Water balance is important as it ensures that the mineral content of the water is in an appropriate state to protect the pool surface and equipment and make the pool water more comfortable to swim in.

Sanitising pool water treats bacteria, which can be harmful to people using the pool. Bacteria is caused by a wide variety of sources such as bathers, rain, dust, insects and birds. Sanitiser levels need to be maintained to keep bacteria at bay and also as an aid in controlling algae.

Oxidation removes swimmer wastes and destroys organic contaminants in the water. The aim of regular oxidation is to keep the pool water sparkling and clear of impurities.

Traditionally, sanitisers have been used to treat and control algae but this is proving to be much less reliable as algae species become more diverse and resistant. This leads us to the need for control agents designed specifically to counter the defence mechanisms algae has developed to protect itself.

Pools can often be contaminated with matter that cannot be removed using sanitisers or oxidisers and which can affect the enjoyment of the swimming pool.

Scaling, the deposition of calcium from the water onto the pool surfaces, occurs when there is one or more of the following: high calcium hardness, high pH levels or elevated temperatures. It is unsightly and not good for the pool surface. Products are available that can remove this scale and can be used to prevent future scaling in pools where these conditions are likely to prevail, eg salt water pools with high pH (will also reduce scaling on salt cell plates).

A range of products that deal with specific issues such as:

• Chemically clean filter media to remove build up of contaminants.
• Reduce excessive chlorine levels.
• Clean salt cells without harming the cell.
• Removing dead algae from pool after super-chlorination.

Water balance is important as it ensures that the mineral content of the water is in an appropriate state to protect the spa surface and equipment and make the spa water more comfortable to bathe in.

The combination of heavy use and hot water places a tremendous burden on the sanitiser used. Whatever the source, all of the billions of microorganisms present in a spa need to be killed in some way and as quickly as possible.

Even over a short period of time, spas can accumulate substantial waste material from a variety of sources, including the bathers themselves, animals, insects, pollutants and the general environment. These wastes cause the same problems that swimming pools suffer from such as dull, cloudy water that’s irritating to the skin and eyes with an increased incidence of resistant algae. Regular oxidation is needed to break these wastes down.

Spas can sometimes experience problems that sanitisers and oxidisers cannot deal with, such as: foaming, cloudy water that does not respond to shock dosing, staining and scaling. Anti-foam, clarifiers and stain & scale control chemicals are available to address these issues.

A range of products that deal with specific issues such as:

• Chemically clean filter cartridge to restore its efficiency.
• Clean spa shells without harming the acrylic material.
• Cleaning out build-up of fats and oils inside the pipes behind the jets.

Ozone is a triatomic molecule consisting of three oxygen atoms (O3), which occurs naturally in the stratosphere. Ozone can be made artificially in compact electrical units from the oxygen in atmospheric air. Ozone readily gives up one atom of oxygen resulting in a powerful oxidizing agent that is toxic to most waterborne organisms and decays to ordinary oxygen in a few minutes in water.

UV water sanitising systems automatically do the work of killing bacteria and micro-organisms in the water through Ultra Violet light technology, the same sanitising technology employed by many local governments over the last 60 years and other hygiene driven industries to sanitise drinking water.

Copper-silver ionization is a modern implementation of the ancient Greek practice of reducing bacteria in wine vessels by lining them with silver, and controlling algae and fungi with copper. Nature2 is a mineral-based water purifier that works with chlorine to keep your swimming pool or spa water healthy and clear with fewer chemicals.

• ALWAYS read the product label and follow directions carefully.
• ALWAYS store chemical products safely and out of reach of children.
• ALWAYS add products to the pool separately, at correctly spaced intervals and in different areas.
• CLEAN UP any spills promptly and dispose of safely.
• NEVER interchange measuring scoops between products.
• NEVER store chemicals near other chemicals, petrol, oil, paint, or metals.
• NEVER mix chemicals of any kind together. Fire or explosion could occur.
• NEVER add water directly to chemicals. ALWAYS add chemicals to large amounts of water.