EcoSmarte Pool System Manual page 5

WATER VOCABULARY
pH
The technical term for the measure of acidity or alkalinity of water. pH is
measured on a logarithmic scale from 0 to 14. At a pH of 7.0 and a water
temp of 80˚, water is neutral. A reading above 7.2 means the water is
alkaline. A reading below 6.8 means the water is acidic. During the swim-
ming season, check the pH level weekly and after heavy rainstorms.
Everything that enters your pool has a pH value. Adjustments should be
made to keep the pH within 6.8 to 7.2 range. Muriatic acid has an
extremely low pH, and, consequently, is used to lower pH. Sodium bicar-
bonate, or baking soda, has a high pH and is alkaline. With the
ECOsmarte Pool System it is important to maintain a pH within the speci-
fied range. The effectiveness of the copper ions depend on a neutral pH.
Neutral pH at 85˚F water temperature is 6.8. Water without chemicals will
want to be neutral, and starting each week at 6.8 will give you best results.
COPPER
The ECOsmarte Pool System generates copper ions. A body of water pro-
tects itself against simple organisms like algae, bacteria, and some virus-
es by maintaining a copper residual. Copper is lethal to simple organisms,
yet beneficial to complex organisms like humans and animals.
TOTAL ALKALINITY
A close cousin of pH, Total Alkalinity is a measurement of all the carbon-
ates in the water: Carbonate, Bicarbonate, and hydroxides. The pool
industry has yet to develop a true Total Alkalinity Meter. Available Alkalinity
test kits measure the amount of carbonate alkalinity in the water. You have
bicarbonate (soluble) calcium that does not register on traditional alkalinity
test kits. The ECOsmarte Pool System will not cause corrosion if the alka-
linity measurement is low (below 60). If you were using chlorine the water
would become aggressive and potentially destroy pool equipment. Until an
accurate means of testing true Total Alkalinity is developed ECOsmarte
has a less scientific way of determining low Total Alkalinity. If the pool
water is clear and refracts sunlight in such a way as to appear green your
pool likely has low alkalinity. That is, the pool looks like lime jello or green
grass; very clear and bright green. Low Total Alkalinity can cause "pH
bounce." "pH bounce" shows itself as large changes in pH after additions
of acid or alkalai. High alkalinity causes pH to drift upward. Many of the
ECOsmarte Pools balance at as low as 40 measured carbonate alkalinity.
Again, true Total Alkalinity (carbonate and bicarbonate) cannot be tested
with portable kits currently available.
pH is alkalinity dependent; that is, alkalinity is defined
as the ability of the water to resist changes in pH.
Copyright 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011 Ecosmarte Planet Friendly, Inc. - Richfield, MN 7