Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I be on a pool care program?
By getting your pool on a program, you can establish a systematic maintenance plan that keeps your water prepared for whatever the season brings- erratic weather conditions, heavy bather loads, rising temperatures, and so forth. BioGuard makes it easy with our four different programs that account for all the productis you'll need to keep your pool sparkling clear and ready for swimming.

What is Free Available Chlorine?
This is the active chlorine in the water that has not combined with organic matter and is therefore available for killing bacteria and algae. The properrange for free chlorine residual is 1-3ppm. Below 1 ppm can cause swimmer irritation, cloudy water and even allow algae to grow. You should test often throughout the summer when the pool is used most.

What is Chlorine Demand?
Chlorine demand is the inability to keep an adequate free chlorine residual in pool water, even though the water is balanced and properly maintained. Chlorine demand is caused by various contaminants entering the pool that increase oxidation levels or tie up free available chlorine. Symptoms can include slimy or slick pool walls and cloudy water, although water can be clear and still have a high chlorine demand. A sudden drop in cyanuric acid (and no leak or water loss) can be an indicator that there is a chlorine demand problem, as the CYA reading is often masked by the demand. If this occurs, do not add stabilizer.
Specific causes of chlorine demand can include heavy bather loads, inconsistent maintenance, or external sources such as fertilizers, pesticides, and nearby roadwork.

What is pH?
A measurement that indicates the acidity or alkalinity of water. This is the most important part of chemical balance because it protects the equipment, allows the sanitizer to do its best job and increases swimmer enjoyment.
Ideal range ___________________ 7.4 to 7.6
If it's too low __________________ Use Bioguard Balance Pak 200
If It's too high__________________ Use Bioguard Lo 'N Slo

What is total alkalinity (TA)?
It's a measure of the water's ability to resist changes in pH. pH can be affected by environmental factors such as acid rain, pollution, run-off from the surrounding land, and fertilizers- just to name a few.
Keeping the TA at the proper range will help prevent pH from fluctuating and help prevent scale and cloudy water.
Ideal range ___________________ 125 to 150 ppm
If it's too low __________________ Use BioGuard Balance Pak 100
If it's too high _________________  Use BioGuars Lo 'N Slo

What is calcium hardness (CH)?
It's the amount of dissolved calcium in the water. Keeping CH at the proper range will help protect equipment and keep water sparkling. It also helps prevent cloudy water.
Ideal range __________________ 175 to 225 ppm
                                                 (200 to 275 ppm for plaster and SoftSwim pools)
If it's too low _________________ Use BioGuard Balance Pak 300
If it's too high ________________ Use BioGuard Scale Inhibitor. If over 400 ppm, it may be necessary to partially
                                                 drain the pool and add source water with lower CH.