What is called "over-stabilization" of pool water?
The stabilizer is there to protect the chlorine, to disinfect the water and to eliminate micro-organisms in the pool. It protects the chlorine from the sun's UV rays, which destroy it and prevent it from working.
However, the stabilizer is not without risk. Indeed, isocyanuric acid, used as a stabilizer, does not degrade or dissolve in water: it is what is called bioaccumulable because it does not disappear in water but accumulates there.
And when it is present in too large a quantity in the water (80 ppm), it ends up blocking the action of the chlorine, which will then no longer be able to disinfect the pool and become inactive.
This is called over-stabilization of a pool. What to do in case of over-stabilization?
It is very difficult to diagnose an over-stabilization of the water because apparently everything is fine:
° If you test the chlorine level, it seems to be good but despite that, the water of the pool will become cloudy, green and algae will start to proliferate. To solve this problem, we will have to add chlorine, which will further aggravate the problem of over-stabilization of your water! Once the exact diagnosis has been made (after having checked the stabilizer level in the pool), there are not many alternatives: you will have to proceed to a partial or total draining depending on the results of your analysis:
° Your stabilizer level is between 80 ppm and 100 ppm, a draining of at least 30% will be necessary, if it is between 100 ppm and 120 ppm, it will be necessary to drain 50% of the pool and beyond 120 ppm the only solution will be to drain the whole pool.
A shock treatment with unstabilized chlorine to sanitize the new water will be necessary in the case of a partial filling of the pool.How to avoid this phenomenon of over-stabilization of a pool with chlorine?
Here are the 4 points to respect to avoid having an excess of stabilizer:
° Keep the stabilizer level between 30 and 80 ppm maximum.
° Analysis strips and a regular check with your pool manager will indicate the level.
° Vary the chlorine treatments according to the results of your analysis by alternating stabilized and non-stabilized chlorine Strictly respect the chlorine dosages in the pool.
°Renew 1/3 of your pool water every year to increase the efficiency of your treatment products because the more your water "dates" the less active they will be.