Phosphates! Why They Are Challenging and How To Remove Them From Your Swimming Pool!

There has been a lot of discussion in regards to phosphates and how they can affect your swimming pool. Since you can’t actually see them, as levels increase in the swimming pool the water might turn green even though you have the proper amount of chlorine in the swimming pool. Phosphates are known nutrients to help increase plant growth rates such as in algae. However, there is a lot of confusion regarding phosphates in pool water. Simply put, phosphates are food for algae and when these levels get out of control… so can your swimming pool.

The biggest challenge with phosphates is in certain environments they are constantly being introduced into your swimming pool water causing major chemistry issues. They can be found in vegetation, fill water, lawn and garden fertilizers and potentially in other pool chemicals. With that said, phosphates can enter into your swimming pool in the following ways…

• When the wind blows dirt and vegetation into the swimming pool
• Anytime you add water or the automatic leveler adds water to the swimming pool
• Sprinkler runoff from your lawn causing soil to enter the pool
• Grass and other landscaping that enters the pool
• Certain chemicals used in your pool contain phosphorous to help clean your pool

How do you remove phosphates from the pool?

Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of things you can do to prevent phosphates from entering the pool but you can be mindful of having the levels checked several times a year. 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. This can be done by skimming the surface of the pool or vacuuming if necessary. Phosphate removers can also be extremely effective if used following the directions based on the size of your pool. Remember, if you have algae growth in your swimming pool and you are reading adequate amounts of sanitizer, it usually indicates a phosphate problem.

Finally, phosphates can also be removed using our Reverse Osmosis (RO) mobile filtration system. We use high-pressure reverse osmosis membranes that lower calcium, total dissolved solids, CYA, salts, phosphates and so much more from your swimming pool. Not to mention we retain 85% of the water in your swimming pool. So remember, even though you maintain your swimming pool weekly, phosphates can enter into the swimming pool causing algae to grow. We recommend testing regularly for phosphates especially if you’re in an area with heavy vegetation around the pool and being mindful to lower the levels especially if they climb above 500 parts per billion (ppb) to prevent possible growth.

If you should have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us to learn more!