Maintaining the proper chemical levels in your pool is essential for keeping the water clean, clear, and safe for swimming. Balanced water not only helps prevent algae growth and bacteria but also protects your pool equipment from damage caused by imbalanced chemistry. However, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to pool maintenance—different pool types, such as traditional chlorine, saltwater, vinyl liner, plaster, and fiberglass pools each have their own ideal chemical ranges. In this guide, we’ll break down the recommended levels for various pool types and provide easy-to-read charts to help you keep your pool in perfect balance. It’s important to have a good liquid reagent test kit that allows you to test for the following chemicals:
Free Chlorine
pH
Total Alkalinity
Calcium
Cyanuric Acid (CYA)
Free Chlorine
Maintaining a proper Free Chlorine level should be the highest priority for you as a pool owner. With a Free Chlorine level of 0, algae will quickly grow and take over your pool. Ideal Free Chlorine levels for your pool will depend on what your Cyanuric Acid level is.
Liquid Chlorine Pools
CYA Level
Ideal Free Chlorine
30
4 – 6
40
5 – 7
50
6 – 8
60
7 – 9
CYA / Free Chlorine Ratio Chart
Salt Pools
CYA Level
Ideal Free Chlorine
60
4 – 9
70
5 – 10
80
6 – 11
90
6 – 12
CYA / Free Chlorine Ratio Chart
Vinyl Liner Pools
Minimum
Ideal Range
Maximum
pH
7.2
7.6 – 7.8
8.0
Total Alkalinity
50
60 – 80
90
Calcium
0
50 – 550
650
Cyanuric Acid
30
40 – 50
60
*Cyanuric Acid (Salt)
60
70 – 80
90
*Cyanuric Acid levels for salt pools are different than liquid chlorine pools.
Plaster / Fiberglass Pools
Minimum
Ideal Range
Maximum
pH
7.2
7.6 – 7.8
8.0
Total Alkalinity
50
60 – 80
90
Calcium
250
350 – 550
650
Cyanuric Acid
30
40 – 50
60
*Cyanuric Acid (Salt)
60
70 – 80
90
*Cyanuric Acid levels for salt pools are different than liquid chlorine pools.
With over 17 years at InyoPools.com and more than two decades in the pool industry, Rob is a seasoned expert dedicated to helping pool owners succeed. As one of Inyo’s original content creators, he specializes in troubleshooting, sizing, and identifying pool equipment of all kinds.
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