protocol. “We are treating our pools with phosphate remover,” she says. “I cannot yet say if it is helping the performance of salt chlorine generators, but I can say conclusively that it has improved our customers’ water clarity.” Pollack, enjoys the science behind water chemistry and plans to look at all the data they are collecting on phosphate levels at the end of the season. “It will be interesting to see if our documented data shows whether or not low phosphates correlate to improved functionality of the salt chlorine generators.” |
