CALCIUM:
Calcium is a soft grey alkaline earth metal.
CALCIUM CARBONATE:
Known as scale, crystalline deposits of calcium may form on your pool surfaces, equipment, or even line your pipes like cholesterol in your arteries. Properly balanced water can prevent this.
CALCIUM CHLORIDE:
The flaked calcium salt used to raise levels of Calcium Hardness in your pool water. Also good for snow melting.
CALCIUM HARDNESS:
The level of the mineral calcium dissolved in pool water. Determined by a titration test.
CAPACITY:
The total number of gallons of pool water your pool contains (gallonage).
CAPACITOR:
The Capacitor is the battery for your pool motor. It provides the energy needed while starting, to reach 3450 rpm quickly. Replace your capacitor when the shaft can be spun freely with a wrench or by hand, and when powering the motor, you hear a 'buzz' or a 'hum' from the motor, but no impeller movement. Replace your old capacitor with an exact match to the 'MFD' number on the new capacitor.
CARBON DIOXIDE:
A gas, which when present in the water, provides necessary food for the growth of algae.
CARBONATE:
Primary in the make up of total alkalinity and TDS.
CARCINOGEN:
Any substance, radionuclide or radiation which is an agent directly involved in the promotion of cancer or in the facilitation of its propagation
CARTRIDGE:
One type of filtration. A fliter cartridge is a pleated, porous element which water is passed through.
CATION:
A positively-charged ion, which has fewer electrons than protons, due to its attraction to cathodes.
CAVITATION:
A general term used to describe the behavior of voids or bubbles in a liquid. Cavitation is usually divided into two classes of behavior: inertial (or transient) cavitation and non-inertial cavitation. Inertial cavitation is the process where a void or bubble in a liquid rapidly collapses, producing a shock wave. Such cavitation often occurs in pumps and impellers Non-inertial cavitation is the process where a bubble in a fluid is forced to oscillate in size or shape due to some form of energy input, such as an acoustic field. Such cavitation can be observed in pumps.
CHANNELED SAND:
When water has worked open "holes" in the sand and is streaming right through (without really going through the sand).
CHECK VALVE:
A valve that allows water to flow in only one direction.
CHITIN:
A naturally occurring polymer found in the shells of crabs and lobsters. Contained in the product "Sea-Klear." Chitin acts as a coagulant and flocculent for oils, metals, and organic materials.
CHELATOR:
A chelating agent is a water soluble molecule that can bond tightly with metal ions, keeping them from coming out of suspension and depositing their stains and scale onto pool surfaces and equipment. Similar to sequestering agents, chelators are found in such products as "Resist" and "Sea-Klear."
CHLORAMINES:
The chlorine molecule is strongly attracted to nitrogen and ammonia. When these two combine they form a chloramine, which are undesirable, foul smelling, space taking, compounds that require shocking the pool water to get rid of.
CHLORINE:
A member of the halogen family of sanitizers, it's use in swimming pools is in the elemental form of a gas, liquid, granular, or tablet compound. When added to water it acts as an oxidizer, sanitizer, disinfectant, and all around biocidal agent.
CHLORINE FREE AVAILABLE:
Free Available Chlorine is that which is active, not combined with an ammonia or a nitrogen molecule, and ready to react to destroy organic material.
CHLORINE COMBINED:
That portion of total available chlorine left over when free available is subtracted. The measure of chlorine which has already attached itself to other molecules or organisms. Most of this is made up of chloramines.
CHLORINE TOTAL AVAILABLE:
The sum of combined and free chlorine levels. With a DPD test kit, one determines free available level, then total available. The difference, if any, is the level of combined chlorine.
CHLORINE GENERATOR:
A miniature chlorine factory. This device creates its own sanitizer for your pool.
CHLORINATOR:
Devices which allow for the safe controlled introduction of chlorine into the water.
CHLORINE DEMAND:
The quantity of free available chlorine removed during the process of sanitizing. The amount of organic and non-organic material contained in the water will demand a certain level of oxidizer to be destroyed.
CIRCUIT BREAKER:
A switch which allows manual override of an electrical circuit. It also automatically breaks the circuit when current fluctuations are detected.
CIRCULATION SYSTEM:
The circuit of plumbing which continuously carries the water out of the pool, through the pump and filter then returns it to the pool.
CLARIFIER:
A clarifier is a chemical used as a coagulant of suspended micro particles. It helps the filter by clumping smaller particles into filterable sizes.
COAGULANT:
The properties of a chemical used in the assemblage and precipitation of suspended material which may make the pool appear cloudy.
CONDUIT:
A pipe, usually gray PVC or flexible PVC designed to carry wires from a source (i.e. time clock) to a load (i.e. pump motor).
CONTAMINANTS:
Any micro-particle or organism which reduces water clarity or quality and may present a health hazard. All of our filtering, circulating, and sanitizing is directed here.
COPING:
The capstone on top of the bond beam which finishes the edge around a pool or spa. It may be pre-cast concrete or brick. On vinyl liner pools pre-fabricated coping is usually part of an integrated system for the wall, vinyl liner, and deck.
COPPER:
An effective algaestat and algaecide. Copper as elemental is used in many pools in products like "Pooltrine."
COPPER SULFATE:
Similar to aluminum sulfate, this chemical provides a coagulating and flocculent function in water. Used mainly in ponds, a large amount of copper sulfate would stain a swimming pool.
CONDITIONER:
Also called Cyanuric Acid (CYA) or a stabilizer, this chemical provides a shield from the sun around the chlorine molecule, extending the efficacy; saving you money.
CORONA DISCHARGE:
An electrical discharge brought on by the ionization of a fluid surrounding a conductor, which occurs when the potential gradient (the strength of the electric field) exceeds a certain value, but conditions are insufficient to cause complete electrical breakdown or arcing.
CORROSION:
The effects of a acidic pool environment. One in which the pH and/or alkalinity are very low. Corrosion in the form of etching, pitting, or erosion of pool equipment and surfaces is the result.
COUPLING:
A plumbing fitting designed to join two pieces of pipe.
COVER AUTOMATIC:
Solid reinforced vinyl which rolls onto a reel on one end of the pool and attaches on the sides into small aluminum tracks. It can be be motorized or hand-crank style. Some models may snap the sides into small anchors placed into the deck providing more shape flexibility. Provides safety (with water pumped off - cover pump), debris protection, and heat/chemical/water retention.
COVER, HARD:
A cover which rests on the edge or coping of the spa or small pool. Provides a barrier to debris and possibly people, while keeping the heat trapped in.
COVER, SOLAR:
Sometimes called a thermal blanket, this cover floats on the surface magnifying the sun's rays to warm the water and also prevents chemical/heat/water evaporation.
COVER, WINTER:
A barrier to sun and debris, winter covers secure the pool from contamination. These are subdivided below.
COVER, MESH:
These stretch tightly across the pool like a trampoline. They are the only covers which can be called safety covers in that the mesh polypropylene allows precipitation to pass through.
COVER, SOLID:
These are usually made of some form of plastic or vinyl and are secured around the edges either by aqua blocks, similar weight, or the edges attach to anchors set in the concrete or wood deck.
CYANURIC ACID:
A granular chemical added to the pool water which provides a shield to chlorine for protection from UV radiation, which disrupts the molecule, destroying its sanitizing ability.