With the progress of society, people’s quality of life is constantly improving, and swimming pool fitness is also growing rapidly. Therefore, people are paying more attention to the quality of swimming pools, which can impact our bodies and even our health. This article will discuss several common problems in swimming pools to help readers understand and comprehend swimming pools more comprehensively, enabling them to enjoy swimming while ensuring their own health and safety.
Common Problems in Swimming Pools
1、The Pool Wall Feels Smooth to the Touch
Smooth pool walls are usually a sign of neglect. These slimy feelings are often caused by algae growing on the tiles. In the swimming pool, the growth of algae not only affects the beauty of the swimming pool but also causes water quality problems, which can greatly impact the health of swimmers.
Especially in the dead corners of the swimming pool and in the gaps between ceramic tiles, algae are more likely to grow. The water there is calmer and harder to flush, making it the perfect place for algae to thrive. If left unchecked, algae will spread rapidly, causing the water to turn green, produce odor, and form a pale yellow to light green algae wall on the pool wall. These issues can bring a lot of trouble to the swimming pool and introduce more germs.
To effectively control and prevent the growth of algae, the maintenance and management of pool water are particularly important. First, the water quality of the swimming pool must be regularly monitored, including free chlorine content, pH value, alkalinity, and cyanuric acid content. Based on the test results, water quality can be adjusted in a timely manner to ensure it reaches ideal health standards. Additionally, adding appropriate chlorine disinfectants and algaecides according to the recommended dosage can effectively kill algae and other microorganisms.
Furthermore, the swimming pool should be thoroughly cleaned frequently. This includes scrubbing walls, especially in nooks and crannies where algae can easily grow. After taking the above maintenance measures, the probability of algae growth will be greatly reduced.
The second reason for the slippery feeling of swimming pool walls could be improper use of coagulants: It’s possible that the improper use of aluminum-based coagulants, such as alum, aluminum sulfate, and PAC (Polyaluminum Chloride), leads to the accumulation of re-gasified aluminum. This accumulation can cause the pool water to become sticky, turn from white to clear, and make the pool surfaces slippery. Such coagulants are commonly used to remove impurities from the water, but if not used correctly, they can lead to an imbalance in water chemistry, resulting in these undesirable effects.
2、Insufficient Water Replenishment in the Swimming Pool
Evaporation on the swimming pool surface, backwashing of the filter device, discharge of sewage, overflow of the water surface, and water absorbed by the bodies of swimmers will cause the water volume in the swimming pool to continue to decrease. When water volume decreases, the concentration of salts and other dissolved substances in the pool water, such as total dissolved solids and disinfection by-products, increases accordingly. This not only reduces swimmer comfort but may also have negative health effects.
In addition, swimmers will bring sweat, urine, and other secretions into the swimming pool when swimming, causing the urea concentration in the swimming pool to exceed the standard and making the water quality worse. If fresh water is not replenished for a long time, the disinfection effect of the water will deteriorate, causing water pollution, and in serious cases, it may cause the spread of diseases.
To ensure water quality and the health of swimmers, it is important to add enough new water regularly. Not only does this help dilute contaminants and chemical by-products in the pool water, but it also helps maintain the freshness of the water. The amount of water replenishment should be based on the specific conditions of the swimming pool, including the evaporation of the water surface, the amount of sewage discharge, the backwash of the filtering equipment (such as the backwash of the pool), and the water carried by the swimmers. Daily water replenishment can be calculated by referring to relevant specifications or tables.
3、Rapid Chlorine Consumption
The residual chlorine value is an important indicator to measure the effectiveness of water quality disinfection. However, many swimming pools face the problem of excessive chlorine consumption, and sometimes the residual chlorine is not even detectable. This situation occurs mainly due to the following two reasons:
Increased Number of Bathers Affects Water pH: As more people swim, the number of pollutants in swimming pools also increases. These pollutants impact the pH of the water body, and thus, the bactericidal effect of the disinfectant. Generally, disinfectants work best in a neutral or slightly acidic environment, and an increase in pH will lead to a decrease in disinfection effectiveness. To solve this problem, swimming pool softeners need to be added in areas with large crowds to improve the total alkalinity of the water, avoid drastic changes in pH, strengthen water stability, and reduce the impact of the increase in swimmers on water quality.
4、Ultraviolet Rays and High Temperatures Accelerate the Volatilization of Chlorine
In ultraviolet light or high-temperature environments, the bactericidal effect of disinfectants becomes weaker due to the faster volatilization rate of chlorine. Chlorine products such as chlorine stabilizers or chlorine tablets can be put in to reduce the volatilization rate of chlorine and ensure the lasting effect of the disinfectant. They can effectively maintain the residual chlorine in the water quality, extend the sterilization period, and ensure the hygiene and safety of the swimming pool water quality.
The Circulatory System Does Not Work EfficientlyThe swimming pool water circulation system is an important part of ensuring clean water quality. A complete cycle involves filtering, purifying, disinfecting, heating, etc., the water in the entire swimming pool, and then returning it to the pool. This recirculation process is very important to keep the swimming pool clean and safe. However, many swimming pools do not recycle efficiently, causing water quality problems.The determination of the swimming pool water circulation cycle is related to multiple factors, including:
Water Quality Cleanliness Requirements: Different types of swimming pools have different water quality requirements. Public swimming pools usually have stricter water quality requirements due to their high frequency of use.
Pool Water Volume: The size of the pool directly affects the length of the cycle. Large pools take longer to complete a complete cycle.
Efficiency of Filtration Equipment: High-efficiency filtration equipment can purify water faster and shorten the cycle.
Nature of Swimming Pool Use: For example, the water quality requirements and frequency of use of recreational swimming pools and training swimming pools may be different.
Disinfection Methods and Decontamination Treatment Equipment: Different disinfection and decontamination techniques may affect cycle efficiency.
Swimming Load: The number of people using the swimming pool is also an important factor. The more people using the swimming pool, the more serious the pollution of the pool water will be, and the cycle cycle needs to be shortened accordingly.
Through the introduction of these issues, we can see that there are some problems in swimming pools that cannot be ignored. Therefore, it is necessary for swimmers to realize this and take appropriate precautions. Only with enough awareness and attention to these issues can we swim safer and healthier. Let us not forget to care about our health and safety while enjoying our leisure time, and work together to create a beautiful swimming environment.
