Adding chemicals to your pool in the correct order is very important as adding them all at once can cause a dangerous chemical reaction or possibly an explosion. You should never mix your chemicals together and to start with you should first conduct a water test to ascertain which chemicals are required.
Start by balancing your pool if required, by adjusting the total alkalinity. Once this is complete, ensure your pH levels are in the desired range of 7.2- 7.6 by adding either dry acid or soda ash to the pool. Next, adjust the calcium hardness levels so that it sits between 200-400ppm then add stabiliser (cyanuric acid). A stabiliser commonly known as pool sunscreen protects the pool’s chlorine from the sun’s UV rays. Stabiliser levels should be between 30-50ppm.
Once you get your pool balanced the next step is to add your chlorine in the form of liquid, granular or tablet. In salt pools, it can be generated by a saltwater chlorinator.
Shocking the pool is a common practice after rain or heavy bather loads by super chlorinating the pool to kill bacteria and prevent algae growth.
Algaecides should always be added to the pool after you shock it. Depending on the severity of the algae, there are different types and strengths of algaecides you can use.
Lastly, add a clarifier to bind the fine particles in your pool so they can be captured by the pool filter, restoring the pool back to its sparkling best.
