Is Water Hardness Important In A Vinyl Pool

Hardness on the other hand is a measure of the calcium and magnesium in the water.

Is water hardness important in a vinyl pool.

If a vinyl liner s calcium level is too low this soft water situation could lead to foaming and other water problems and can harm the vinyl. Neither vinyl nor fiberglass has available calcium to donate to the water like a plaster pool. With sufficient levels of calcium dissolved the aggressive nature of water is tamed and will help prevent the leaching out of certain substances in pool equipment. To keep pool water balanced calcium hardness is one of the most important levels to maintain.

Although soft water is desirable in everyday home use calcium hardness is necessary in pool water. It also produces itchy skin. Free chlorine should be in the 1 0 2 0 range. Calcium for a liner pool can be a bit lower than a plaster pool in the range of 150 250 ppm.

Calcium hardness is also very important to the chemical balancing of your vinyl liner swimming pool. Hardness at any level is only an issue in a plastic pool pvc pipes vinyl liner polymer pump if it s high. Keep your pool clean. When water is too hard white scale forms.

Both surfaces are impacted identically to a plaster pool with one exception. I explain calcium hardness in more detail in our swimming pool glossary. Adding calcium increaser or replacing some pool water with softer water are the corrective actions for these two situations respectively. When maintained at proper levels pool water resists a change in ph.

Testing every week every two weeks at most will help you stay on top of things. In general the whole saturation index thing the pool industry has wasted so much paper on doesn t apply to most pools. Test the water frequently. That is to say in calcium deficient water a plaster surface gives up necessary surface calcium to attain equilibrium with the water causing premature surface failure.

If calcium hardness goes above 400 ppm you will likely see a white flaky crust on the liner and pool equipment. This is especially important if your water source is hard.