POOL AND SPA CHEMICALS
Contents: BioGuard Pool Chemicals, Life-Line Pool Chemicals, Other Pool Chemicals, SpaGuard Spa and Hot Tub Chemicals, Water Test Strips, Pool Water Problems and Solutions, Pool Water Terminology, Chemical Safety
Pool Chemicals
Budget Pools carries the full lines of BioGuard and Life-Line pool chemicals and SpaGuard spa and hot tub chemicals. We offer state-of-the-art computerized water testing so you can find out exactly what your pool or spa needs. We also sell water test strips.
BioGuard Pool Chemicals
BioGuard Once-a-Week 3-Step Program
Just minutes of your time, only once a week, to keep your pool water crystal clear and brilliant.
- Step 1: Sanitize to kill bacteria with BioGuard Smart Sticks
- Step 2: Oxidize and clarify for sparkling clear water with BioGuard Smart Shock
- Step 3: Prevent algae growth with BioGuard Back-Up
3-Step Program Enhancements:
- For pools that receive consistently heavy use, for Step 1 try BioGuard Silk Tabs and Silk Sticks sanitizer.
- For convenience, for Steps 1 and 2 try BioGuard Pool Pods dual layer tablets that contain both oxidizer and sanitizer.
- Enhance Steps 1, 2, and 3 with BioGuard Optimizer Plus to further suppress algae growth and improve water clarity and softness.
BioGuard SoftSwim Program for Non-Chlorine Pools
Gentle on eyes, skin, and hair.
- Step A: Prevent algae growth with BioGuard SoftSwim A algicide.
- Step B: Sanitize to kill bacteria with BioGuard SoftSwim B biguanide..
- Step C: Oxidize and clarify for sparkling clear water with BioGuard SoftSwim C clarifier.
BioGuard Mineral Springs Program for Pools with Chlorine Generators
For silky mineral water that won’t irritate eyes or dry skin.
- Step 1: At start-up, apply BioGuard Beginnings, a proprietary blend of minerals.
- Step 2: Once a week, replenish mineral levels with BioGuard Renewal.
Budget Pools can help you choose the pool care program that is best for you.
Other BioGuard Products
Algae Products
Algae All 60, Back Up, Banish, Optimizer Plus
Balancers
Balance Pak 100, Balance Pak 200, Balance Pak 300, Lo 'N Slo, Pool Magnet Plus, Stabilizer 100, Scale Inhibitor
Cleaners
Anti-Foam, Kleen It, Off The Wall, Strip Kwik, Stain Remover, Stow-Away
Oxidizers
BioGuard Smart Shock, Burn Out Extreme, Burn Out 35, Easy Shock & Swim
Sanitizers
Silk Tabs & Silk Sticks, Pool Pods, Smart Sticks, Everyday Chlorinating Granules, Brominating Tablets
Water Enhancers
Polysheen Blue, PowerFloc, Skim Mor, Sparkle-Up
Winterizers
Arctic Blue Algae Protector, Arctic Blue Shock, Arctic Blue Winter Kits, Basic Off-Season Winter Kit, Winter Algicide, Winter Floater WP, Winter Shock II
Life-Line Pool Chemicals
Life-Line pool chemicals are high quality and economical. For your convenience, they are color coded to match the results of our computerized water tests. All you need to do is to determine the amount to use based on the size of your pool.
Life-Line 1 Yellow, pH Plus raises pH. Available in 2, 5, and 10 pounds.
Life-Line 2 Red, pH Minus lowers pH. Available in 3 and 6 pounds.
Life-Line 3 Pink, Stabilizer UV protector. Keeps sunlight from lowering chlorine. Available in 2, 4, and 7 pounds.
Life-Line 4 Blue, Alklinity Increaser buffer. Stabilizes pH. Available in 5, 15, and 25 pounds.
Life-Line 5 Green, Hardness Increaser adds hardness. Keeps plaster pools from pitting and vinyl liners from fading. Available in 4, 15, and 25 pounds.
Life-Line Concentrated Granular Chlorine equivalent to 4 times its weight in calcium-based chlorine. Leaves no residue. Available in 5, 15, and 25 pounds.
Life-Line 1 inch Slow Tabs for chlorine floaters. 99% active. Available in 4.5, 10, 15, and 25 pounds.
Life-Line 3 inch Tablets for most chlorinators. 99% active. Available in 7, 13, 25, and 45 pounds.
Life-Line Chlorine Sticks 90% available chlorine.
Life-Line Non-Chlorine Shock super oxidizer with no chlorine.
Life-Line Min-Quest Mineral and Stain Out controls water discoloration caused by minerals.
Life-Line Non-Foaming Algaecide copper based, for vinyl pools.
Life-Line 550 and 560 LF Algaecide non-metallic, for gunite pools. Will not turn hair green.
Life-Line Filter Cleaner for pool and spa filters. Removes oils and dirt.
Life-Line Super Floc Out cleans cloudy water, settles out dirt and particles.
Life-Line Ultra Clear Water Clarifier for sparkling clear water.
Life-Line Spray N'Rinse tile and vinyl cleaner.
Other Pool Chemicals
Floating Chlorinators Derby Duck or Cool Turtle. Two sizes.
Morton Pool Salt for salt water chlorinators.
Prevail Pool-Pac
Pool Frog Bac-Pac
New Water Cycler-Pac
Spa and Hot Tub Chemicals
SpaGuard Spa Chemicals
We carry a complete line of SpaGuard spa chemicals by BioGuard. SpaGuard products will help you achieve the perfect water for your spa. They are backed by unsurpassed research and expertise in the spa industry. After a professional water analysis we will prescribe the correct SpaGuard products for your spa.
Water Test Strips
- AquaChek pool and spa water test strips
- LaMotte Insta-Test instant water test strips
Pool Water Problems and Solutions
Algae free-floating green algae (microscopic plants), or wall-clinging green, black, brown, or yellow algae. Solution: BioGuard Banish, kills all types of algae, BioGuard Spot Kill kills black algae on walls, BioGuard Spot Kill WP for white plaster pools, kills black algae on walls.
Coudy Water caused by poor filtration, inadequate circulation, water balance, low sanitizer levels and/or lack of routine oxidation. Solution: BioGuard Lo 'N Slo corrects high pH, BioGuard Strip Kwik or BioGuard Kleen It, cleans dirty filter media, BioGuard Smart Shock, Burn Out Extreme, Burn Out 35, or Easy Shock and Swim boosts sanitizer levels. BioGuard Polysheen Blue which is also an excellent water clarifier. For BioGuard SoftSwim® pools, use SoftSwim Filter Aid and Flocculent. Have your water tested to determine what you need.
Foam caused by elevated levels of algicide or a foaming algicide in pools with jetted returns, attached spas, waterfall, or fountain. Solution: BioGuard Anti-Foam, eliminates foam quickly. To prevent foam from re-occurring due to high algicide levels, skip your next scheduled addition of BioGuard Back Up or switch to non-foaming BioGuard Algae All 60.
Scale caused by high calcium hardness. Solution: BioGuard Scale Inhibitor, eliminates scale discoloration and helps prevent scale from forming on pool surfaces and damaging pool equipment.
Staining caused by contamination, sunlight and metals in pool water. Solution: BioGuard Stain Remover, removes most stains from pool surfaces and returns all metals to pool water, BioGuard Pool Magnet Plus, ties up metals in pool water, BioGuard Sparkle-Up, aids physical removal of metals by the filter. BioGuard SoftSwim Stain Control ties up metals to prevent stains in SoftSwim pools.
Budget Pools can help you solve your pool water problems after performing a water test.
Pool Water Terminology
Balanced Water the proper combination of mineral content and pH that prevents pool water from being corrosive or scale forming.
Calcium Hardness the amount of dissolved calcium in the water. Keeping it in the proper range will help protect equipment and keep water sparkling and clear. The ideal range is 175 to 225 ppm (200 to 275 ppm for plaster wall and SoftSwim pools). If it's too low, use BioGuard Balance Pak 300. If it's too high, use BioGuard Scale Inhibitor. If over 400 ppm, it may be necessary to partially drain the pool and add water with lower calcium hardness.
Chlorine Demand the amount of free available chlorine needed to destroy organic contaminants and provide a residual for continued sanitation.
Free Available Chlorine the active chlorine in the water that has not combined with organic matter and is therefore available for killing bacteria and algae. The proper range is 1-3 ppm. Below 1 ppm can allow bacteria and algae to grow and cause cloudy water. Test water often in the summer when the pool is used most.
pH the measure of the acidity/alkalinity of water. pH should be kept in the proper range to protect pool equipment, to allow the sanitizer to work, and to increase swimmer enjoyment. The ideal range is 7.4 to 7.6. If it's too low, use BioGuard Balance Pak 200. If it's too high, use BioGuard Lo 'N Slo.
ppm parts per million concentration.
Salt Chlorine Generator a device that converts salt (sodium chloride) into free chlorine using electricity.
Sanitizer a chemical that kills bacteria and controls algae. Sanitizer level should be maintained because bacteria enter the pool continuously from many sources. BioGuard offers both chlorine/bromine sanitizers and non-chlorine sanitizers, SoftSwim® and Mineral Springs.
Scale calcium or silicate mineral deposits on swimming pool walls, floors and circulation plumbing, especially in heat exchangers.
Shock an oxidizing compound added to the pool water to chemically break up (oxidize) contaminants such as suntan oils, cosmetics, perspiration and chloramines. It restores water clarity, helps maintain water balance, and eliminates the main causes of eye and nose irritation.
Total Alkalinity a measure of the water's ability to resist changes in pH. pH can be affected by acid rain, run-off from surrounding land, and fertilizers. Keeping it in the proper range will help prevent pH from fluctuating and help prevent scale and cloudy water. The ideal range 125 to 150 ppm. If it's too low, use BioGuard Balance Pak® 100. If it's too high, use BioGuard Lo 'N Slo.
Chemical Safety
With all pool care products, avoid physical contact. Follow safety information on label instructions. Open in well-ventilated area. Avoid breathing fumes. Store in a cool, dry place. Keep out of the reach of children.