Pool Care Guide

Pool water testing measures several key values. pH tells you how acidic or alkaline your water is. The ideal range is 7.2 to 7.6. Below 7.2 the water becomes corrosive and can irritate skin and eyes. Above 7.6 chlorine becomes less effective and scale can form on your pool surfaces.

Free chlorine is your primary sanitiser. For a standard chlorinated pool, aim for 1 to 3 parts per million. For saltwater pools, the same 1 to 3 range applies since the salt cell generates chlorine for you. Naked freshwater pools using a copper-silver ioniser operate at much lower chlorine levels, typically 0 to 0.5 parts per million, because copper and silver ions are the primary sanitisers.

Total alkalinity acts as a pH buffer. For most pool types, aim for 80 to 120 parts per million. Naked freshwater pools can run a wider range of 80 to 150. Low alkalinity causes pH to swing unpredictably. High alkalinity makes pH hard to adjust and can accelerate scaling.

Calcium hardness measures dissolved calcium. Too low and the water becomes aggressive, leaching calcium from your pool surfaces and equipment. Too high and you risk cloudy water and scale. The ideal range depends on your pool surface: concrete and pebble pools need 200 to 400 parts per million to protect the surface, while fibreglass and vinyl pools sit lower at 150 to 280 because there is no calcium in the surface material to protect.

Cyanuric acid (stabiliser) protects chlorine from being broken down by UV light. For outdoor chlorinated and saltwater pools, aim for 30 to 50 parts per million. Too much stabiliser reduces chlorine effectiveness significantly. Naked freshwater pools do not use stabiliser because the copper-silver ioniser does not rely on chlorine as the primary sanitiser. Spas generally do not need stabiliser either since most are covered or indoors.

Chlorinated pools are the most common in Australia. You add liquid or granular chlorine directly to maintain sanitiser levels. They are straightforward to manage and chemicals are widely available.

Saltwater pools use a chlorine generator (salt cell) that converts dissolved salt into chlorine automatically. They are often described as gentler on skin, though the water still contains chlorine. The salt cell requires regular cleaning and eventual replacement. Salt levels typically sit around 3000 to 5000 parts per million, though the exact range varies by manufacturer. Check your salt cell manual for the recommended level.

Freshwater or naked pools use a copper-silver ioniser (such as the NKD-R or NKD-M system) to release copper and silver ions that kill bacteria and inhibit algae. A small amount of chlorine is produced as a by-product of the oxidiser, but levels are negligible at 0 to 0.5 parts per million. Copper levels should be maintained between 0.2 and 0.5 parts per million. No stabiliser (cyanuric acid) is needed. Water feels noticeably softer and the system is popular with families sensitive to chlorine. The ioniser rods typically last 3 to 4 years before replacement.

Each pool type has different target ranges for chlorine, pH and other parameters. Ripple adjusts its calculations automatically based on your pool type.

The Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) is a calculation that combines your pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, water temperature and total dissolved solids into a single balance score.

An LSI of 0 means your water is perfectly balanced. A negative LSI means the water is undersaturated, which makes it corrosive. It will slowly dissolve calcium from your pool surface, grout and equipment. A positive LSI means the water is oversaturated and prone to depositing scale on surfaces, the salt cell and pool fittings.

The ideal range is between -0.3 and +0.3. Ripple calculates your LSI score automatically each time you enter a test result, so you always know where your water sits.

Most pool owners focus only on pH and chlorine. LSI gives you the full picture, especially important for pools with tiled or pebble surfaces where scale or etching is expensive to fix.

As a general rule, test your pool water at least once a week during the swimming season and every two weeks in cooler months when the pool is not being used.

Test more frequently if the pool is used heavily, after a period of rain (rainwater dilutes chemicals and can affect pH), after adding chemicals (retest 24 hours later), during hot weather (heat speeds up chlorine loss), or if you notice any change in water clarity or colour.

For naked freshwater ioniser pools, test pH and copper levels weekly at a minimum, especially during summer. The NKD-R User Guide recommends testing alkalinity and phosphates every 4 to 6 weeks and calcium hardness quarterly. Always visually check the water every few days and test immediately after heavy rain or high pool usage.

Keeping a consistent testing schedule is the single best thing you can do for your pool. Ripple's test history lets you spot patterns and act before small imbalances become expensive problems.

Green pool water is caused by algae growth. Algae thrive when chlorine levels drop too low, pH is too high (reducing chlorine effectiveness), or the water is warm and there is organic material (leaves, sunscreen, body oils) feeding the algae.

To clear a green pool: first test your water to understand exactly where your chemistry is. Adjust pH to the low end of the ideal range (around 7.2) because chlorine is most effective at lower pH. Then shock the pool with a high dose of chlorine, typically 5 to 10 times the normal level depending on the severity. Run the filter continuously for 24 to 48 hours. Brush the walls and floor to dislodge algae. Backwash the filter once the water begins to clear.

Prevention is far cheaper than treatment. Maintaining consistent chlorine levels and testing weekly means algae rarely gets a foothold. Ripple tracks your chlorine history so you can see if levels are consistently drifting before green water appears.

Your pool filter traps fine particles as water passes through it. Over time, this debris builds up and reduces the filter's effectiveness and flow rate. Backwashing reverses the direction of water flow to flush the collected debris out through the waste line.

You should backwash when the filter pressure gauge reads 7 to 10 PSI above its clean baseline reading, or approximately every two to four weeks during the swimming season.

To backwash a sand or DE filter: turn off the pump, set the multiport valve to backwash, turn the pump on and run for 2 to 3 minutes until the water in the sight glass runs clear, then switch to rinse for 30 seconds, and return the valve to filter.

Cartridge filters do not backwash. Remove the cartridge and rinse it with a hose.

After backwashing, retest your water. Backwashing removes some water from the pool, which is replaced by top-up water that may have different chemistry. Ripple's maintenance schedule can remind you when your next backwash is due.

Before adding any chemicals, check your filter first. A dirty, clogged, or worn out filter is the most common cause of cloudy water. Clean or backwash your filter and run the pump for at least 8 to 12 hours to see if clarity improves.

If the filter is fine, test your water. Low sanitiser levels allow bacteria and particles to multiply. High pH or high alkalinity can cause calcium to fall out of solution, making the water look milky. High calcium hardness has the same effect and can also damage your filter.

Environmental factors play a role too. Pollen, dust, body oils, sunscreen, and even heavy bather loads (especially after a party) introduce organic matter that the filter and sanitiser need to handle. A non-chlorine shock or oxidiser can help break down these contaminants quickly.

For Naked freshwater pools, cloudiness after running the OXI Boost function is normal and temporary. Cloudiness from sunscreen residue is also common in NKD pools. For MagnaPool systems, cloudiness after adding minerals is part of the dissolution process and should clear within hours.

If your chemistry and filter are both fine, a clarifier product can help bind fine particles together so the filter can catch them. Ripple tracks your chemistry over time so you can spot the pattern causing recurring cloudiness.

Calcium scaling appears as white, grey, or brownish chalky deposits on pool walls, the tile line, inside equipment, and on salt cells. It happens when calcium precipitates out of solution, usually because the water is oversaturated. The Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) measures this: an LSI above +0.3 means scaling conditions.

The common causes are high calcium hardness (above 400 ppm), high pH causing calcium to drop out of solution, high alkalinity, and hot water temperatures. Saltwater pools are particularly prone because the salt cell naturally raises pH and generates heat during electrolysis, both of which promote scaling.

To fix existing scale, test your calcium hardness and pH. Lower the pH with acid, use a scale inhibitor product, and for stubborn deposits use a calcium or metal remover appropriate for your surface type. A partial drain and refill with fresh water can dilute high calcium levels.

For saltwater pools, scale forms most commonly inside the salt cell itself. Clean the cell every 3 to 6 months by soaking in a diluted acid solution (1 part hydrochloric acid to 10 parts water). Use a salt-compatible scale inhibitor, as standard products break down faster inside the cell.

Prevention is about maintaining a balanced LSI between -0.3 and +0.3. Ripple calculates your LSI automatically with every test result so you can catch drift toward scaling before deposits form.

This is the most common issue Naked pool owners face, and the most commonly misdiagnosed. If you see blue-green, teal, or turquoise discolouration on your pool surface that will not brush off and feels smooth (not slimy), it is a copper stain, not algae. Treating it as algae by adding chlorine actually makes the staining worse.

To confirm: crush a vitamin C tablet and rub it on the stain. If it lightens or disappears within 30 seconds, it is a metal stain.

The number one cause is pH drifting above 7.4 to 7.6. When pH rises, copper ions "plate out" of the water and deposit onto pool surfaces. The second cause is copper levels exceeding 0.5 ppm, meaning the ioniser output is set too high for your pool. The third cause is adding shock chlorine, which can trigger a rapid shift that causes copper to precipitate.

To fix: lower pH to 7.0 to 7.2 with hydrochloric acid. Apply a metal sequestrant product. Reduce the ION output on the NKD control unit to zero until levels drop. If copper is very high, dilute by draining some water and topping up with fresh.

Prevention: keep pH at 7.2 to 7.4 (slightly lower than standard chlorine pools). Install the NKD-pH Controller for automated daily acid dosing. Test copper weekly with the provided test kit, especially during summer. Keep copper between 0.2 and 0.5 ppm.

If you find yourself adding acid every few days and the pH keeps climbing back above 7.6 or 7.8, you are not doing anything wrong. This is a natural characteristic of certain pool systems and surfaces.

For saltwater pools, pH rise is built into the chemistry. The electrolysis process inside the salt cell produces sodium hydroxide as a by-product, which is highly alkaline and pushes pH up. This is unavoidable with salt chlorination. The practical solution is automated acid dosing or lowering your total alkalinity to 80 to 100 ppm, which reduces the water's ability to buffer pH upward and slows the drift.

For Naked freshwater pools, pH control is especially critical because high pH disables the copper ions that sanitise your water. The NKD-pH Controller is designed specifically for this, automatically dosing diluted acid daily to maintain the ideal range.

New pools with concrete, plaster, pebble, or quartzon surfaces will experience higher pH for the first 10 to 12 weeks as the surface cures and leaches alkaline calcium hydroxide into the water. This is completely normal and settles down over time.

Water features, spillways, and return jets that agitate the water surface also contribute to pH rise by causing carbon dioxide to gas off. If you have water features, expect to use more acid.

The strong "pool smell" and the burning eyes that people associate with too much chlorine are actually caused by too little effective chlorine. When free chlorine reacts with nitrogen compounds from sweat, urine, body oils, and sunscreen, it forms combined chlorine (chloramines). These chloramines are what irritate eyes and skin and produce that harsh chemical smell.

To check: test both free chlorine and total chlorine. The difference between them is your combined chlorine. If combined chlorine is above 0.5 ppm, you need to shock the pool to "breakpoint" to destroy the chloramines. This means raising the free chlorine level high enough (typically 10 times the combined chlorine reading) to fully oxidise the chloramines.

Unbalanced pH is the other common cause. Water below pH 7.2 (too acidic) directly irritates skin and eyes. Water above pH 7.8 (too alkaline) can cause skin rashes and dryness.

For spa owners, this issue is amplified because the smaller water volume and higher temperature mean contaminants concentrate faster. Spas should be shocked more frequently (after every heavy use session) and drained and refilled every 3 to 4 months to reset the water.

Encouraging everyone to shower before swimming is the single most effective prevention. It removes the sweat, oils, and cosmetic products that create chloramines in the first place.

After a significant rain event or storm, your pool chemistry will have shifted. Rainwater is naturally acidic (typically pH 5 to 6 in Australia), so it lowers your pH and dilutes all your dissolved chemicals including chlorine, salt, alkalinity, calcium, and stabiliser. Wind-blown debris, garden fertiliser runoff, and organic matter introduce phosphates and contaminants.

Your first step after a storm: remove visible debris (leaves, branches, dirt) from the pool and clean the skimmer basket. Run the pump to circulate and filter the water. Then test your water before adding anything. Do not guess or add chemicals without knowing where your levels are.

Common post-storm corrections: pH and alkalinity will likely be low, so you may need buffer (sodium bicarbonate) and possibly acid adjustment. Chlorine will be depleted, so a shock dose is usually needed. If you have a saltwater pool, check salt levels as heavy rain can dilute them significantly. For Naked freshwater pools, copper levels may have dropped from dilution, so test copper and use the ION Boost function if needed.

Lightning is full of nitrogen, which acts like fertiliser in your pool water. Combined with phosphates washed in by runoff, this creates ideal conditions for an algae bloom in the days following a storm. Test phosphates and treat with a phosphate remover if levels are high.

If you live in a storm-prone area like Queensland, consider running your pump during storms (if safe to do so) to keep water circulating and filtering. Ripple's test history helps you see exactly how much each storm event shifts your chemistry.