Balanced water is the difference between a pool you enjoy and one that quietly eats its own equipment. Key West water starts from FKAA source chemistry, then salt air, relentless UV and heavy summer bather loads push it around all day. These answers cover the chlorine, pH, alkalinity and stabilizer questions we field most from island pool owners.
See our weekly service, chemicals included →- What Should My Pool's pH Level Be? Jul 17, 2026 Pool pH should stay between 7.2 and 7.8, ideally 7.4 to 7.6. Here is why that range matters, how to test it, and how to correct pH that drifts.
- How Do I Lower Cyanuric Acid Without Draining My Pool? Jul 15, 2026 Cyanuric acid only leaves a pool with the water. Here is how to lower CYA using staged partial drains or reverse osmosis, safely, in the Florida Keys.
- Is Liquid Chlorine Better Than Chlorine Tablets? Jun 19, 2026 Liquid chlorine adds no cyanuric acid but does not store well. Tablets are convenient but raise CYA every time. Here is how to use both correctly.
- How Do I Lower the pH in My Pool? Jun 10, 2026 Lower pool pH with muriatic acid or dry acid, about 12 fl oz of muriatic per 10,000 gallons per 0.2 drop. Dosing, safety and why pH keeps climbing back.
- How Do I Raise Alkalinity in a Pool? May 5, 2026 Raise pool alkalinity with baking soda. About 1.5 lbs per 10,000 gallons lifts alkalinity 10 ppm. Target 80 to 120 ppm, plus mistakes to avoid.
- What Is Cyanuric Acid and Why Does My Pool Need It? Mar 29, 2026 Cyanuric acid is chlorine's sunscreen. Learn the 30 to 50 ppm target, how CYA protects chlorine from UV, and what happens when levels climb too high.
- How Much Chlorine Should I Add to My Pool? Feb 21, 2026 Keep free chlorine at 2 to 4 ppm. About 10 fl oz of 12.5% liquid chlorine per 10,000 gallons raises it 1 ppm. Dosing by product type, plus shock amounts.
- Why Does My Pool Smell Strongly of Chlorine? Jan 15, 2026 A strong chlorine smell means too little free chlorine, not too much. The odor is chloramines. Here is what causes them and how to shock them out for good.
- What Is the Difference Between Free Chlorine and Total Chlorine? Dec 10, 2025 Free chlorine is the sanitizer still available to work. Total chlorine includes spent chloramines. The gap tells you when to shock your pool.
- How Often Should I Test My Pool Water? Nov 3, 2025 Test chlorine and pH two to three times a week, alkalinity weekly, calcium and cyanuric acid monthly. A schedule that keeps pool water stable.
- What Causes High Calcium Hardness in a Pool? Sep 28, 2025 High calcium hardness comes from hard fill water, cal-hypo shock and evaporation. Target 200 to 400 ppm. Signs to watch and how to bring it down.
- Why Will My Chlorine Level Not Come Up? Aug 22, 2025 Chlorine that will not hold usually means algae, high cyanuric acid, old product or organic demand. Work the causes in order and fix the real one.