The chemistry terms behind balanced, sanitary water.
- Free Available Chlorine (FAC)
- The active, uncombined chlorine in the pool available to sanitize contaminants and kill bacteria.
- Combined Chlorine (Chloramines)
- Chlorine that has bound with nitrogen compounds; causes foul chemical odors and eye irritation.
- Total Chlorine
- The sum of Free Available Chlorine and Combined Chlorine in the water.
- pH Level
- A logarithmic scale measuring how acidic or basic pool water is (ideal pool range: 7.2 to 7.8).
- Total Alkalinity (TA)
- A measure of alkaline substances that act as a buffer to prevent sudden pH swings.
- Calcium Hardness
- The concentration of dissolved calcium in the water; low levels cause etching, high levels cause scaling.
- Cyanuric Acid (CYA / Stabilizer)
- A compound that shields free chlorine from being degraded by solar ultraviolet rays.
- Langelier Saturation Index (LSI)
- A calculated index evaluating water balance to predict whether water will be corrosive, balanced, or scale-forming.
- Saltwater Chlorine Generator (SWG)
- An electrolytic cell that converts dissolved sodium chloride (salt) into free chlorine.
- Shock Treatment (Superchlorination)
- Adding a high dose of oxidizer to destroy chloramines, algae blooms, and organic waste.
- Algaecide
- A chemical additive designed to prevent or destroy microscopic algae growth in water.
- Clarifier
- A coagulant that clumps micro-particles together so they are large enough to be trapped by the filter.
- Flocculant (Floc)
- An agent that binds suspended particles into heavy debris that settles to the pool floor for vacuuming to waste.