Balancing Calcium Hardness

Most people have heard o the term hard water in chemistry classes and it was mostly about soap being unable to lather easily. Hard water is actually a thing, and pool owners should understand the dynamics of hard water and how it can affect plumbing and even your swimming pool. Hard water is all about calcium hardness in your water. We will give you a simple definition of hard water and a step by step procedure on how to balance hard water in your swimming pools.

Calcium hardness is basically how hard or soft your water is, and this is determined by how much calcium has dissolved. Ideally, calcium should dissolve at 150 to 4400 ppm which makes the water balanced; not too hard or too soft. You should strive to stay within that range; going too high or too low will make the water hard, or soft.

When your water is hard, it looks cloudy as there is a high level of dissolved minerals in it. It will then develop water scales that will deposit on pool walls, pipes, pumps and filters. They water scales are commonly known as scum. When the water is too soft, it means it is acidic. This will lead to the corrosion of pipes and pumps.

It is very easy to determine your calcium hardness, as there are liquid test kids for this. It is ideal that you check your water hardness every two weeks or more, depending on the type of water in your area.

Here are a few tips on how to balance calcium hardness in your swimming pools;

Clean up your pool regularly

One of the things that alter the calcium hardness in water is contamination. Thoroughly remove any contamination from your pool by filtering it daily, for at least 8 hours, and brushing out molds and scum every week. Vacuuming the pool is also good but it should be accompanied by manual cleaning.

Balance the chemicals 

Any chemicals you add to your pool should be to the right amount. Do not overshock your pool. Avoid objects that can introduce other chemicals to your pool, like street clothing. Do not urinate in the swimming pools. Provide washrooms for public swimming pools. Chemical imbalance cause Calcium hardness.

Use Calcium Hardness Increaser

If your water is too soft, that is, the calcium hardness is below 150 ppm, you may need a calcium hardness increases. It comes with instructions on the package.

Mix hard water with soft water.

We do not always have to go the chemical way, inasmuch as it looks like the easiest option. Sometimes all it takes is to drain some amount of hard or soft pool water, and mixing with its opposite to et the balance.

This is actually the safest way of balancing calcium levels in your pool as no chemicals are involved. If you have a pump and a filter, you can use the backwash option has an opportunity to mix the different water types.

Clump Excess Calcium

There is an additive known as a flocculant that clumps minerals that are out of solution if you are wondering how to balance chemical balance in your pools using an additive. It does not interfere with dissolved minerals; it only targets minerals that are out of solution. You can use a flocculant to clamp excess calcium. The residue will attach itself to the walls of the swimming pool. After the process, ensure you clean the sides of the pool, the pumps and even the filters so that they do not get corroded.

Add Acid

You can also add acid to your water, as when it mixes with calcium, it raises saturation levels hence bringing the hardness into balance. Before attempting this, you need to ask your pool service provider for advice, as the acid can be dangerous. You need to use it within the acceptable range.

While it may look like an uphill task to maintain calcium balance in your pool, consistency is key. The steps above are workable tips you can always use if you are wondering how to maintain calcium hardness in your swimming pool. The beauty of it all is, calcium hardness is not something to check frequently unless you live at a place with hard water.