Pool Chemical Cheat Sheet Jun 2026

pH 7.4–7.6: The eye of the needle. Above 7.8, chlorine sleeps. Below 7.2, it eats your skin, your liner, your patience.

Calcium Hardness (200–400 ppm): Too low, and the water eats your plaster like a sugar cube. Too high, and it rains scale—white flakes of regret on your tile line.

Here are some common pool chemicals and their functions:

This is your primary sanitizer. It kills bacteria and prevents algae. If it drops below 1.0, your pool is "unprotected." pool chemical cheat sheet

Mark tested his CYA. 180 ppm. He had been using stabilized chlorine tablets for three years. Each tablet added a little chlorine and a lot of CYA. He was slowly poisoning his pool's immunity. The sheet’s solution was brutal: Partial drain. No shortcuts.

Using a pool chemical cheat sheet offers several benefits, including:

Maintaining a clean and safe swimming pool requires a thorough understanding of the various chemicals used to sanitize and balance the water. A pool chemical cheat sheet is a valuable resource for pool owners and operators, providing a quick reference guide to the different types of chemicals, their functions, and recommended levels. Calcium Hardness (200–400 ppm): Too low, and the

| Chemical | Function | Safe Handling | Dosage | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Chlorine (NaCl) | Sanitizer | Wear gloves, goggles. Add to water, not water to chemical. | 1-3 ppm | | Soda Ash (sodium carbonate) | pH increaser | Handle in well-ventilated area. Avoid skin contact. | 1 lb/10,000 gal | | Muriatic Acid (HCl) | pH decreaser | Wear gloves, goggles. Handle in well-ventilated area. | 1 cup/10,000 gal |

By having this information readily available, pool owners and operators can quickly and easily determine the correct chemical dosages and make adjustments as needed.

These are the numbers you should check at least twice a week. It kills bacteria and prevents algae

The next morning, the water was glass. And somewhere, Old Man Henley smiled.

He understood now. A pool isn't a bucket of water. It's a living chemistry set. It’s a covenant between pH and chlorine, a war against invisible invaders, a constant negotiation with the sun. The cheat sheet wasn't instructions. It was a map of a fragile kingdom—his kingdom—and for the first time, he knew how to be a decent king.

Next, a drawing of two ghosts.