A resort operator's guide to pool chemistry
pH, free chlorine, cyanuric acid — what to test, when, and the products that keep pool water clear.
Pool water in a tropical resort works hard. High bather loads, intense UV, and warm temperatures all push chemistry out of balance fast. A simple daily routine prevents most problems.
Test these every day
Free chlorine (1–3 ppm), pH (7.2–7.6), and total alkalinity (80–120 ppm). Test cyanuric acid weekly — keep it between 30–50 ppm so chlorine is not destroyed by sunlight too quickly.
Products that do the heavy lifting
Chlorine (calcium hypochlorite or trichlor tablets) for sanitation, pH minus/plus for balance, PAC or specialty clarifiers for cloudy water, and algaecide as a preventive weekly dose during rainy season.
Shock weekly
Even a well-run pool needs a weekly chlorine shock to break down combined chlorine (chloramines) — the compounds responsible for that strong 'chlorine smell' and red eyes.
