How to properly take a water sample
Analyzing your pool water is the basis for the success of your swimming season. Staying aware of water chemistry will help you avoid any potential headaches related to an imbalance between pH, alkalinity and sanitizer. But most pool owners don't know how to properly collect a water sample for analysis.
A sample is meant to reflect your entire pool. If the sample is contaminated or non-compliant, you risk creating a big headache and spending a lot of money unnecessarily. Nobody wants that. So let's make sure you collect the water correctly, either for your home test or for the test at our branch.
The container (bottle)
If you have lost/forgotten yours, use a container that is free of contaminants. Use a clean 1 liter plastic container. (DO NOT use glass bottles, chemical bottles or soft drink bottles).
Tip**: Piscine Hippocampe will give you an 8 oz bottle of analysis free of charge.
Where to take water from the swimming pool?
Whenever possible, it is always best to take a sample 18 inches below the water surface (elbow level). As this is not always possible, try to collect it as deep as possible and not directly from the surface of the water. Be sure to stay away from skimmers and backflows.
If your pool has different depths, take the water sample from the deep end, as it will be less affected by water temperature.
When to take the water sample?
Make sure the pool has circulated without interruption for approximately 48 hours. (During the winter season, chemicals like calcium, stabilizer and salt settle to the bottom of the pool).
Rain is arguably the biggest cause of inaccurate pool water samples. If it’s raining, don’t test your water. Rain has a very low pH and alkalinity. The water sample will not reflect the entire pool until the rainwater has completely mixed with the rest of the pool.
If it has just rained or threatens to rain in the very near future, wait at least 8 hours before testing or taking a water sample.
The fresher the better!
Important not to do!
- Do not leave your water sample in the sun or in a car for long periods of time.
- Do not collect a sample before heavy rain.
- Do not take samples after shock/oxidation.
- Do not take your sample to a retailer for analysis whose brand of chemical you are not using.
Tip** We recommend testing your own pool every week and bringing a sample to the branch once a month for a complete test.
Little reminder
As a pool owner, you are responsible for testing and adjusting chlorine and pH levels on a weekly basis to keep all swimmers happy and healthy. You can use test strips or chemical drops , both test agents work well, it's a matter of preference. It doesn't matter if you use strips or drops, they need to be replaced every year to get accurate results.
