A stabilizer is important for any kind of chlorine pool. This additive will protect your pool chemicals from the sun’s rays which can evaporate up to 90% of them. That’s a lot of wasted money if you are not protecting your chlorine and other chemicals.
The problem is that when chlorine is free, or does not have a buffer between it and the sun’s rays, it is much more susceptible to evaporation. This is where the stabilizer comes in. Stabilizer is also called pool conditioner. It creates a buffer between the sun’s rays and your pool chemicals.
This means that you will not need to spend a ton of money replacing your chlorine and your pool will remain swimmable throughout the season.
Some Important Notes
Now you that have a general idea of how stabilizer works, there are some other things you should know:
- It Comes in Multiple Forms – Pool conditioner comes in granule and liquid form. You can also get ph stabilizer for pool use in trichlor form. Some chlorine tablets also include it.
- When Draining Your Pool – In normal conditions, treating your pool with stabilizer at the beginning of the swim season is enough to protect the chemicals all season long. However, if for some reason you have to drain the pool you will need to add stabilizer again.
- Some Chemicals Already Have It – If you see that your pool chemicals include something called CYA (Cyanuric Acid), then you won’t need to add stabilizer – CYA essentially does the same thing.
- Strike the Right Balance – There are such things as too much and too little stabilizer. In general, you’re going to want to keep the stabilizer levels between 30 and 50 ppm. If you put too much of it, you can essentially render the chlorine useless and throw off your chemical testing.
- Test Regularly – If you do add stabilizer to your pool water, remember to test it regularly.
What if you Don’t Have a Skimmer?
Adding stabilizer is usually a straightforward process – if you have a skimmer. But what if your pool doesn’t have a skimmer? One of the most common questions asked by above ground pool owners and people who don’t have skimmers in their pool is can you put stabilizer directly in pool? The answer is yes but you have to dilute it with water first. Here’s how the process should go:
Step 1
Remember that you are going to be dealing with chemicals during this process and any time you are handling chemicals, you need to be sure to wear safety gear. Before you do anything be sure to put on safety goggles, a mask and gloves.
Step 2
Fill a bucket with warm water. You can use a plastic or aluminum bucket for this; as long as it’s large and sturdy enough for the job.
Step 3
Add the stabilizer to the bucket. You can use CYA or other chlorine conditioner products recommended by your pool’s manufacturer.
Step 4
Slowly add the mixture of warm water and stabilizer to your pool water. Walk around the perimeter of the pool and try to distribute the mixture as evenly as possible, covering all contours of your pool.
Step 5
Once the mixture is added to the water, be sure to run your pool pump for a few hours.
Parting Advice
Remember that it’s always a good idea to refer to your pool’s owner manual or to contact the manufacturer to find out which chlorine conditioner to use and how much to add. This will give you the best shot at a clean pool you can enjoy all summer long.
