Maintaining a swimming pool requires consistent care and attention to keep it in top condition. And water chemistry is crucial to this. In this post, we’ll explore the reasons why water quality is critical to both the safety and usability of a pool and why a water chemistry controller is key to achieving exceptional water quality and operational efficiency.
What is a Water Chemistry Controller?
A water chemistry controller, sometimes referred to as an automatic chemical dosing system or pool dosing system, serves a vital role in maintaining the health and hygiene of a swimming pool. Its chief purpose is to safeguard the pool water quality and ensure the water remains clean, clear, and safe for swimming.
It does this by constantly monitoring chlorine, pH, and the connection to combined chlorine, TDS, total alkalinity and calcium hardness levels in the water.
When any deviation from the predetermined chlorine and pH levels is detected by the sensors, the information is relayed to a control unit and the dosage pumps are activated. These pumps then automatically correct the levels by dosing the water with the precise amounts of chemicals such as chlorine or pH adjusters. This maintains the proper chemical balance of the water and keeps the pool free from microorganisms such as bacteria, algae, and other contaminants.
Why is Pool Chemical Dosing Important?
It is essential for commercially operated swimming pools and spas to be equipped with automatic chemical dosing systems. A swimming pool or spa pool needs to be clean at all times. The consequences of not having the correct chemical balance can be severe. Without it, the water may contain potentially hazardous high chlorine levels or can become a breeding ground for harmful bacteria, algae, and other microorganisms causing the water to turn a murky green colour. This not only detracts from the pool’s aesthetic appeal, but poses health risks for swimmers, including skin and eye irritations and infections to more severe gastrointestinal illnesses and even respiratory issues. Furthermore, improper chemical balance can cause damage to the pool’s infrastructure, such as deterioration of the pool finishes, filters, or pump system, rendering it unsafe, shortening its lifespan and leading to costly repairs.
The Benefits of a Water Chemistry Controller
The principal benefit of a water chemistry controller (or automated chemical dosing system) is that it provides continuous stability to the chemical makeup of pool water and the assurance of optimal water quality. This ensures the safest possible swimming conditions at all times.
As they provide precise control over the chemicals in a pool this eliminates the guesswork and calculations involved in manual dosing methods. And a significantly lower margin of error than doing it manually means you can be more confident that the pool water is always kept sanitised and hygienic. It also means less to worry about in terms of maintenance, time and effort.
Many dosing systems now incorporate smart tech and are equipped with advanced features that enable pool conditions to be monitored and controlled remotely, ensuring further peace of mind and confidence for pool owners and operators.
Automatic chemical dosing systems may not be the cheapest pool upkeep solution, but they’re certainly the most effective. They are easy to integrate into an existing plant room and can extend the life of a pool’s infrastructure preventing chemical imbalances which can lead to scale build-up or to corrosion, equipment damage and deterioration of the pool structure. They will also reduce servicing and maintenance demands and prevent downtime which translates into cost savings in the long run and a clear return on investment.
It is important to point out, however, that having a dosing system is not a substitute for manual water testing and record keeping. For a commercial operator, guidance published by the influential Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group states that water testing should be undertaken before the pool opens, after it closes and every 2-3 hours while it is open. It goes on to state that dosing systems, like circulation, should continue 24 hours a day in order to maintain stable conditions for bathers. Even with a water chemistry controller in place monitoring and controlling the water quality, manual water testing should still be conducted and compared to the chemistry controller readings at regular intervals to ensure that the calibration of the automatic equipment is correct. For the domestic pool owner, guidance states that (domestic) pools should be manually tested daily before use and more frequently during peak usage and hot weather.
Wrapping Up
A water chemistry controller is a crucial component of a swimming pool or spa pool’s water treatment system. It allows the automated checking and maintaining of pool water quality by automatically measuring and controlling the chlorine and pH levels of pool water. This ensures precise, consistent and reliable water treatment and optimal water balance in the pool. Using an automatic dosing system allows pool operators and pool owners to reduce valuable staff-time spent testing, eliminates the worry of manually dosing your pool and the frequent handling of chemicals and – above all else – ensures the pool water is clean, clear and hygienic at all times – providing peace of mind to users.
Water Chemistry Controller Solutions
Topline Pools and Wellness is a leading manufacturer of wet leisure and water treatment equipment for all types of swimming pools, spas, water features and interactive play applications. As one of the UK’s largest manufacturers of swimming pool water chemistry controllers, we have continued to refine our range of chemical control systems for all manner of pool and recreational water uses.
Our TEC range of water chemistry controllers can be found in hotels and leisure facilities across the UK. Providing precise control over a pool’s chemical balance, our TEC4000 interfaces directly with variable speed drives, taking active control of pool circulation speed and managing energy consumption without compromising pool water conditions.
We also provide regular service and maintenance contracts checking our water chemistry controllers during each regular servicing visit (you can request a check separately if required) and we provide training on the correct use of testing equipment. If you’re looking to better understand the chemistry of your swimming pool, or need to replace your dosing equipment, get in touch to find out more.