Chemicals

Pool Test Kits vs Test Strips: Which Is Worth It?

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Test strips are cheap and convenient; test kits give you accuracy. For pool owners serious about water chemistry, a good liquid test kit pays for itself in the first month by preventing over-correction mistakes. What You Need To Know The core choice: test strips are quick (30 seconds) and cost $0.20-$0.30 per test, while liquid … Read more

Algaecide Guide: Types, Dosing, and When to Use It

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Algaecide is a chemical that kills algae, but not all algaecides work the same way – some are preventative, others are curative, and some do both. The type you need depends on whether you’re fighting existing algae or trying to stop it before it starts. What You Need To Know Algaecide comes in three main … Read more

Best Pool Chemicals: What You Actually Need (and What’s a Scam)

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You need four chemicals: chlorine, pH adjuster (sodium bicarbonate or sodium carbonate), alkalinity raiser (sodium bicarbonate), and a stabilizer (cyanuric acid). Everything else — algaecides, flocculants, enzymes — is optional and usually oversold by pool supply shops. What You Need To Know The pool chemical industry makes money by convincing you that you need ten … Read more

Pool Shock Treatment: When, Why, and How

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Shock your pool by adding 1 pound of calcium hypochlorite (cal-hypo) per 10,000 gallons of water, directly to the pool at dusk. This burns off chloramines, kills algae, and resets your free chlorine. Do it at least once a week during swim season, and any time the water looks off. What You Need To Know … Read more

Phosphates in Pool Water: What They Are and Whether You Should Actually Worry

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Phosphates are one of those pool topics that comes up constantly at pool stores and almost never comes up among experienced DIY pool owners. There’s a reason for that gap, and it’s worth understanding before you spend money on a phosphate remover. What Are Phosphates? Phosphates are compounds containing phosphorus. They get into your pool … Read more

Pool Chemicals You Should Never Mix (And Why It Actually Matters)

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Most pool owners know vaguely that you’re not supposed to mix pool chemicals. But “don’t mix chemicals” is kind of abstract until you understand what actually happens in specific situations. Some combinations produce intense heat and can start fires. Some release toxic gas. A few can cause a violent reaction that seriously injures whoever is … Read more