What Does Copper Sulfate Do To Pool Water?

What Does Copper Sulfate Do To Pool Water? A swimming pool in your backyard can offer you a number of benefits. While having a sluggish swim in the cold water of the pool you can enjoy a great time with your family and friends.

But to enjoy your pool for a long time you will have to focus on a few things including maintaining the purity of the pool water. You can get pure water in your swimming pool by purchasing the right algaecide for it and use it properly. 

Copper sulfate is considered as the best algaecide. It can be used in pool water as a disinfectant which can provide a number of benefits to the pool users.

According to the recommendations of a Journal of Public Health in America, copper sulfate aka bluestone can be used as an algaecide in swimming pools to purify its water by controlling the growth of algae in the pool.

How to use copper sulfate in pool water?

Though copper sulfate can help in keeping your pool free from all types of algae it should be used carefully. It is one of the most effective types of algaecide, but if not used properly it can cause stains. While adding copper sulfate, you should keep in mind that it should not be used if you have installed a sanitizing system of biguanide in your pool. Moreover, you should not use it as a chemical to treat your pool water regularly as it can increase the alkaline level of the pool water.

So, before adding copper sulfate, you should check the alkalinity of the water, amount of algae in it, and the amount of water in the pool so that you can add the right amount of this chemical in it. So to control the growth of algae, you will have to follow the following steps to add copper sulfate in it.

Steps to add copper sulfate to the pool water

• Step 1: First of all, you should assess the alkalinity of the pool water by testing it. You should also follow the instructions of the manufacturer of copper sulfate, printed on its label, to get the best results. By assessing the alkalinity of the water you can determine the right amount of copper sulfate required to purify the water.

• Step 2: To determine the right amount of copper sulfate required, you can use the chart found on the website of the University of Kentucky. This chart will allow you to know how much copper sulfate you should add on the basis of its alkalinity.

If the total alkalinity of your pool water is less than 50 ppm or more than 200 ppm then you should avoid adding any amount of copper sulfate to it. However, you can add 2-6 pounds of copper sulfate to it if the total alkalinity of the water lies somewhere in between this range.

The size of your pool can also affect the amount of this algaecide to be added to the pool water. You should also follow the instructions of the manufacturers of copper sulfate while using it.

• Step 3: Now after determining the quantity of copper sulfate to be added, you should wear protective glasses and gloves.

• Step 4: Copper sulfate comes in bags as well as in jars. Now you can use this jar, a gallon bucket, or some other glass container to mix blue crystals of copper sulfate in enough quantity of water to dissolve them. You can add more water to this mixture until it dissolves completely.

• Step 5: When the copper sulfate is dissolved completely in the water you can pour it in a pump bottle with a plastic spray. You can use this bottle to add copper sulfate to your pool water as you use it in your garden to apply liquid fertilizers.

• Step 6: While spraying this mixture in your swimming pool you should cover the water evenly and completely with it.

What Does Copper Sulfate Do To Pool Water? – Conclusion

In this way, copper sulfate can help in purifying your pool water. But it should be used carefully and in exact quantities otherwise, it can be harmful to the pool and its users.