Adding Pool Chemicals [ Timing to Achieve Best Results ]

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Whenever summer rolls in, a pool can provide the best relaxation and fun to your family, friends, or just yourself. But swimming pools require a lot of maintenance and you need to add a lot of chemicals from time to time. If you enjoy some relaxing moments in your swimming pool but don’t know how long to wait between adding pool chemicals, let me guide you. 

When you plan to add different types of chemicals to your pool, the amount of time you need to wait depends on a few factors. Before adding any chemicals, know the size of your pool, the pumping rate of the filter system, and the number of chemicals the pool needs. After you know these variables, you can easily calculate the time you need to wait.   

When you find yourself calculating the time you might need to wait, adding pool chemicals can seem like an overwhelming chore. But with the proper guidance, I believe the task becomes quite easy.

In the rest of the article, I will answer all your nagging questions about how long you need to wait between adding different chemicals to your pool.

Why Proper Timing is Necessary for Adding Pool Chemicals?

If you want to avoid an unnecessary visit to the emergency room, it’s always important to wait between adding pool chemicals. Every chemical product will use different ingredients and most of them are extremely incompatible with each other. In case they come in contact, you may experience explosions, fires, or toxic gas released into the environment.

Proper timing can make sure pool chemicals never come in contact with each other.

So always wait between adding different pool chemicals and retesting to make sure the chemicals are properly stabilized.

As a general rule of thumb, make sure to never mix pool chemicals either. You should not underestimate chemicals, paint, or the swimming pool.

Believe me when I say chemical fires are extremely hazardous and it’s best to avoid such outcomes.

How Long Do You Wait Before Adding Different Chemicals to Your Pool?

As a pool owner, you may be aware that adding chemicals to your pool can require quite a lot of time. But what you may be wondering about is do you have to wait 4 hours between pool chemicals?

The answer will depend on the volume of your pool and the pumping rate of the filter system. With these variables, you need to determine the turnover rate of your swimming pool.

The turnover rate of a pool is how much time it takes for its entire contents to be cycled through the water pump and filtration system.

According to most industry standards, your swimming pool should have a turnover rate of 6 hours and complete a minimum of 2 turnover cycles in 24 hours. The turnover rate holds much importance for proper filtration.

Now, let’s take a look at how much time you may need to wait after adding different types of chemicals to your swimming pool:

Total Alkalinity

When you are making adjustments to the total alkalinity, it’s always recommended to complete a full turnover cycle before adding any other chemicals.

For a fully functioning pool, you may need to wait for six hours or less. 

Completing a turnover cycle ensures that your pool’s total alkalinity levels are stable before you move on to adding other chemicals.

If the total alkalinity levels have stabilized somewhere between 80-120 ppm, you can move on.

pH levels

Unlike adjusting the total alkalinity of your pool, pH adjustments do not require you to wait for much time. After the total alkalinity has stabilized, you will find it easy to adjust the pH levels of your pool.

After adding the proper chemicals to increase or decrease pH levels, you need to wait for at least 2-4 hours. However, many chemical manufacturers would suggest a full turnover cycle before you move on.

The smaller the pH levels you need to adjust, the lesser time you will need to wait before results are stable.

Chlorine

The trick to getting the most effectiveness from shocking your swimming pool with chlorine is to get it to the breakpoint level.

To reach the breakpoint level, you need to bring up the chlorine levels to 10 times the usual level of your pool water.

For example, if the chlorine level of your pool water is usually at 2ppm, you need to bring it up to at least 20 ppm to properly shock your pool.

Since chlorine is unstable when there’s sunlight out, it is ideal that you shock your pool during the evening and allow it to work through the night.

After measuring the chlorine levels in the morning, move on to the next chemical.

Cyanuric Acid

Cyanuric acid is a stabilizer that conditions the water to protect and help chlorine withstand sunlight better.

If you plan to add powdered stabilizers, you need to remember that it can take much time to dissolve and circulate properly.

When you add cyanuric acid, I recommend adding half the amount and waiting for one full turnover to complete.

Then you can test the pool waters again before adding the required amount. To make sure the desired target has been maintained, test your pool water again after a week.

How Long Should You Wait to Swim After Adding Pool Chemicals?

When you have a swimming pool, pool chemicals will be your best friend if you want to keep it properly clean. After you add any pool chemicals, you always need to make sure the water levels are safe for you to get in. So always retest your water before diving in. If the pool water seems properly balanced, it should be completely safe to swim in your pool.

If you want to make sure how long you may need to wait after you have added pool chemicals, I have provided a quick guide that may help:

• Liquid Chlorine: It will mostly depend on the size of your pool and how much of the product you have added. But generally, it should be safe to wait for about 4 hours after adding liquid chlorine or until the levels have reached 5 ppm or lower.
• After shocking the pool: It should be safe for you to get in if the chlorine levels are 5 ppm or lower. It may take a minimum of 24 hours to a few days for the water levels to go back to normal.
• After adding Algaecide: Most algaecides are safe for you to swim in after only a couple of minutes. I would recommend waiting for about at least 15 minutes before you dive in.
• After adding alkalinity, pH, and clarifier: It is best to wait at least 20-60 minutes after you add these water balancing chemicals.
• After adding Calcium Chloride to raise the Calcium Hardness: Wait at least 2-4 hours or complete a full turnover cycle before you get in the pool.
• After adding Muriatic Acid: Sometimes muriatic acid can create a hot spot of acid in your pool. Coming in contact with this spot may irritate or even burn your skin. You should wait at least 30 minutes after adding this chemical to your pool.

Conclusion

While a swimming pool can be a delightful addition to your home, maintaining it can also be quite daunting.

For the many pool owners confused over how long to wait between adding pool chemicals, I have provided a helpful guide in this article.

So, I’m sure you will now know what you are doing when sanitizing. Thank you for reading till the end & have a nice day.