Can you swim in a pool with high phosphates?
You can swim in a pool that has phosphates in it. In fact, you likely already have. It is important
to track the level of phosphates, as extremely high amounts (in the order of 1,000 ppb) can
affect your health.
Are phosphates bad for your pool?
Phosphates may not directly harm your pool, but they can indirectly create problems. High
levels of phosphates promote algae growth, which can hurt the lining of your pool. Those same
phosphates also use up chlorine quickly, making it harder to maintain your pool. This makes
your pool maintenance more expensive and time-consuming.
Where do pool phosphates come from?
The phosphates in your pool come from garden fertilizer runoff, rotting leaves, certain pool
chemicals, and your city’s water supply. As you swim in your pool, the residue from skin and
hair products may also contain phosphates.
When should I treat my pool?
In an ideal world, where we can keep phosphate levels down and sanitizer efficiency up, we
should never have an algae outbreak. So regular phosphate removal is an easy practice to
adopt if you’re not already doing so. Simply use a phosphate remover as needed. Maybe it’s
quarterly for your pool. It could be once a year. Some pools may need phosphate remover every
week or every month. It just depends on the pool’s needs, and how frequently phosphates are
being introduced to the water.
