5 Reasons to Use Borates in Your Swimming Pool
Wondering what all this talk is about borates? Confused a little by what we’re talking about? Then, this article is for you as we look at the vital importance of borates such as BioGuard Optimizer and Poolife Endure in your swimming pool.
First, we recommend all pool owners use borates in their pools, both inground and above ground pools. Borates are simply a mineral, and while we use them in pools, you may find them in medicine, cosmetics, laundry detergent, and even building materials.
There are so many reasons to use borates in your swimming pool, and today, we look at five of those outstanding reasons. Let’s look at a borate overview first.
How Do Borates Affect Pools?
When it comes to swimmers, you will notice that your pool with borates is more comfortable to swim in. In fact, it may reduce red eye and skin irritation.
You will most definitely notice softer water and improved water clarity. Here are a few other ways borates affect pools:
- Reduce scaling
- Reduce corrosion
- Save energy
- Be added easily and dissolve instantly
- Improve oxidizer performance and longevity (typically chlorine)
- Provide exceptional buffering capacity
#1: Borates Prevent Algae
Borates act as an algaestat and by doing so, they prevent algae growth. (They are not an algaecide that you use to kill algae.)
#2: Borates Help with pH
The most important role borates play in your pool water is to act as a buffer. You may know that the pH of your pool is of utmost importance to the health and clarity of your water. Well, borates are champs at holding pH.
Maintaining pH is essential to:
- Allow chlorine or other oxidizers to perform as sanitizers and kill bacteria and viruses in the water
- Minimize rapid loss of chlorine
- Slow corrosion and breakdown of pool plaster
- Reduce eye and skin sensitivity
- Reduce scaling and water cloudiness while improving the efficiency of your pool pump.
Bottomline – borates keep your pH from getting too high or too low.
#3: Borates Lower Chlorine Demand
Borates prevent algae growth and help you maintain the proper pH level in your swimming pool. Because of this, you don’t have to use as much chlorine or algaecide during the season. In fact, you can save up to 50% on chlorine consumption.
In addition, you may find you can use your pump less often, saving you hundreds of dollars over the summer. This is because the borates keep your water clean and sparkling, and you may not need as much filtration.
#4: Borates Give You Silky-Soft Water
Not only do borates help you have crystal clear water, but you’ll love the soft and silky water that feels great on your skin and eyes. Borates make your water feel like you’ve added soothing, relaxing bath salts to your water.
What’s more, borates naturally inhibit corrosion which is often a problem in salt water pools. You’ll also notice that borates prevent scaling in your pool, too.
#5: You Only Add Borates One Time
We love telling customers they only need to add borates like BioGuard Optimizer once during the season. This is different from most pool chemicals that you add routinely during the season.
Borates don’t dissipate in the water, and the only way they leave your pool is if you drain your pool or take water out of it.
So, even though there is an upfront cost, you only add borates once at the beginning of the season. Even better is that the following spring, you usually only need to add a smaller dose to boost the levels you added the previous year. You won’t ever need as much as you did the first time.
Rock the Pool World
So now you know why we love borates at Fiesta Pools and Spas. They are the rock star of the pool world.
If you’d like to learn more or check out our selection, stop by any store. You can also shop online!
Don’t forget that we also offer free water testing at both stores! And be sure to ask about our pool opening, pool closing, and pool maintenance service. We are dedicated to helping you have the best pool water all year long!
