Pool chemistry looks complicated, but it comes down to six readings. Keep them in range and your water stays clear, comfortable and gentle on equipment.
- Free chlorine: 2–4 ppm keeps germs and algae away
- pH: 7.4–7.6 for comfort and chlorine efficiency
- Total alkalinity: 80–120 ppm to hold pH steady
- Calcium hardness: 200–400 ppm to protect plaster
- Cyanuric acid: 30–50 ppm to shield chlorine from sunlight
- Salt: 2,700–3,400 ppm for most salt systems
Adjust in the right order
Always correct alkalinity before pH, because alkalinity acts as the buffer. Then bring sanitizer into range. Changing everything at once makes it hard to tell what worked.
Test more often in summer
Heat, sunlight and swimmers all use up chlorine. During peak season, test at least twice a week, or let a weekly service handle it for you.
