The LSI | Calcium Hardness | Rule Your Pool (Episode 6)

In the swimming pool and spa industry, calcium is treated like it's a four-letter word. But if managed correctly, calcium hardness can be your best friend. So, what is calcium hardness anyway? According to the Rule Your Pool Guys, it’s the concentration of calcium in your pool, and the most stable factor of the LSI. Calcium is so stable, that Orenda bases their LSI management strategy around it.
In this episode, Eric and Jarred discuss the benefits of calcium hardness, some misconceptions surrounding calcium, calcium hardness increasers, and how to lower calcium hardness in a pool. They also get into the weeds on the Orenda Academy exclusive hat, calcium testing issues, calcite crystals, and a whole lot more.
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01:01 Episode Takeaways
03:12 What does calcium hardness do for a pool?
05:58 Calcium Hardness in Desert Climates
09:35 Calcium Hardness Testing
13:56 How Calcium Hardness Affects Scale
15:58 How Much Calcium Does Calcium Hypochlorite Add?
18:07 Advantages of High Calcium Hardness
20:35 Calcite Crystals
24:43 How To Lower Calcium Hardness
27:33 How To Increase Calcium Hardness
33:54 How Often Should You Test Calcium Hardness

[@xdomm951]

Awesome vids, guys. I'm loving all of them.

[@OrendaTechnologies]

Awesome! Thank you! Now if we could only get Jarred to read the show notes we’d be unstoppable.

[@frank7910]

What does filling pool with well water with hose filter do?

[@robober7251]

Great information, thank you!

[@OrendaTechnologies]

Thanks for watching!

[@angiehorn9417]

All sounds good but if we had calcium build up on pool vinyl pool liner how do we get it off ?? It’s like sandpaper !!! 🤦🏼‍♀️

[@OrendaTechnologies]

Email [e-mail] and send photos of it, along with chemistry readings. It might not be calcium carbonate scale…

[@oakden1991]

Hi Orenda, I am a pool tech in Australia and am finding that it is very hard to manage LSI during winter here . The water temperature can be around 8 degrees and the problem is more that these pools are salt chlorinated, ppm 4000-5500. I can see a possible solution is to keep the pH level at around 8. I guess my question here is what do you see the best possible way to manage LSI in these conditions and is having a pH level at 8 to counter the low temp + salt effect to LSI a bad thing ? Really love all the vids and info you guys give out! Thanks

[@oakden1991]

Just another question while I am at it - many of the pools I look after are Magna systems (Zodiac), magnesium/ salt pools. What way do you recommend to test the magnesium level ? I use a Taylor K-2006 but believe the calcium test is also counting the magnesium hardness which is resulting in wrong tests. Thanks guys.

[@OrendaTechnologies]

You probably need more calcium hardness. Email us at [e-mail] to discuss in more detail. Thanks for listening!

[@toddlinahan3230]

With a liquid chlorine pool in central CA what CH would you recommend for year round use. Thanks and keep up the good informative work!

[@OrendaTechnologies]

Probably about 300 ppm

[@cbdislife2514]

My directions say add 1 ounce (30ml ) per 500 gallons to increase hardness by 7 ppm. my hot tub is 250 gallons and my hardness is zero still after adding 150 ml (5 ounces). My hardness should be at 80ppm. But it’s zero. I’m afraid to add more yet. Any suggestions?

[@OrendaTechnologies]

One ounce of what product? You’re adding a liquid to increase hardness? Hardness is calcium based. We’re not aware of a liquid calcium product for pools. Email us at [e-mail] for more specific advice. Thanks!

[@mochicake4541]

Will the Exact EX Photometer be the best or easiest way to test for calcium hardness

[@OrendaTechnologies]

We don’t really have an opinion on that. We don’t know enough about that test kit. Sorry

[@thomasgianfalla7655]

💦🏊🏻‍♂️💦 A very informative and comprehensive pool podcast. Thank you 💕🙏🏻💕 Eric and Jared!

[@OrendaTechnologies]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@FlyLowJoe]

I’m a service pool tech and I love your thinking about calcium being higher vs ph and alkalinity going back and forth. My question is I’m in south Florida and we get a lot of rain here. Where should I keep calcium at ?

[@OrendaTechnologies]

Great question Jose. In the summer we would say something between 250-300. In the fall and “winter” (if such a season exists in south Florida), maybe 280-320 or so. Dilution from rain will help keep it from getting out of control.

[@ccmissymc]

Hello , I’ve been using only granular shock in my pool for chlorine , We have redone our pool and re-plastered . I have never had so much powder on the floor of my pool and can’t seem to get rid of it . Vacuum … swimming it doesn’t go away. Of course l started to investigate and came across your video. Is this a problem from using to much calcium in my pool ?it’s driving me crazy … Help??

[@OrendaTechnologies]

It certainly could be if the shock is calcium hypochlorite. Email [e-mail] with your pool’s chemistry and describe the situation for some one-on-one Orenda support.

[@cblount3800]

I have a 13,000 gl. pool that I cannot get the calcium hardness raised on. I've added about 15 lbs of calcium hardness but it's only raised it to 55ppm for a day then it dropped back down the next day.

[@OrendaTechnologies]

Hmm. If the level keeps dropping, you might have a leak. Or it’s raining a lot and you’re losing water through the overflow. It’s either a faulty test or you have dilution of some kind of CH levels are going down.

[@cblount3800]

@@OrendaTechnologies thanks for the insight.

[@grassthief1280]

Hi ERic your opinion I'm in NJ 20k Swg , pool I balance my levels vinyl liner I keep my calcium at 200 whe re should I be ??

[@OrendaTechnologies]

In NJ? 400-500 ppm going into the winter, because the rain and snow this winter will dilute that down. Gradually add it as the months get colder, or if you're having it covered, follow this procedure: procedures.orendatech.com/pool-winterization

[@andrewcowan9094]

Hey just completed 4 pillars how can I get my curve bill hat ?

[@OrendaTechnologies]

Ahh nice!! email [e-mail]. Let us know where you are located and we'll try to get it to you through one of our local reps, or by mail. Thanks for taking the class.

[@rosan100162]

Help! After discovering your method, I added calcium to increase our calcium to 325 (it was 230 after a partial drain and using a combination of softened water with tap water) but 3 days after adding the calcium, I am now seeing white/grayish particles floating on the surface of the pool which we've never seen before in the 3 years we have had the pool. Is this due to the added calcium? We have a SWG. What do I need to do to get rid of the white stuff? Our phosphates are high at 1500ppb. I just bought your phosphate remover but haven't used it yet.

[@OrendaTechnologies]

It sounds like some of the calcium has not been able to dissolve. Did you pre-chelate the calcium? Did you pre-dissolve it entirely before adding? If it’s coming out of solution, try adding a Chelant like SC-1000 or a sequestering agent to help dissolve the calcium, and bring the pH down to about 7.6 if you’re not there already.

[@anth115]

What do you suggest having calcium at a vinyl pool at using cal hypo chlorine . With a pool that does better at a higher ph below the 8.2 ceiling ofcourse

[@anth115]

@@OrendaTechnologies also i think you mentioned the ph rises faster every week in a plaster pool vs a vinyl pool... both rose due to physics it seems and splashing around etc but does vinyl truly rise slower in ph