Phosphates
What are phosphates?
Phosphates are pollutants, which provide a constant food source for algae.
hat causes high phosphate levels?
There are many causes oh high phosphate levels, which includes:
- Rain
- Fertilizer
- Swimmer waste
- Decaying vegetation
- Municipal water
- Cosmetic items on bathers
- Other pool chemicals
Phosphates can contaminate your pool anytime any of the following occurs:
- The wind blows dirt in your pool
- Runoff from the lawn enters your pool
- When you refill your pool (if phosphates are in the water source)
- Leaves, twigs, or bark enters your water
- When phosphoric chemicals enter your pool
Why test for phosphate levels?
The first line of defense against algae is detection. If we can detect phosphates before they become an algae’s meal, then we can eliminate the potential for overwhelming algae growth. Since phosphates are a big contributor to algae, we should test for them first. If the algae don’t have a food source then it cannot grow. The product we offer is Natural Chemistry Phosphate Test
Strips
- Natural chemistry phosphate test strips- This do-it-yourself product is perfect for at home testing. These strips are highly accurate and measure orthophosphate levels in 10 seconds. They have the widest testing range available on the market, at 0-10,000 ppb. Water tests should be conducted weekly during peak swimming season and monthly during the off-season.
Treating high phosphate levels
We offer two products to reduce the amount of phosphate in your water.
- Natural chemistry’s phosfree brings phosphate levels to near zero and should be used when you first begin your phosphate management program. Phosfree is non-toxic and will not cloud pool water. It is added directly to the skimmer and is compatible with all types of swimming pools, filters, and sanitizers.
- Natural chemistry pool perfect + phosfree is a weekly maintenance product that continually removes phosphates and organic contaminants from pool water. Pool perfect is a powerful enzyme that reduces the need for maintenance by breaking down organic contaminants; surface oils and prevents scum lines. It continually cleans the filter media and makes water feel noticeably softer.
If you think you may have a phosphate problem, or just want to prevent algae from growing, bring a sample of your water to Central Jersey Pools for a free water test analysis. We can determine not only your phosphate levels, but also the quality of your water. We can also recommend products that will make your pool sparkle!