Have you ever wondered why your pool water looks dull instead of sparkling clear? The culprit could be your total dissolved solids or pool TDS, meaning the amount of dissolved substances in your pool water.
While often overlooked, TDS levels play a key role in pool water chemistry and clarity. Ideally, swimming pools maintain TDS levels between 1,500 and 2,000 ppm. In comparison, the EPA sets the maximum TDS for drinking water at 500 ppm.
To keep your pool balanced, consider using a TDS meter, which is affordable and easy to find online. Keeping your pool’s TDS in check is key to maintaining clear, sparkling water.
Why TDS Impacts Your Pool Water
Nearly everything added to your pool contributes to an increase in total dissolved solids (TDS), including chlorine, shock, algaecides, clarifiers and pH adjustment products. Even contaminants introduced by swimmers – such as hair care products, body lotions, deodorants, sweat and urine – can significantly raise TDS levels.
For outdoor pools, lawn care chemicals or landscaping runoff can also add to TDS. Additionally, when pure water evaporates, it leaves behind higher concentrations of dissolved solids over time.
High TDS levels, particularly from chlorides and sulfates, can reduce chlorine’s effectiveness, dull water clarity and create conditions for algae growth. Elevated phosphate and nitrate levels can further deplete chlorine, worsening algae problems.
What Pool Problems Does High TDS Cause?
- Reduces Chlorine Effectiveness: Makes it harder to maintain proper sanitation levels.
- Dulls Water Clarity: Leads to cloudy, less sparkling pool water.
- Algae Growth: Creates favorable conditions for algae blooms.
- Causes Staining: Dissolved metals can stain pool surfaces.
- Increases Scaling Risks: High calcium-based TDS can damage surfaces and equipment.
- Causes Corrosion: High TDS levels accelerate galvanic corrosion.
Signs Your Pool Has High TDS
Struggling to maintain proper chlorine levels, water clarity or noticing a salty taste in your pool water? These could be signs of high pool TDS, even if your water is balanced, sanitized and filtered. High TDS from dissolved metals can also cause staining on pool surfaces.
Elevated calcium-based TDS can lead to scaling on pool surfaces and equipment, shortening their lifespan and increasing repair costs. When TDS levels exceed 2,000 ppm, the risk of galvanic corrosion rises from the presence of dissimilar metals.
How to Lower TDS in Pools
Traditionally, lowering TDS in swimming pools involves draining and refilling the pool water. While effective to some extent, this method can be wasteful, expensive and environmentally unfriendly. Draining and refilling process not only consumes significant amounts of fresh water but also generates large volumes of wastewater, impacting local water resources.
What Preventive Measures Can Lower TDS in Pools?
For a more sustainable approach, pool operators can focus on:
- Minimizing Chemical Use: Reduce the need for chemical use – like chlorine, shock and algaecides – with supplemental or secondary sanitation to lower TDS buildup. For example, Hydroxyl-Based AOP pool sanitation is proven to lower chemical use by an average of 40%.
- Maintaining Balanced Pool Chemistry: Regular testing and adjustments can prevent excessive buildup of dissolved solids.
- Improving Filtration Efficiency: High-performance filtration systems enhance water quality by managing contaminants that contribute to TDS levels.
- Reducing Evaporation Losses: Pool covers limit evaporation, preventing TDS concentration in remaining water.
These strategies promote sustainable water management, conserving resources and reducing environmental impact.
Clear Comfort AOP Pool Systems: The Smarter to Managing Pool TDS
Backed by science, Hydroxyl-Based AOP pool sanitation systems offers a modern approach to TDS prevention. This patented technology from Clear Comfort effectively removes certain dissolved metals like iron and manganese through hydroxyl radical oxidation, helping to reduce staining.
Hydroxyl-Based AOP reduces the need for chlorine and chemical use by an average of 40%, helping lower TDS levels. Additionally, this sustainable approach improves water and air quality, while extending time between pool draining and refilling.
How Does Clear Comfort AOP Improve Pool Care?
- Reduces Chemical Use by 40%: Uses less chlorine and chemicals, reducing TDS buildup in pools.
- Saves Water Use: Extends time between draining and refilling of pool water.
- Improves Water and Air Quality: Lowers disinfection by-products (DBPs) for a healthier pool environment without swimmer irritation or odor.
- Eliminates Harmful Pathogens: Protects against bacteria, viruses, contaminants and other chlorine-tolerant pathogens, like Cryptosporidium.
- Simplifies Pool Maintenance: Simplifies balancing chemicals and reduces cleaning time.
- Supports Sustainable Pool Care: Proven to save water and energy use while improving overall pool operations.
As top aquatic facilities adopt innovative solutions like Clear Comfort AOP, pool water care is becoming more stable, simpler and healthier than ever before.
Lowering TDS for Clear, Healthy & Sustainable Pool Water
Managing total dissolved solids (TDS) is crucial for maintaining clear, healthy and balanced pool water. Traditional methods like draining and refilling may address TDS but are time-consuming, costly and wasteful. Understanding TDS causes and using Clear Comfort AOP helps pool operators minimize chemical costs, save water and improve swimmer experiences.
By adopting these strategies, pool operators can simplify maintenance, reduce costs, and enhance water and air quality. Managing TDS effectively ensures clearer water, better swimmer experiences and more efficient pool operations.
Zach Morris
VP of Customer Success
