Phosphates In Pools Dallas

Removing Phosphates From Your Swimming Pool

Phosphates can be challenging and a source of stress in your swimming pool especially if you don’t know what they are, how they affect your swimming pool chemistry, and how to treat them. Since you can’t see them it causes major problems if you don’t keep track of the levels, but as their levels increase in the swimming pool the water could turn cloudy and green! This is where the problem is because even though you have adequate amounts of chlorine in the swimming pool algae can and will grow. Phosphates, “(also denoted as PO4) are known nutrients to help increase plant growth rates such as in algae.” Simply put, phosphates are food source for algae and when their levels increase maintaining a swimming pool is extremely challenging. In Dallas, we deal with wind, vegetation, and other factors that equate to the possibility of phosphates in your swimming pool.

One of the biggest challenges with phosphates is in specific environments they are constantly being introduced into your swimming pool water. They can be found in vegetation, fill/tap water, lawn and garden fertilizers, soils and even in other pool chemicals that you use! With that said, phosphates can enter into your swimming pool in the following ways:

  • A constant wind that blows dirt and other vegetation into the pool, which does happen in the Dallas area!
  • Sprinkler fun off from your lawn or landscaping/dirt gets into your pool.
  • Certain chemicals that contain phosphorous to help clean your pool
  • Not removing debris in a timely manner

How Do You Remove Phosphates From The Pool?

First off, are you reading adequate levels of chlorine? Is your pool turning green or are you developing algae blooms on the interior finish, steps, or benches? This is your number one sign that phosphates might be present. Next, have you tested your levels? You can either do this at home with a dedicated phosphate test kit or take a water sample into a pool store.  Personally, since the test is easy we recommend testing them at home and if you have lots of vegetation in your backyard you should definitely have a phosphate test kit on hand to check from time to time. If your levels are high, you will need to remove them and this can be done a couple of different ways. Please keep in mind, you can also be pro-active in removing dirt, debris, and vegetation from the pool as soon as possible instead of allowing it to sit on the surface or bottom of the pool. That will definitely help in the future but to remove them you can purchase a phosphate remover. This is a more expensive chemical but it is extremely effective if used following the directions based on the size of your pool. Please only use what is recommended. This isn’t a product where using more is better.

All phosphate removers will make your pool cloudy. It is best to run your filter continuously until the cloudiness is gone and your phosphate levels are lowered. This might take several treatments. Another way to lower phosphate levels in your swimming pool is by using our Mobile Filtration Reverse Osmosis (RO) Filtration system. The Puripool Process is an alternative to a drain and refill that will lower Calcium Hardness, TDS, CYA, Phosphates, and so much more. 

If you should have any questions, please contact us today!