Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in Swimming Pool Water
Total Dissolved Solids (or TDS) is the measure of the total of all the soluble substances dissolved in the water. It is usually measured by assessing the electrical conductivity of the pool water. Blue Cactus Pool Service will normally test its customers' pool water once per year using a handheld digital electrode tester.
Recommended Levels of TDS are as follows:
Recommended Levels of TDS are as follows:
- Distilled or pure water has a TDS value of 0 ppm
- Drinking water can have a maximum TDS value of 500 ppm according to EPA water standards
- For regular fresh water swimming pools, the maximum recommended TDS level is 2,000 ppm.
What causes high levels of TDS?
High levels of TDS are caused by chemicals, sweat, sunscreen, debris and other matter, which all leave a residual in your pool. This residue builds up over time. Once this residual builds up too high, your regular pool chemicals are unable to do their job, resulting in many swimming pool water problems.
Pool Problems Resulting from High Levels of TDS
If left untreated, high levels of TDS can lead to pool water problems such as:
High TDS levels can create these problems even if the pool’s chemistry is good. It some times creates a situation where the pool will keep developing problems no matter how perfect the water chemistry is or how often the pool filter is cleaned. The only way to treat high levels of dissolved solids is to drain the pool, and start over with fresh water.
- cloudy pool water
- staining of the pool surfaces
- scaling
- hard water
- salty taste
- algae growth
- Irritated skin & eyes
- Increased bacteria
- Accelerated wear on plaster/pebble tech
- Inability of chlorine to disinfect
- Needing to run the pump longer in order to combat the above problems
High TDS levels can create these problems even if the pool’s chemistry is good. It some times creates a situation where the pool will keep developing problems no matter how perfect the water chemistry is or how often the pool filter is cleaned. The only way to treat high levels of dissolved solids is to drain the pool, and start over with fresh water.
How to Treat High Total Dissolved Solids
If the pool water has become saturated with contaminants and the TDS level confirms this, the pool should ideally be drained and refilled with fresh water. There is no method to reduce TDS effectively without replacing the swimming pool water.
***Almost every pool in the Phoenix Valley needs to be drained every 4 to 5 years.
The only way to treat high TDS is to DRAIN YOUR POOL.
Well it's not the ONLY way to treat high TDS. We should clarify and say for most people, it's the only affordable way to deal with high TDS. There is big equipment which can take your pool water and run it through large scale reverse osmosis system (RO). Similar to how RO systems purify the drinking water for many people. The purified water is then returned to your pool without the minerals. However for most pools, this method is close to $1,000 for the water process alone. Contact us if you have any questions regarding this option or TDS in general.
Healthy pools should have a TDS reading between 1000 to 1500 parts per million (ppm). Problems with your pool begin to develop when the reading is between 2000-2500 ppm. Pools over 2500 ppm almost always have the problems listed above, which can be very unhealthy. New pool water will have a TDS reading around 700-900 ppm.
***Almost every pool in the Phoenix Valley needs to be drained every 4 to 5 years.
The only way to treat high TDS is to DRAIN YOUR POOL.
Well it's not the ONLY way to treat high TDS. We should clarify and say for most people, it's the only affordable way to deal with high TDS. There is big equipment which can take your pool water and run it through large scale reverse osmosis system (RO). Similar to how RO systems purify the drinking water for many people. The purified water is then returned to your pool without the minerals. However for most pools, this method is close to $1,000 for the water process alone. Contact us if you have any questions regarding this option or TDS in general.
Healthy pools should have a TDS reading between 1000 to 1500 parts per million (ppm). Problems with your pool begin to develop when the reading is between 2000-2500 ppm. Pools over 2500 ppm almost always have the problems listed above, which can be very unhealthy. New pool water will have a TDS reading around 700-900 ppm.
Email or Call 623.889.1366
TDS Meter
We will test your level of TDS for free. Please call us and we will come out and test your pool water for the level of TDS. We use a top of the line TDS Meter, SGS Instruments SLTD 100 TDS Meter. It shows us the level of salt, the temperature, TDS, and net TDS (TDS minus your salt level).
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We provide Total Dissolved Solids Testing and Treatment to the following Arizona cities: Phoenix, Scottsdale, Anthem, Tramonto, Cave Creek, Carefree, Desert Ridge area, Paradise Valley, Peoria, Happy Valley area, Surprise, Sun City, Sun City West, Glendale, El Mirage, Litchfield Park, Youngstown, Avondale, Goodyear, Buckeye, Black Canyon City, New River and more. Please call for all locations: 623.889.1366 Click Here for a Custom Quote for High Total Dissolved Solids